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COMMODITY FOOD MARKET UPDATES:   w/o September 22, 2025

CATEGORY NEAR-TERM MARKET PRICING TREND SUPPLY vs. DEMAND MARKET INSIGHTS COMMENTARY
Beef (Commodity) Steady Short - Mixed Beef packers are currently benefiting from unexpected profitability, prompting them to increase harvest levels. However, margins are projected to turn negative again, which is likely to trigger renewed harvest reductions. Looking ahead, anticipate higher prices and continued market volatility.
Pork (Commodity) Decreasing Available - Weak Butts and spareribs are forecast to decline over the next four weeks (~11% for butts, ~12% for spareribs) as seasonal production builds and post-holiday demand softens. Markets are expected to stabilize into October before trending lower into Q4.
Pork (Value-Added) Decreasing Available - Steady Bacon markets are easing with bellies forecast down roughly 11% over the next four weeks. Seasonal supply increases are pressuring wholesale values, while retail and foodservice demand remain steady but unable to absorb the additional volume. Markets should stabilize after the current correction.
Poultry (Chicken) Decreasing Available - Steady The front half of the bird continues to decline in price.  The back half of the bird remains steady and supply is broadly available.
Poultry (Turkey) Increasing Short – Strong Pricing continues to rise across the board for turkey.  Availability is short of demand by far.  This is expected to continue near term. 
Seafood Mixed Disrupted - Steady On-again/off-again tariffs are creating volatility in seafood markets. Import costs are up, supply chains are inconsistent, and species availability varies. Demand remains steady, but uncertainty on trade policy is keeping buyers cautious and pricing unstable.
Butter Decreasing Steady - Steady Butter production is active across regions, supported by ample cream supplies, though most churns are still running below full capacity. Foodservice demand remains softer than retail demand, with several contacts highlighting that retail-size packaging is taking priority over bulk production. In the West, foodservice orders are notably weaker compared to continuing strength in retail and export channels. Manufacturers in the East and Central regions are preparing for holiday needs, keeping schedules busy despite mixed spot cream markets and varying domestic demand. Overall, inventories are steady with no immediate concerns of shortage. Source: USDA AMS as of September 12
Cheese Decreasing Steady - Steady Cheese production across all U.S. regions is holding steady as cooler weather boosts milk supplies. Foodservice demand is consistently noted as lighter than last year, with contacts in both the East and Central regions reporting softening sales compared to 2024, though loads remain broadly available to meet near-term coverage. Retail cheese demand is stable to strong, particularly with holiday preparations underway, while bulk orders are steady and inventories healthy. Export demand is mixed, facing stiff competition from global sellers, and overall market sentiment is described as soft. Looking ahead, foodservice sales may remain subdued into the fall as buyers show caution, though abundant supply should allow operators to secure product without major difficulty. Any sustained improvement in foodservice demand will likely be critical to shifting the current market tone.. Source: USDA AMS as of September 12
Fluid Dairy Class I - Decrease           
Class II - Higher		 Class I - Available - Steady     Class II - Available - Steady Class I: Whole milk slight decrease for September.                                                                                                                  
Class II: Cost Increase on Cream & Cultured for September.
 Oils/Shortening/Margarine Mixed Available - Strong Soybean continues its rollercoaster ride of trading ranges on the stock market.  Normally September is a month of stable pricing as old pack year stocks are used up and new harvest has begun.  This year, we have definitely seed more trading volatility due to world trad-markets and the pending biofuel policy.  This has caused larger ups-and-downs in stock trade levels.  This has lead to some increases and decreased in the price of a JIB of oil in recent weeks.  This trend will likely continue in the coming days.  This may lead to a change of $1-$3 (up or down) in the price of JIB of Soy Oil in the near term based on local markets and purchase patterns.  Canola Oils typically follow a similar pricing trend to soy products.  Margarine prices will likely remain steady as we move through September.  Though Tariffs are still impacting overall Margarine prices (and other Palm Products).  Tallow and Lard remain at higher prices due to steep demand and Tallow will be tight in various markets as we move into fall season.
