Foodservice Operator Support Center
Our Support Center has everything Operators need to remain connected. Weekly Commodity Reports, Supply Chain Hot Takes, and Produce Alerts – ready to review!
Commodities Snapshot Report
For the week of April 6, 2026
Quickly review the latest weekly snapshot on all major commodities!
And for a deeper dive, scroll to the CommodityONE Reports below.
There’s no commodity update this week, but we’ll be back next week with fresh insights to keep your operation one step ahead!
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Grains
Grains showed mixed performance last week amid biofuel news, USDA planting/stocks reports, Middle East tensions, and weather, with soybean oil stalling post-March rally despite EPA's strong 2026/27 biomass diesel mandate. Soybeans remained stable, unmoved by reports or EPA news, possibly awaiting delayed Trump-Xi trade talks in May. Crude oil weakness and SBO demand doubts weighed on oil prices. Sector reactions varied, underscoring uncertainty for feed costs. Dining operators monitoring grains should brace for potential volatility tied to geopolitics and policy.
Outlook: Soybeans and oils stay range-bound pending trade developments; EPA mandates offer long-term SBO support but face near-term demand skepticism.
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Beef
Spot cattle trade was light but prices jumped sharply late last week across major states, despite beef production rising 2.2% week-over-week yet down 6.4% year-over-year and 7.6% year-to-date. Packer margins deteriorated further into negative territory, potentially slowing output, with year-to-date slaughter 10% below last year. Boxed beef cutouts for Choice and Select dipped less than 1%, led by rounds, while domestic 90% trim hit record weekly highs. CME feeder and live cattle posted record March closes amid tight supplies. Persistent Southern Plains drought blocks herd expansion signaled by high prices, a key concern for long-term availability.
Outlook: Beef supplies remain critically tight with no near-term relief, supporting elevated prices despite packer margin pressures; drought will hinder expansion for years.
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Dairy
CME spot dairy prices held steady week-over-week (cheese blocks/barrels up <1%, butter down nearly 2%), with U.S. milk production seasonally rising amid Easter-related plant slowdowns pushing surplus to open markets. Class III milk traded below government prices on ample supplies, while cheese sales stayed strong and butter demand was solid domestically. February exports hit near-records: cheese +30% YoY (highest ever), butter +77% (third-highest). Cheese production rose 3.9% YoY, with excess absorbed by exports; butter output +9.1% YoY fully exported plus more. This supports cheese output incentives for foodservice volume buyers.
Outlook: Robust exports and increasing milk production should stabilize prices, with Class III incentivizing cheese yields amid strong demand.
Click Show More to view Poultry, Pork and Seafood.
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Poultry
Young broiler slaughter eased slightly week-over-week and year-over-year, while USDA projects a strong Q2 2026 production increase of 300 million pounds, supported by egg sets and chick placements up about 2% from last year. Chicken prices firmed across major markets, with boneless skinless breast surging 17% in the past month to September highs, though eggs fell below $1 and turkey breasts softened. Feed prices aligned with March 2025 levels, squeezing producer margins year-over-year but keeping them well above the five-year average. Record flock efficiencies could boost supplies beyond expectations later this year. For dining operators, this signals sustained profitability encouraging production amid firm wing pricing upside.
Outlook: Ample chicken supplies from strong production and efficiencies may temper seasonal price gains, but wing markets carry upside risk heading into grilling season.
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Pork
Hog trade softened into late week, with year-to-date output 0.4% below last year, yet the USDA pork cutout edged higher on rib and ham strength—backribs firm amid grilling season and high beef prices. March's USDA Hog and Pigs Report revealed inventories, breeding herd, pig crop, and sows farrowing below expectations for December 2025-February 2026, likely prompting downward revisions to Q3/Q4 2026 production forecasts (previously +2.8%/+2.4% YoY). Pig-per-litter yields hit record highs, up 2.2% YoY, offering some supply offset. Backrib premiums to St. Louis ribs may cap further gains. Dining buyers should note tighter back-half supplies pressuring availability.
Outlook: Expect USDA to trim pork production outlooks for late 2026 due to low inventories, though rising pig-per-litter yields may mitigate some tightness.
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Seafood
Frozen tilapia filet hit a record low of $1.41/lb in January (down from $1.56 December), capping volatile swings with counter-seasonal import dips in December sparking rebounds before January volumes renewed the downturn. Data since 2012 shows tilapia prices bottoming March-April in most years, with imports similarly low, implying recent real-time climbs. Volatility likely persists short-term. By May, downtrends typically resume. Affordable tilapia provides dining value play amid broader seafood pressures.
Outlook: Tilapia prices are likely rising now from March-April bottoms but set to trend lower by May as imports recover seasonally.
Past Reports
Menu Makers is a weekly tip series with the hottest and
most trendy menu items.
Click the play button on the left to watch the latest video,
or click the thumbnails below to review archived uploads.
Past Videos
Weekly Produce Reports
Weekly reports for all regions. Current conditions, market trends, historic projections, insider alerts – and all at your fingertips!
April 9, 2026 – We will continue to see “demand exceeds supply” conditions on Tomatoes this week, with Florida entering its tightest week of the freeze event. Expect deep prorates and broader quality issues. We do not anticipate improvement for another 3–4 weeks and highly recommend flexibility with …
Past Reports
Weekly Commodity Reports
Detailed Commodity Reports and video Hot Takes from ArrowStream, for those in need of more in-depth reporting.
CommodityONE Market Report
In search of more detailed insight? Look no further than ArrowStream’s multi-page weekly CommodityONE Report.
Complete and submit the following form to receive your full report.
CommodityONE Hot Takes
Paul Savage, Director of Commodities at ArrowStream, presents the latest CommodityONE Hot Takes.
Click the play button to watch the latest video,
or click the thumbnails below to review archived uploads.
Past CommodityONE Updates
Step inside the foodservice world with Grounded, where we sit down with industry leaders to explore their personal journeys, business challenges, and big-picture perspectives from sourcing to service.
Hit play to watch the latest episode, or browse past conversations using the thumbnails below.
Foodservice Operator News
Check out insights and tips produced by experts from the Buyers Edge Platform family of brands.
- All
- Articles
- Data / Technology
- Digital Procurement Network / GPO
- Fresh Solutions / Fresh Division
- Supply Chain
It’s Not Just Food Costs: The Hidden Expenses Killing Multi-Unit Restaurant Margins
Source: Consolidated Concepts
The Power of the Right Partners Behind Menu Innovation
Source: Buyers Edge Platform
Restaurant Cost Analysis: Techniques to Improve Profit Margins
Source: InsideTrack
Food Procurement Optimization for Restaurant Owners: Do’s & Don’ts
Source: Dining Alliance
Sustainability in Food Service: Eco-Friendly Practices That Pay Off
Source: Buyers Edge Platform
Sustainable Food Sourcing for Restaurants – A Complete Guide
Source: Dining Alliance
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The Latest Facts & Figures
Live, interactive charts from industry experts
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Then click the headings at the top to show or hide the different groups and categories.
Consumer Price Index
Track the 12-month percentage changes of various goods and services.
Price Data
Track the price changes of key indicators including meat, produce and dairy.
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