12 essential KPIs for the food and beverage industry

You already track several key performance indicators (KPIs). Brand awareness. Customer satisfaction. Inventory turnover. Gross margin. 

But the question isn’t whether to track them, it’s knowing what the numbers mean and how to act on them.

For example, when brand awareness drops 15%, what’s the fix? When repeat purchases spike 50%, what caused it? The metrics tell you what’s changed — consumer insights tell you why, and what to do next.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to measure and analyze 12 essential KPIs, and how to use consumer insights to interpret the data and make confident decisions.

TL;DR

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to measure 12 essential KPIs — with clear formulas and methods for tracking each metric
• How to interpret KPI results  — and understand what high, low, or changing KPIs indicate
• How brands act on KPI insights — with real-world examples of F&B companies using data to make changes
• Consumer insight’s role — including which KPIs require surveys to measure vs. those that need surveys to interpret
• How consumer insights can explain changes across KPIs — and how to act on them quickly
• How to make confident, data-driven decisions — including turning KPI tracking into actionable intelligence backed by consumer data

The importance of KPIs in the food and beverage industry

KPIs provide F&B teams with the data they need to measure performance, profitability, and customer satisfaction. Whether products resonate with customers, the business runs efficiently, or the business model supports sustainable growth.

It’s about making data-driven decisions. When you can measure trends across brand awareness, customer satisfaction, inventory efficiency, and profit margins, you can prioritize resources based on evidence rather than intuition, and make a greater impact.

Why KPIs alone don’t tell the full story

However, while KPIs show what changed, they don’t explain why.

Understanding the “why” requires context from multiple sources. For example, consumer insights from surveys reveal what customers think, feel, and prefer. Business data shows operational variables, such as supply chain logistics or competitor activity. Market data provides category trends and economic conditions.

Taken together, these sources help you interpret KPI changes to make informed decisions. Without this context, a change in any metric could mean, well, anything. With context, you know what’s driving the change and what to do about it.

Key KPIs for the food and beverage industry

These 12 KPIs give you the clearest view of performance, profitability, and customer satisfaction:

1. Brand awareness
2. Brand consideration
3. Product preference
4. Net promoter score (NPS)
5. Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)
6. Repeat purchase intent
7. Price sensitivity
8. Average order value
9. Gross margin
10. Cost of goods sold (COGS)
11. Inventory turnover
12. Waste percentage

For each, we’ll explain how to measure it, what it indicates, how brands act on it, and whether consumer insights measure it directly or provide context.

1. Brand awareness

What it measures and how: Brand awareness is how familiar consumers in your target market are with your brand, from the products and services you sell to your story, aesthetic, and the experiences you deliver.

You track it by surveying your target audience with two types of questions: unprompted (“Name an F&B brand in [category]”) and prompted (“Have you heard of [Brand]?”). You can also use social listening, Google Trends, Google Analytics, and brand tracking software, but surveys are the most accurate.

Formula: There’s no single formula for brand awareness. You can measure it in several ways.

What it indicates: The gap between prompted and unprompted awareness is crucial: if people recognize your brand when they see it, but don’t think of you spontaneously, you’re not top of mind.

Real-life example: in 2011, Coca-Cola faced a challenge: half of all US teens hadn’t consumed a Coke in the past year, viewing it as their parents’ drink. When Coca-Cola launched its “Share a Coke” campaign — replacing the logo with 250 popular teen names on 20-ounce bottles — teen incidence increased 5 points in just 8 weeks, translating to 1.25 million more teens trying Coke. Sales of participating Coca-Cola packages rose 11% in the US. 

Consumer insight role: Brand awareness can only be measured effectively through consumer surveys. Measuring brand awareness requires asking your target audience directly. No proxy metric tells you if people know who you are and what you represent.

2. Brand consideration

What it measures and how: Brand consideration measures how many people would actually consider buying your brand when shopping in your category.

You track it by surveying customers and asking: “Which brands would you consider when buying [category]?” — both open-ended (unaided) and from a list (aided). You can also track consideration through website engagement metrics and add-to-cart rates, but surveys give you the most accurate measure.

