A Whole Foods deal and a Walmart deal can look $1.00 apart on paper and actually be $5.50 apart once freight gets stripped out properly. Most brands never notice, because they fold freight-in and freight-out into one line instead of two, which is exactly how a $0.75 leak per case hides for an entire year. Pricing, freight, and trade are one decision wearing three names, and Walmart will eventually do this math for you if you don't do it first.

The January 2026 CPI data shows a sharp reality: inflation is uneven, but its impact on your margin is absolute. If you're still operating on 2025 pricing assumptions, your brand is likely leaking cash. Discover a surgical approach to price increases and why a quarterly COGS audit is now a leadership necessity.

Wondering if your brand’s margins are on track? Learn what gross margins look like for food and beverage categories—and how to improve yours.