U.S. Potato Industry

Profit Calculator

Experts at the Food Innovation Center Experiment Station at Oregon State University* diligently researched the contribution of fry lengths to a serving size and, using a typical "fry scoop" serving container, created and tested a formula by which servings yield per case can be calculated quickly based on fry length.

If you know the length specifications of your fry product - that is, the percentages of different fry lengths making up your product - you can quickly determine the servings yield per case, based on OSU research; your cost per serving; and how they compare to yield and cost per serving expected with USDA Grade A Extra Long Fancy fries, as determined by university research. This profit calculator makes it easy for you to see for yourself!

If you don't know the length specifications of your French fry product, find out by asking your distributor. If your distributor does not know, ask him to contact the processor. Better yet, start specifying only USDA Grade A Extra Long Fancy fries to assure maximum servings yield and profitability from your fry station.

*Food Innovation Center Experiment Station, College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, Portland, Oregon. 2002

Calculate servings yield per case based on length specifications of fries and profit difference from cases of different specifications.

To have the profit calculator provide an estimated servings yield, enter the percentage of mass in each fry length category, replacing the numbers in the provided example:

Percentage in each length specification

Total < 2" Short 2-3" Med. 3-4" Long > 4" Short

Estimated Servings Yield

Your current price per case

Price of Alternative

Length Specifications of Alternative

Total < 2" Short 2-3" Med. 3-4" Long > 4" Short

Estimated Servings Yield for alternative

Net Revenue

Profit Change per Week

Cases Sold Per Week

Weekly profit change

Annual profit change

Note: Net revenue in this instance is the price of the serving of this size less the cost of the container and the addititional labor cost if any attributed to that added serving. Added servings and profits are based on a serving of the size shown.

The serving container used in this study is of a type sometimes described as a fry scoop. Its dimensions are listed as 3 ⅝ inches wide by 1 ¼ inches deep by 4 ¼ inches tall (9.2 x 3.2 x 10.5 centimeters). The container widens to 1 ¾ inches deep in the center and lifts from the bottom about ⅛ inch at the bottom end. From this center point the front side of the container is 2 ⅞ inches tall. At this front top edge the container is approximately 2 ⅝ inches deep.

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