Formula: There’s no formula for brand consideration, as there are multiple ways to measure it.

What it indicates: A high brand consideration percentage (captured via surveys) reveals how strong your position is with customers and how they evaluate you alongside top competitors. Low consideration percentage suggests a brand perception problem — they know you exist but won’t buy. Declining consideration means competitors are gaining ground, negative reviews are spreading, or your product is becoming less relevant.

Real-life example: Cadbury’s Creme Egg “Have a Flig” Facebook campaign demonstrated how targeted social media can drive consideration. Cadbury invested four to five times more than it ever had on the brand’s Facebook activity in the UK. The increased spend allowed the brand to “treat daily posts as a ‘mini above-the-line’ execution,” resulting in a more consistent tone of voice.

According to Marketing Week, the strategy increased brand consideration on TV by around 20% over 3 months, while 18% was attributed to Facebook.

Consumer insight role: Brand consideration is directly measured through consumer surveys. You can follow up with questions like “Why would you consider them?” or “Why not?” These reveal what attracts or repels customers, making it easy for you to take action.

3. Product preference

What it measures and how: Product preference refers to an individual’s fondness for or choice of a particular product over others in a given category. It’s based on values, needs, personal preferences, and experiences with the product, as well as quality, price, features, reviews, and other factors.

You track it by showing consumers 2-4 product options (e.g., yours and your competitors) and asking which they’d buy. Depending on your category, you can run this test using product descriptions, packaging images, or actual samples. A/B testing is also worth considering, but direct comparative surveys give you the best results.

Formula: There’s no formula for product preference, but surveys can help understand what consumers care about.

What it indicates: High product preference (60%+ measured via surveys) shows strong product-market fit — your product wins out in head-to-head comparisons. Low preference despite high awareness suggests issues with packaging, price, or features. Declining preference suggests quality issues, competitor improvements, or product changes backfiring. 

Real-life example: Beyond Meat continuously tests product preference to enhance its plant-based burgers. When the company developed its fourth-generation Beyond Burger (Beyond IV), it conducted consumer testing, finding that the meatier flavor and taste were preferred over previous versions, with overwhelmingly positive feedback. 

In fact, at a conference of registered dietitians in 2024, 94% of attendees said they enjoyed the taste of the new Beyond Burger, viewed it as healthful, and would recommend it.

Consumer insight role: product preference is measured through comparative consumer testing. Follow-up survey questions can reveal why customers prefer one product over another. Specific attributes like taste, texture, ingredients, packaging, or appearance can drive choice.

4. Price sensitivity

What it measures and how: Price sensitivity (also known as price elasticity of demand) measures how price changes affect purchase decisions in a category. You track it through consumer surveys using methods like the Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter or Gabor Granger.

The Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter typically asks consumers four questions to measure price preferences. These questions cover a range of topics, including when products are priced too high or low, and which prices are considered bargains.

The Gabor-Granger method identifies the highest price customers are willing to pay for a new product or service. It gives a range of prices for a product or service and then asks customers to rate them as either “definitely buy” or “probably buy”. 

Formula: Price sensitivity = Percentage change in quantity divided by percentage change in price

What it indicates: High sensitivity or elasticity (>1.5) means customers are incredibly price sensitive. Even the smallest of changes significantly reduces purchases. Low elasticity (<0.5) means customers value the quality, brand, or convenience enough to absorb price changes. Increased elasticity over time is typically an indicator of economic conditions, new competitors, or weak differentiation.

Real-life example: Chipotle raises prices multiple times between 2021-2024 (a cumulative 15-20% increase over the period). Despite warnings from customers on social media that price hikes would drive them away, Chipotle’s revenue grew 13.6% to $2.5 billion in 2023, with 7.9% same-store sales growth. 

According to Restaurant Dive, the chain demonstrates low price elasticity — customers valued the brand and fresh ingredients enough to absorb increases. 

Consumer insight role: Price sensitivity is measured directly through consumer surveys that test different price points and willingness to pay. The research reveals why customers are sensitive to price changes, whether it’s perceived value, cost, or competitive alternatives offering good enough quality at lower prices.

