Cold brew looks simple, but the margin lives in batch yield and dilution. If you price it like iced coffee, you will undercharge.
This guide shows the cold brew math that keeps your pricing consistent.
Start Here: The Numbers to Check
- This guide is for U.S. cafes and coffee carts selling 12 oz, 16 oz, bottled, or concentrate-based cold brew.
- The first numbers to check are coffee dose, water ratio, final yield, dilution ratio, cup and lid cost, ice, milk or syrup add-ons, and discarded batch loss.
- Start with
cost per fl oz = batch cost / sellable fl oz, then calculatedrink cost = cold brew ounces + cup + lid + ice + add-ons. - The examples below price a batch and a 16 oz drink so you can see how yield loss changes the real cup cost.
- Today, measure the sellable ounces from your next cold brew batch before changing the menu price.
Cold Brew Cost Formula
Cold brew cost per drink = (Batch cost / Usable ounces) x Drink sizeExample Batch
- Coffee beans: 2.5 lb
- Water: 1.5 gal
- Filters + loss: 8% waste
- Yield: 2.0 gal concentrate
If you dilute 1:1 for service:
Usable ounces = 2.0 gal x 128 oz x 2 = 512 ozA 16 oz drink uses 16 oz of finished cold brew.
Example Pricing (16 oz)
- Coffee cost per drink: $0.85
- Packaging (cup, lid, straw): $0.45
- Ice + syrup: $0.20
Total cost: $1.50
If you target 20% pour cost:
$1.50 / 0.20 = $7.50Where Margin Leaks
- Dilution done by eye
- Excess waste from over-steeping
- Upsize without adjusting price
- Premium cups that are not priced in
Market Context
December 2025 BLS CPI data shows food away from home up 4.1% over the year. Coffee, cups, and dairy move together, so review cold brew pricing at least quarterly.
Do This Now
- Weigh and record 3 portions of your main ingredient
- Calculate the cost per portion using your supplier invoice
- Set a portion standard and train your team
- Review your current menu price against 28-35% food cost target
- Update your pricing if food cost is above 35%
- Schedule a monthly cost review with your team
Related Guides
KitchenCost tracks batch yields and updates cold brew pricing instantly.
If you want your coffee menu to stay profitable, start at KitchenCost.