How to compare supplier prices across pack sizes and distributors
A case price on its own tells you very little. When the pack size changes, or two distributors quote different packs, the only fair comparison is cost per usable unit: per pound, per ounce, or per each.
The one formula you need
cost per unit = case price / (packs per case x size of each pack)Pack descriptions on invoices usually look like 6/#10, 4/5 LB, 12/32 OZ or 1/50 LB. The first number is how many packs are in the case; the second is the size of each pack.
Worked examples
| Item | Pack | Case price | Total quantity | Cost per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded mozzarella, distributor A | 4/5 LB | $62.00 | 20 lb | $3.10 / lb |
| Shredded mozzarella, distributor B | 6/5 LB | $88.80 | 30 lb | $2.96 / lb |
| Fryer oil, last month | 1/35 LB | $42.00 | 35 lb | $1.20 / lb |
| Fryer oil, this month (new pack) | 1/30 LB | $39.00 | 30 lb | $1.30 / lb |
The fryer oil case got cheaper on the invoice ($42.00 to $39.00), but the jug shrank from 35 to 30 lb, so the real price went up about 8%. This is the most common way a price increase hides on an invoice.
The mozzarella case from distributor B costs more, but per pound it is about 4.5% cheaper. Whether that matters depends on whether you can use 30 lb before it spoils.
Things that make comparisons unfair
- Yield. Compare cost per usable unit. Whole-muscle meat with trim loss, or produce with heavy waste, should be compared after trim, not as purchased.
- Drained weight. Canned goods list net weight; drained weight can differ a lot between brands.
- Catch-weight items. For variable-weight cases, use the actual billed weight, not the nominal pack. See checking catch-weight pricing.
- Split-case pricing. If you buy eaches, compare against the per-unit case price. See split-case fees.
- Fees outside the line price. Fuel surcharges, delivery and small-order fees belong in the total cost of using a distributor.
A quick weekly habit
- Pick your 15 to 20 highest-spend items (proteins, cheese, oil, dairy, paper usually dominate).
- Write down the cost per unit from this week's invoice next to last month's.
- Flag anything up more than 3%, and any item whose pack description changed.
- Ask your rep about the flagged items before the next order, not after the month closes.
FeeHawk does this automatically: it reads each invoice, converts every line to a cost per unit, and flags price increases and pack-size changes with a dollar total.
Get a free invoice audit
Upload your last 3 months of supplier invoices (PDFs or phone photos). FeeHawk lists every price increase, new fee and missing credit, with a dollar total and what to dispute. A person checks every report before it is sent.
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