5. Net promoter score (NPS)

What it measures and how: Net promoter score measures customer loyalty, satisfaction, and likelihood to recommend. It’s calculated based on a 0-10 scale survey question: “On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend [brand] or [product] to a friend or colleague?” The higher the score, the more likely someone is to promote. The lower the score, the more likely they are to detract. Scores range from -100 to +100.

Promoters are typically those who score 9-10. Passives are 7 or 8. Detractors are 0-6.

Formula: NPS = (Number of promoters minus number of detractors) divided by number of responses, multiplied by 100

What it indicates: High NPS reflects strong brand loyalty; customers actively recommend you and drive organic growth. Negative NPS means more detractors than promoters, usually signalling high dissatisfaction. Declining NPS could mean there’s something wrong with the product’s quality, the brand’s service, or there’s an alternative that’s affecting loyalty.

Real-life example: Shack Shack tracks Likelihood to Recommend (LTR) as its primary metric, the foundation of NPS, and uses it to test every experience change. According to MarTech, new guests with a positive Shake Shack experience are 40-60% more likely to revisit within six months compared to those with negative experiences.

The satisfaction gains drove business results: same-store sales grew 4.9% in Q3 2025, restaurant operating margins reached 22%, and revenue grew 15% year-over-year to approximately $1.45 billion.

Consumer insight role: NPS is measured through very simple survey questions: “How likely are you to recommend us?” and “Why did you give that score?” This reveals what drives loyalty or dissatisfaction while providing specific insights to act on, not just a number.

6. Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)

What it measures and how: Customer satisfaction score measures immediate satisfaction with your product, service, or experience. Questions like “How satisfied are you with [product/service]?” are standard for CSAT surveys, and use a 5-point Likert scale from Very Dissatisfied to Very Satisfied — counting Satisfied and Very Satisfied as positive responses.

Formula:  CSAT = Number of satisfied or very satisfied respondents divided by total respondents, multiplied by 100

What it indicates: High CSAT means customers are thrilled; both product and service meet expectations. Declining CSAT indicates quality issues, service problems, or unmet expectations. It’s important to note that NPS and CSAT serve different purposes: CSAT measures immediate satisfaction, while NPS measures long-term loyalty.

Real-life example: Previously the No. 1 fast-casual brand in the U.S., Panera Bread began shrinking its sandwiches and skimping on salads to cut costs. The result? Sales fell 5% between 2023 and 2024. Trustpilot showed a 1.7-star rating from customers complaining about smaller portions, frozen bagels, and declining food quality.

Panera has since responded with its Panera RISE turnaround plan, reversing cost-cutting measures imposed due to high inflation, and bringing back 100% romaine salads, pre-sliced vegetables, and high-quality ingredients.

Customer insight role: CSAT is measured directly through satisfaction surveys. Follow-up questions can reveal specific drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, helping you to understand what needs fixing to improve the experience.

7. Average order value (AOV)

What it measures and how: Average order value tracks how much customers spend per transaction. You calculate it by dividing total revenue by the number of orders, then segment by channel (e-commerce vs. retail), customer type (new vs. returning), or time period to spot patterns.

Formula: AOV = Total revenue divided by number of orders

What it indicates: Rising AOV suggests customers see value in buying more per transaction — bundling works, upsells resonate, or they’re choosing higher-priced items. Declining AOV might indicate a shift to smaller purchases, increased price sensitivity, or effective single-item promotions that reduce basket size. For DTC and e-commerce F&B brands, AOV is critical. For traditional CPG, it’s less relevant since you don’t control the basket.

Real-life example: Starbucks Rewards members spend 2-3x more per visit than non-members and visit more frequently, according to the company’s fiscal 2024-2025 results. 

The loyalty program drove nearly 60% of U.S. company-operated revenue in fiscal Q1 2025, with 34.6 million active members. The program incentivizes higher spending through a tiered star system — customers who preload money into the app earn 2 stars per dollar, versus 1 star for card payments, encouraging larger transactions. 

Members are also 5.6 times more likely to visit daily compared to non-members. The result: Starbucks generated $36.2 billion in revenue in 2024, with loyalty members accounting for over half of all sales. Higher AOV from engaged members drove growth without increasing customer acquisition costs.

