COST DETECTIVE

Cost Detective

If the price went up while costs went down, where did the difference go?

Following money from raw material to shelf price. The Hogu Index shows the result versus abroad; this page traces how the price came about.

AFFORDABILITY BOTTLENECK

If input costs fall and the shelf price does not, the block is not the cost but somewhere in between. Cost Detective lines up input and consumer prices to show the gap.

Bottleneck examined: Price · causes checked: cost, distribution margins

What a price bottleneck is · Who made this price — a case is labelled only with evidence.

How to read this

Every number has a source and period; unpublished values stay “n/a” or “Unknown”. Pass-through ratios are simple comparisons of cost and price movements, not judgements of margins or intent.

4 items

Food

Coffee

Bean prices have started falling — will coffee prices follow?

Raw cost 2025→2026
-17.2%
Retail
—
Weight
No record
vs abroad
+87.5%
See why2026-10-02

Food

Imported beef

World beef prices keep rising — how far did imported beef follow?

Raw cost 2024→2025
+15.7%
Retail
+8.0%
Weight
No record
vs abroad
—
See why2026-10-09

Food

Milk

Raw milk prices have been frozen for three years — what did milk prices do?

Raw cost 2024→2025
0.0%
Retail
—
Weight
No record
vs abroad
+141.7%
See why2026-10-02

Dining out

Fried chicken

Live-bird prices fell — why did fried-chicken prices not?

Raw cost 2024→2025
+21.2%
Retail
+3.9%
Weight
-28.6% (reverted)
vs abroad
+170.6%
See why2026-10-02

Raw and retail show the latest period with data; “vs abroad” uses the Hogu Index global average. A popularity sort will be added once per-item view data exists.