Selling and marketing
Wholesale Hand Pies: Cost per Case and Margin (2026)
Price a case of hand pies so ingredients, your time, and overhead all get paid.
On this page
- What goes into the cost of a case of hand pies
- How to Set Your Hourly Labor Rate
- A worked example for 24 hand pies
- How to Build a Realistic Overhead Figure
- Mistakes that cost you money on a wholesale order
- When and How to Adjust Your Case Price
- What to check before you commit to a wholesale account
- How Brevl helps you price and track hand pie orders
What to remember
- Price a whole case, not one pie.
- Count ingredients, packaging, your time, and overhead before you quote.
- Set a margin that still pays you after every cost.
- Write the case price down and check it against local cafes.
Selling wholesale hand pies to cafes and shops means one order can pay for a week of baking. The math is simple, but only if you count every cost before you quote a case price.
What goes into the cost of a case of hand pies
A case price starts with the cost of one batch. List every ingredient you buy for that batch, including filling, dough, and any wash or topping. Then add the box, the liner, and the label that go out the door with the case. If you already sell at a market, the same math works for how much to sell hand pies for.
Cost the batch
Add up every ingredient in one batch of hand pies. Use the price you paid at the store, not a guess.
Add your time
Decide an hourly rate for your baking and prep. Multiply it by the hours the batch takes from start to packed case.
Spread your overhead
Add your monthly Brevl fee, oven power, and any shared kitchen cost. Divide that by the number of batches you make in a month.
Divide by the pies
Add the three costs together. Divide by the number of pies in the batch to get your cost per pie.
Set the case price
Multiply the cost per pie by the number of pies in a case. Add your margin, then check the price against local cafes and shops.
Overhead is the cost that does not change with one batch. Your Brevl fee, oven power, and shared kitchen rent are overhead. Spread them across the batches you make in a month so each case carries its share.
How to Set Your Hourly Labor Rate
Your labor rate is not what you hope to earn. It is the cost of your time for the business. Start with a local wage for a prep cook or baker. That is your base rate before you add any margin.
Be honest about the hours. Include shopping, prep, baking, cooling, packing, and cleaning. If a batch takes two hours of active work and one hour of passive oven time, count the full three hours. Your time is a cost whether you are hands on or not.
Update this rate each year or when your costs rise. A rate from last year may not cover this year’s living expenses. The same guide on homemade pies wholesale suggests treating your pay as a fixed business cost.
A worked example for 24 hand pies
One batch makes 24 hand pies. Ingredients cost $18. Packaging for the case costs $4. Labor at $18 per hour for three total hours is $54. Overhead is $12 for that batch. This includes a $20 monthly Brevl fee, $40 for oven power and kitchen supplies, divided across five batches per month.
Total cost is $88. That is $3.67 per pie. A case of 24 pies at $5.50 each brings $132 in revenue. The margin after all three costs is $44. That is a 33 percent margin on the sale.
Your pay is in the $54 labor line. The $44 margin covers ingredient price jumps, a new baking sheet, or a slow week. It is not extra income until it replaces a cost or builds savings.
How to Build a Realistic Overhead Figure
Overhead is every cost that keeps your kitchen running. List your monthly expenses like software fees, utilities, and kitchen rent. Add occasional costs like equipment repairs by saving a little each month.
Divide the monthly total by your batches. If you make 20 batches a month, each batch carries one twentieth of the overhead. This method ensures a large wholesale order does not hide a loss on smaller ones.
Review overhead quarterly. A new mixer payment or a rise in electricity rates changes your cost per batch. Update your case price at the same time to keep your margin safe.
Mistakes that cost you money on a wholesale order
The first mistake is quoting from ingredient cost alone. Your time and overhead do not disappear because a cafe orders 24 pies. The second is forgetting the box, label, and delivery run. Those costs belong in the case price, not in your pocket. The third is saying yes to a weekly order before you check your oven space.
A fourth mistake is not tracking what you actually spent. Keep receipts for ingredients and boxes. Compare them with your costing sheet once a month. If flour or butter goes up, change the case price before the next order.
When and How to Adjust Your Case Price
Adjust your price when any input cost changes. This includes a rise in butter price, a new box supplier, or a higher hourly rate for yourself. Do not wait for the cafe to notice. Proactively update your price list each quarter.
Explain a price change with a brief note on higher ingredient costs. Most shops expect occasional adjustments. A clear costing sheet helps you show the reason without sharing your full math.
If a shop pushes back, revisit the order size or delivery terms. A larger weekly order might justify a small discount if it cuts your overhead per batch. Use its calculator to model the change before you offer it.
What to check before you commit to a wholesale account
Ask the cafe how many cases they want each week and when they need them. Check that the order fits your oven and your pickup or delivery time. Then confirm the payment terms in writing before you bake the first case. For a wider look at pie costs, see homemade pies wholesale.
If you also bake sausage rolls, price them with wholesale pies and sausage rolls. Keep each product on its own costing sheet so one low price does not hide a loss on another. Check your state cottage food rules before you sell to a shop.
Ask for a sample order first. One case tells you how the cafe stores the pies and how fast they sell. It also shows you the real delivery time. A small first order is cheaper than a large mistake.
How Brevl helps you price and track hand pie orders
Brevl keeps your recipe costs, ingredient inventory, and weekly plan in one place. You can see what a batch costs before you quote a case. Your shop takes card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash.
It is $20 a month with no cut of your sales, and you can try it with a 14 day free trial. You can see more selling guides in the selling hub.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
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Common questions
How do I price a case of hand pies for a cafe?
Start with the cost of one batch, including ingredients, packaging, your time, and a share of overhead. Divide by the number of pies, then multiply by the case count. Add a margin that pays you after every cost. Check the final case price against what local cafes already pay.
Should I charge the same price for every hand pie filling?
Not always. A filling with expensive meat or fruit can cost more than a simple vegetable filling. Cost each recipe on its own and set a separate case price. If you want one flat price, use the highest cost filling as your base and check the margin on the others.
What if a cafe wants a lower price than my case price?
Offer a smaller pie or a simpler filling instead of cutting your pay. You can also set a minimum order or a pickup discount that saves you delivery time. Keep the margin on every case. A low price that leaves you unpaid is not a wholesale account worth having.
Do I need a separate price for delivery?
Yes, if you drive the order to the cafe. Add your time, fuel, and any parking cost to the case price or list delivery as a separate charge. A case price that includes delivery must still leave a margin after those costs. Write the terms down before the first order.
General pricing information, not legal or tax advice. Check your state cottage food rules before you sell to a shop.