Consumer insight role: Consumer insight provides context for AOV changes. Surveys reveal purchase behavior — preferred pack sizes, willingness to bundle, and price thresholds that influence basket size. This context helps you design offerings that increase transaction value while meeting what customers actually want.

8. Repeat purchase intent

What it measures and how: Repeat purchase intent measures how likely customers are to buy again after trying your product. You survey customers after their first purchase: “How likely are you to purchase [product] again?” using a 5-point scale from Very Unlikely to Very Likely. Track those who say Likely or Very Likely.

Formula: Repeat purchase intent (%) = Number likely to repurchase divided by total number surveyed, multiplied by 100

What it indicates: High intent (60%+) means strong product-market fit — customers found enough value to return. Low intent despite high trial means the product didn’t deliver on the promise — it looked good, but the experience fell short. This is your early warning system. Repeat intent predicts retention before it pops up in the sales data.

Real-life example: Capri Sun spent several years reformulating to cut sugar by 40% with monk fruit. According to Beverage Daily, the brand ran extensive consumer testing to validate that the new recipe would maintain repeat purchase potential — ensuring it scored “at parity or above consumer liking” compared to the original formula. 

Only after confirming consumers wouldn’t notice taste differences in normal consumption did Kraft Heinz roll out the reformulation across all flavors. The testing prevented the risk of losing loyal customers during a major product change.

Consumer insight role: You can measure repeat purchase intent through consumer surveys. Ask customers about their likelihood to purchase and why they’d buy again (or wouldn’t). This reveals what drives long-term loyalty.

9. Cost of goods sold

What it measures and how: COGS tracks the direct costs of producing your products — ingredients, packaging, and labor directly tied to production. Calculate it by adding beginning inventory to purchases made during the period, then subtracting ending inventory. Track monthly or quarterly to spot cost creep before it damages margins.

Formula: COGS = Beginning inventory plus purchases minus ending inventory

What it indicates: COGS is a crucial metric as it’s subtracted from a company’s revenue to determine gross profit. In short, it helps brands to set profitable prices and protect their margins.

For example, if COGS is rising while pricing is stable, it could indicate a market squeeze due to inflation, waste, or inefficient production. 

Real-life example: Between 2016 and 2019, Nestlé launched a huge COGS reduction program, targeting procurement and manufacturing. Doing so, it saved over $2 billion by consolidating suppliers and streamlining operations. Procurement consolidation contributed 65% of the savings. The company reduced its supplier count from 150,000 to 132,000. The focused supplier strategy didn’t just cut costs — it improved quality control and strengthened supplier relationships.

Consumer insight role: COGS is measured through accounting systems, but consumer insights provide context when costs arrive. Surveys can reveal which product attributes customers value most, e.g., organic ingredients or premium packaging, and brands can use this information to identify where to cut costs without hurting sales.

10. Gross margin

What it measures and how: Gross margin (or gross profit margin) shows the percentage of revenue left after covering production costs. 

Formula: Gross Margin (%) = (Revenue minus COGS) divided by revenue, multiplied by 100

What it indicates: Gross margin is a simple but crucial metric that shows how much money you earn per dollar spent after deducting the cost of production or the purchase of goods. The higher the gross margin percentage, the easier it is to retain profit, manage expenses, and invest in growth. The lower the margin, the more vulnerable a brand is to cost shocks, or small changes in ingredients or pricing.

According to most articles online, a good margin is around 50-70% for healthy companies. However, this varies widely depending on industry. A growth margin under 30% is considered risky for businesses.

Real-life example: In 2024, Unilever improved its gross margin by 280 basis points to reach 45%, the highest in a decade. According to the company’s annual results, the improvement came from multiple levers: product mix optimization toward premium items, and net productivity gains in materials, production, and logistics costs.

Rather than pocketing the margin gains, it reinvested €0.9 billion back into brand and marketing investment, increasing spend to 15.5% of turnover. The strategy worked — the company delivered 2.9% volume growth while strengthening its competitive position.

