CommodityOne Weekly Report – Week of December 16, 2025

Poultry

Poultry markets remained mostly steady last week, supported by strong harvest levels and improving supply conditions. Most chicken cuts continue to trend well below last year, particularly wings and breast meat, helping relieve food cost pressure after earlier volatility. Dark meat showed modest strength, while egg prices declined week over week as flock recovery continues following late-2024 HPAI impacts.

Outlook: Stable pricing supports more accurate forecasting and fewer purchasing adjustments. This environment allows planners to rely more heavily on demand models rather than reacting to short-term market movement.

Beef

Cattle futures rose sharply last week, but boxed beef prices declined as higher harvest levels increased supply. Premium cuts were mixed, while end cuts such as chucks and rounds remained relatively steady. Ground beef prices were flat to slightly lower, supporting high-volume menu applications.

Outlook: Range-bound pricing allows planners to focus on demand modeling rather than short-term market swings. End cuts and ground beef remain key categories for maintaining forecast stability.

Pork

Pork markets strengthened across all primals, driven by strong export demand and seasonal inventory building. Hams led gains as early Easter production ramps up, while bellies, ribs, and butts also moved higher due to tightening availability.

Outlook: Continued strength may require tighter inventory alignment and forecasting discipline. Planners should monitor export-driven demand closely as it can quickly shift availability.

Seafood

Frozen snow crab prices continued to decline based on newly released import data, moving further away from early-2025 highs. After a volatile year, pricing is slowly returning to more predictable seasonal patterns.

Outlook: Improved seasonality enhances forecast accuracy for seafood planning. Operators may gain more confidence when scheduling features and promotions.

Produce

Roma tomato prices declined sharply last week, falling well below recent highs after peaking in late November. Lettuce pricing continued its predictable downward trend, creating more stable conditions for produce planning after earlier seasonal volatility.

Outlook: Greater price stability supports cleaner forecasts and fewer menu-driven adjustments. This creates a more reliable planning window heading into early 2026.

Dairy

Dairy markets were mixed, with cheese and fluid milk prices edging lower while butter moved slightly higher. Retail butter demand remains strong, foodservice demand is steady, and production schedules have normalized following holiday disruptions.

Outlook: Balanced markets improve planning confidence across dairy categories. Limited volatility supports more consistent forecasting assumptions.

Grain

Grain markets were quiet, with soybean prices softening as export demand fell short of expectations. Futures pulled back as traders reassessed near-term demand following recent trade developments.

Outlook: Lower grain prices may ease upstream cost pressure heading into early 2026. This could help stabilize input costs tied to proteins and packaged goods.