How does the rising wholesale cost of brisket affect Butter?
Butter removes brisket from its menu due to rising wholesale costs Due to significant increases in the cost of wholesale brisket, Andrew Soto of Butter made the difficult operational decision to remove the product from the menu. The cost increases meant that to maintain profitability, brisket would have needed to sell for $51 a pound, significantly higher than the current customer price of $37. This move comes after the restaurant had been featured on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 barbecue list twice, in 2021 and 2025.
- Effect
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- When
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- The story
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How it reaches Butter
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Andrew Soto, who owns Butter's BBQ in Sinton, Texas, announced that the restaurant would no longer sell brisket. This decision followed a week where wholesale brisket costs increased by another dollar a pound. Soto stated that brisket accounted for over 70% of the restaurant's food spending.
The full event1independent outlet -
Wholesale brisket costs for Butter increased significantly, reportedly jumping another $1 a pound in one week. The owner stated that more than 70% of the restaurant’s food spending was dedicated to brisket. Facing this unsustainable cost structure, the owner announced the removal of brisket from the menu as of September 20.
1 report connects these two. Brind only summarizes; follow a link to read the reporting itself.
- aol.com Saturday
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Everything about Butter
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The facts so far
As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.
- The owner of Butter’s BBQ, Andrew Soto, announced the brisket removal on September 20.aol.com
- The wholesale brisket cost increase meant the restaurant would have needed to sell it at $51 a pound.aol.com
- More than 70% of the restaurant’s food spending was dedicated to brisket.aol.com
- The restaurant had been featured on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 barbecue list twice, in 2021 and 2025.aol.com
Why it matters
For Butter, this represents a major shift in its product offering, impacting its core business model which relied heavily on brisket. The owner stated that the restaurant had been successful since opening in 2017, but the rising costs of this staple product made the operational change necessary to continue business operations.
This situation reflects broader industry pressures across Texas. The article notes that retail beef averaged a record $9.64 a pound in April, up about 13% from a year earlier, due to factors like drought and high operating costs affecting the U.S. cattle herd.
What we don't know yet
- What new products or staples will replace brisket on the menu?
- How will the restaurant adjust its overall menu to compensate for the removal of this staple?
What would change this answer
Reporting
- aol.comSaturday
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Brind's analysis is written by AI from the reporting linked above and can be wrong. It explains possible effects; it is not investment advice.