45%
Octopus yields 45%
You buy octopus by its whole weight, but you only plate 45% of it. That 55% loss is real cost the invoice never shows — here's the math.
At 45% yield, octopus carries a ×2.22 trim tax: its usable part costs the invoice price times 2.22.
Market readconfidence directional · as of 2026-05-01
Trade-value index — directional only; the NOAA import value runs below delivered wholesale. The market is down -6.6% over the recent window.
Watch. Too new to call — too little history so far. Treat the price as real until a pattern shows.
One pricing methodology backs the level, and the trend leans on a single independent source.
Sources · 1
Yield is the fraction of an ingredient that actually reaches the plate after you clean, peel, and trim it. What you pay is the AP (as-purchased) price; what it costs on the plate is the EP (edible-portion) price.
Shell, head, and water weight are the loss — shellfish yields are the lowest in the kitchen, so the cost per usable ounce runs high.
Say your invoice shows $9.00 per lb of octopus (an example AP price).
At 45% yield, your real cost is $20.00 per lb EP — because $9.00 ÷ 0.45 = $20.00.
AP price is illustrative; the EP figure is computed (AP ÷ yield). Use your real invoice price below.Yield breakdown
| As-purchased (AP) | 100% |
|---|---|
| Edible portion (EP) | 45% |
| Lost to trim | 55% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of octopus?
Octopus typically yields 45% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much octopus is lost to trim?
About 55% of the as-purchased weight is lost to cleaning, peeling, and trimming before it reaches the plate.
How do you calculate the edible-portion cost of octopus?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.45. At 45% yield, the trim makes your real plated cost meaningfully higher than the invoice price.
One ingredient's trim is the tax above — a plate stacks ten of them. The calculator adds them up.
Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion