Comparing shrimps correctly: It's not just about the price per kilo!

At first glance, the comparison seems simple: two shrimp products, two prices per kilogram – the cheaper offer wins. In practice, however, the lower price can actually lead to higher costs. Because what matters is not how much a box weighs, but how much of it actually ends up on the plate.

Shrimp are among the most versatile products in the seafood range. They work well as an appetizer, salad ingredient, grilled item, component of bowls, or as a base for pasta and stir-fries. At the same time, they require more explanation than their name might initially suggest.

Calibration, processing, glazing, thawing loss, and cooking effort significantly influence actual cost-effectiveness. Therefore, anyone buying shrimp solely based on the advertised price per kilogram may be comparing products that are only similar on paper.

The form of trade determines the effort required.

The processing method itself determines how much work is still required after thawing. Various abbreviations have become established for this in the international shrimp trade.

HOSO stands for "Head On, Shell On." The shrimp are offered with their heads and shells on. This format has a particularly natural and high-quality appearance. It is suitable, for example, for grilled dishes, buffets, and presentations where the entire shrimp should remain visible. However, the head and shell must be removed before eating or even during preparation.

HLSO stands for "Headless, Shell On". The head has been removed, but the shell remains. This reduces the unusable portion, while the shell protects the meat during cooking and helps retain flavor.

Easy-peel shrimp have their shells scored and the veins usually removed. This makes peeling considerably easier, without completely forgoing the advantages of shrimp in their shells.

Peeled or P&D refers to peeled and deveined shrimp. They can be prepared particularly quickly in the kitchen and portioned relatively precisely. However, the purchase price per kilogram is often higher than for less processed varieties.

None of these forms of preparation is inherently better than the others. The intended use is crucial. A whole shrimp might be ideal for a grilled dish, while it would create unnecessary work for a bowl.

What calibration really means

Specifications such as 8/12, 16/20, or 31/40 generally describe how many shrimp of a particular type are contained in one unit of weight. The smaller the numbers, the larger the individual shrimp.

A calibration of 16/20 therefore contains larger shrimp than a calibration of 31/40. However, it must always be checked whether the measurement refers to one pound or one kilogram (only HOSO shrimp are measured in kg) and in what processing state the shrimp were counted.

Two products with seemingly identical calibration can therefore differ in their actual unit size. For a reliable comparison, origin, form of sale, reference weight, and glaze must be taken into account.

Especially in the restaurant industry, the quantity is often more important than the price per kilogram. If three shrimp are planned per plate, the number of usable shrimp determines how many portions can be made from a carton.

The glaze protects the product – but it is not an edible part.

Frozen shrimp are often coated with a thin layer of ice. This glaze protects the delicate product from drying out, freezer burn, and loss of quality. It therefore fulfills an important function.

For accurate pricing, it's essential to know the percentage of glaze and the weight the price refers to. A high gross value doesn't automatically equate to a correspondingly large amount of shrimp meat. And the glaze can make up as much as 30% of the product.

A simplified example illustrates the effect:

A carton costs €10 per kilogram and contains 800 grams of usable product after thawing. Based on the actual amount of shrimp available, the effective price is not €10, but €12.50 per kilogram.

A competing product costing €11 per kilogram can therefore be more economical if, for example, 950 grams of usable product remain after thawing. Its effective value would then be around €11.58 per kilogram.

In this case, the higher purchase price leads to lower costs per usable kilogram.

Glaze and added water are not the same thing.

The outer glaze is distinct from water that seeps into the shrimp meat during processing and remains bound within the product. Product specifications sometimes refer to this as drinking water additive . However, the legally relevant term under food law is added water .

The glaze forms a protective layer of ice on the outside of the shrimp and is removed during thawing. Added water, on the other hand, is contained within the product and can affect its weight, consistency, thawing behavior, and cooking loss. Therefore, it is not a component of the glaze and should not be equated with it for economic purposes.

For unprocessed fishery products, added water must be declared in the list of ingredients. If, for fishery products that appear as a fillet, piece, or portion, the added water constitutes more than five percent of the final weight, this must also be indicated in the product name.

For shopping, this means: In addition to the glaze and drained weight, the ingredient list or product specifications should also be checked. If the product contains added water or water-binding additives, this can affect the actual usable yield and the consistency after preparation.

A product with a thin glaze is therefore not automatically more economical. If water is also bound in the shrimp meat and is released again during cooking, the actual portion size may still be lower. Only by considering the glaze, added water, thawing loss, and cooking loss together can a reliable comparison be made.

Include defrosting and cooking losses in your calculations.

Even after removing the glaze, the calculation isn't complete. Further weight loss can occur during thawing and cooking. The extent of this loss depends on factors such as the raw ingredients, processing, freezing method, added water, and preparation.

For professional kitchens, the usable yield is therefore crucial:

The quantity purchased minus the glaze, thawing loss, peel portion, head and cooking loss equals the actual serving quantity.

Especially with whole shrimp, the seemingly low price per kilogram can be misleading, because part of the weight is made up of the head and shell. This doesn't have to be a disadvantage: for certain dishes, these parts are precisely what's desired. They just shouldn't be calculated like edible shrimp meat.

Cooking time is also a cost factor.

Another factor that rarely appears on traditional price lists is working time.

If shrimp need to be peeled, deveined, portioned, or prepared individually, additional labor costs arise. In a small kitchen, this extra effort might be negligible. However, in institutional catering, chain restaurants, or at large events, it can significantly alter the overall cost calculation.

More processed products often cost more to buy, but they reduce preparation, potential errors, and time pressure. They also allow for more precise portioning and more consistent results.

Therefore, the most meaningful comparison is not: "Which product costs less per kilogram?" The crucial question is: "What are the costs per serving portion?"

Quality cannot be reduced to a single number.

Besides price, sensory and technical properties play a role. These include consistency, taste, uniform calibration, color, origin, traceability, and suitability for the intended preparation.

The freezing method is also relevant. IQF-frozen shrimp can be removed individually and portioned flexibly. Block-frozen shrimp can be economical when processing larger quantities, but offers less flexibility for partial removal.

A reliable product comparison should therefore always take the same criteria into account:

• identical or comparable form of trade,

• uniform reference standard for calibration,

• Net drained weight,

• usable quantity,

• Defrosting and cooking losses,

• necessary kitchen work

• Cost per serving,

• Quality and suitability for the specific application.

Transparency leads to better purchasing decisions.

The international shrimp market is characterized by diverse origins, processing methods, and specifications. Therefore, price fluctuations for individual sizes or countries of origin cannot automatically be applied to the entire product range.

For KANZOW, the lowest nominal purchase price is not the primary focus when considering such market developments. The decisive factor is how product quality, workmanship, and actual yield affect the customer's application.

A transparent comparison clearly demonstrates why two outwardly similar shrimp products can yield very different economic results. Especially with larger order quantities, it is worthwhile to consider not only the price per carton, but the entire process from frozen product to serving-ready portion.

Conclusion: What matters is what ends up on the plate.

The price per kilogram remains an important indicator – but it is only the starting point. Only when combined with glaze, added water, form of sale, calibration, yield, and kitchen effort does a realistic picture emerge.

The cheapest offer is not necessarily the most economical solution. However, those who focus on the cost per usable kilogram or per served portion can compare offers more effectively, calculate more accurately, and select the right product for their specific application.