Consumer insight role: While gross margin is a financial metric, consumer insights can reveal how to improve it. For example, running a survey on which product features matter most can help brands to reduce costs, optimize products, or identify new opportunities without cutting perceived value.

11. Inventory turnover

What it measures and how: Inventory turnover measures how quickly you go through stock over a specified period, and the efficiency of your supply chain.

Formula: Inventory Turnover Ratio = Cost of goods sold (COGS) divided by average inventory

What it indicates: High turnover reflects strong demand and efficient operations. Low turnover can reflect excessive stock, weak demand, or poor forecasting.

Real-life example: Nestlé discovered it had 100,000+ SKUs globally, with 33% accounting for just 1% of sales while 11% drove 80% of revenue. 

According to Food Business News, the company launched Project Tasty in 2022 to systematically eliminate slow-moving SKUs that were “mobilizing resources that are not justified.” The program delivered approximately 1 billion Swiss francs ($1.06 billion) in benefits in 2022, with another billion in 2023. By cutting dead weight, Nestlé freed up resources to improve distribution and shelf availability of high-turnover items from 95% to 96% — ensuring top sellers never went out of stock. Better inventory turnover meant more cash for growth, not stale products.

Consumer insight role: Inventory turnover is a sales and stock metric, but consumer insights explain the numbers. When turnover drops, surveys reveal why — have preferences shifted? Is competition stealing a share? Or did a quality issue affect repeat purchases? Before committing to large orders, test new product concepts. Track purchase frequency and basket orders to forecast demand more accurately.

12. Waste percentage

What it measures and how: Waste percentage tracks how much product you lose to things like spoilage, damage, overproduction, or disposal before it reaches customers. 

Formula: Waste percentage (%) = Wasted product divided by total production, multiplied by 100

What it indicates: Low waste (under 2%) demonstrates strong forecasting, quality production, and efficient operations. High waste (5%+) signals overproduction, quality issues, poor demand planning and forecasting, or supply chain problems. 

If waste increases, it’s indicative of failures across demand forecasting, quality control, or shelf life.

Real-life example: Danone North America reduced non-recoverable food waste by 30% between 2020 and 2022, saving over 37.7 million pounds of food from landfills. 

According to Spoiler Alert, the company partnered with technology platforms to match excess inventory with discount buyers before products expired. Since implementing the system, Danone has seen a 50% increase in the sell-through rate of excess product. 

The company also optimized production processes — at one facility, a simple equipment upgrade (“the Molch”) recovered 24 kg more fruit per container, preventing 33.6 tons of annual fruit waste. Small process changes plus better demand matching cut waste dramatically while protecting margins.

Consumer insight role: Waste percentage comes from production and inventory systems, but consumer insight prevents the waste from happening. Survey customers about purchase frequency, preferred package sizes, and consumption patterns. 

Test smaller formats if customers can’t finish products before spoilage. Research seasonal demand fluctuations so you produce the right amount at the right time. Understanding how and when customers actually use your products helps you produce smarter, not just produce less.

Using consumer insight to understand F&B KPI changes

Some KPIs can only be measured accurately through consumer insight. You can’t track brand awareness, consideration, product preference, NPS, CSAT, repeat purchase intent, or price sensitivity without asking customers directly.

These are perception-based metrics. There’s no other data source that tells you what customers think, feel, or intend to do. 

Other KPIs are measured through business data but explained by consumer insight. AOV, COGS, gross margin, inventory turnover, waste percentage. When these numbers change unexpectedly, consumer insight provides the context you need to determine why.

Surveys reveal what customers value, how they use products, what drives their purchase behaviour, and what would make them buy more or switch to a competitor.

This distinction matters because consumer insights combined with business data tell you where to focus next. Meaning you’re always ahead of the shifts.

Putting KPI performance into context

The F&B teams that win are the ones that combine operational data with consumer insights. They don’t just track metrics — they investigate them. When awareness drops, they ask why. When repeat intent falls, they find out what disappointed customers.

With Attest, the top F&B teams can measure perception-based KPIs through consumer surveys, gathering insights to interpret metrics in hours, not weeks.

Get the context you need to make confident decisions backed by real customer data.