Produce Lower - Avocados,                      
Steady - Apples,  Broccoli, Onions, Bell Peppers,                 
Higher -  Oranges,  Strawberries, Iceberg, Romaine, Value-Added Lettuces, Tomatoes, Lemons, ID Russets   		  Improving/Steady -  Broccoli                
Good/Steady -  Apples, Avocados, Onions, Idaho 80-120sz Russets             
Short/Strong -   Strawberries, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Oranges, Romaine, Tomatoes, Iceberg, Lemons, Idaho 40-70sz Russets     		 Apples, in transition from storage to new crop through end of Sept.                                    
Avocados, peaking on 48 & 60ct. New crop takes longer to ripen.                                                                  
Bell Peppers, green steady with good supplies.   Red Supply is improving.                                                          
Broccoli, fair supplies. Quality is fair. Market slight increase.                                                                                              
Iceberg, lower yields & school demand pushed markets. Wts 38-42 lb. Value-Added Lettuce products have improved less demand.                                                                                                                       
Romaine, low yields + school demand pushed market. Hearts tight.                                                                                                                                            
Tomatoes, market improved and quality has also improved.                                                                                                           
Strawberries, lighter supplies has market higher.                                                                                                                                                                     
Oranges, CA Valencia 88s peak. Some decay & regreening on arrival.                                                                                            
Lemons, imports down. CA tight, 165&200 scarce. Some soft & decay.                                                 
Onions, CA & NM still avail. ID/OR harvest underway. Strong demand.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
ID Potatoes, 40-70sz tight. Market higher especially on #2s & Lrg sizes. Idaho new crop being harvested, following ideal growing conditions.                                      
Sugar Steady Available - Steady Sugar Prices have remained at similar levels in recent weeks.  The domestic Beet and Cane Crops are still looking healthy and harvest will likely ensue by month end for Beets and shortly thereafter for Cane.  As long as there are no major weather events (i.e. hurricanes or early freezes), we should have a strong harvest.  We do not yet know the sugar content of this crop yet, as that will also impact the overall available tonnage for this pack year.  Current prices remain steady and early harvest details may impact pricing (either up or down) as we close out the year (longer term).  There is currently solid supply for Foodservice to get us through the heavy fall baking season.  However, increased demand does always put a strain on production plants and may lead to isolated shortages as we move into the holidays.
Shell Eggs Steady Available - Steady Shell egg demand has softened following recent retail promotions, with foodservice demand for egg products described as light as manufacturers work mostly from existing stocks. Wholesale trading across multiple channels is generally slow to moderate, with supplies available but movement restrained. Foodservice buyers of processed eggs kept schedules steady, though production of whole, white, and yolk products declined from last week, while dried egg output increased. Inventories of cage-free and organic eggs fell due to solid retail and foodservice pull, while overall shell egg stocks remained steady. The cage-free flock continues to expand, now making up nearly 40% of the U.S. table egg supply, reflecting longer-term shifts in sourcing for both retail and foodservice markets. Source: USDA AMS as of September 17
Wheat (Flour Based Products) Decreasing Available - Strong There has been no real change in the value of Wheat in the trade in recent days.  This has lead to only slight impacts on the price of flour.  We do have solid supply of domestic product to get us through the fall and winter baking seasons.  We do expect to see some price softening on high gluten products as we move into the fall.  Lower gluten products will likely maintain similar pricing levels in the coming weeks.  Supply is available though heavy demand during the fall months can delay shipments and may create isolated shortages.  
All UniPro Foodservice Sales Market Insights information is based on domestic US market data only, unless indicated otherwise. The UniPro Foodservice Market Sales Insights update is not a recommendation to buy or sell a commodity.  While this update is based on sources we believe to be reliable and accurate, UniPro Foodservice does not guarantee the accuracy of the information presented.