--- title: How Much Am I Spending To Make My Own Dough? --- [![ak_logo_simple_white](https://www.akcrust.com/hubfs/2018/logo/ak_logo_simple_white.svg "ak_logo_simple_white")](https://www.akcrust.com/) # How Much Am I Spending To Make My Own Dough? ![pizza_loading](https://www.akcrust.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2018/images/pizza_loading.gif?width=100&name=pizza_loading.gif) ![yellow_separator](https://www.akcrust.com/hubfs/2018/images/yellow_separator.svg) ## It may be time to switch to frozen dough balls or par-baked crusts. How much does it cost you to make a single dough ball? You might have a good guess, but knowing for certain is important — in order to have a clear picture of your per-pie profitability. Knowing the cost might also indicate that it’s time to transition to high-quality, cost-effective frozen dough balls and/or par-baked crusts from Alive & Kickin’ to: - Simplify operations - Improve pizzeria performance - Reduce labor and waste - Improve profit margins Use this simple cost calculator to determine your current crust costs and if making the transition is a smart — and profitable — next step. Click below to get started. STEP 1: INGREDIENT COST PER DOUGH BALL ## Step 1: Ingredient Cost Per Dough Ball This step helps identify the cost of your dough ingredients. What is your total ingredient cost for one batch of pizza dough including flour, water, oil, and all other minor ingredients? Please enter this field How many dough balls do you yield from one batch? Please enter this field On average, what percentage of the dough is lost, unused, or thrown away from a given batch? Please enter this field Back CALCULATE MY INGREDIENT COST PER DOUGH BALL ### Total Ingredient Cost Per Dough Ball ## $XXXX Next we will calculate your labor cost. Back STEP 2: LABOR COST ## Step 2: Labor Cost This step helps you calculate the labor cost of each dough ball you make. How much time does it take to make one batch of dough? Don't forget prep, mixing, dividing, rounding, storing/proofing, and clean-up time Please enter this field What is the average hourly cost of labor to mix dough, including health insurance and benefit costs? Please enter this field Back CALCULATE MY LABOR COST ### Total Labor Cost ## $XXXX Back STEP 3: OVERHEAD EXPENSES ## Step 3: Overhead Expenses There are also "hidden costs" of mixing dough in-house that are important to include when determining profitability. Pinpointing these costs is very time-consuming, so rather than entering an amount in this step **keep in mind that the final cost you see reflected on the Results page (next) does not include costs associated with:** - Mixer, mixer parts and bowls, or mixer maintenance - Utilities - Kitchen floor space dedicated to mixer and storage of bulk dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, etc.) - Depreciation - Insurance premiums (mixer operation) Back CALCULATE MY TOTAL COST PER DOUGH BALL ### ![Your Results — Estimated Cost Per Dough Ball](https://www.akcrust.com/hubfs/2018/resources/estimated_cost_per_dough_ball_wide.svg) ## $XXXX And there you have it — your estimated total cost per dough ball! **While not an exact calculation due to the intentional omission of hidden costs,** this exercise may shine a light on the true cost of making dough in-house. If you’re feeling the labor pinch or your ingredient costs are on the rise, you might benefit from using pre-made dough balls or crusts. Alive & Kickin' products help operators across the country: - [Ensure consistency and deliver on customers' expectations for quality](https://www.akcrust.com/hubfs/Downloadable_pdfs/A_and_K_Spicy_Pie_Case_Study.pdf) - Reduce labor and waste — and [save valuable kitchen space](https://www.akcrust.com/hubfs/Downloadable_pdfs/A_and_K_Pizza_Crust_Goodfellas_Case_Study.pdf) - Simplify purchasing and streamline back-of-house operations - Enhance customer loyalty You can even have dough balls custom-made to match your secret family recipe! The next step? Reach out to the Alive & Kickin' Pizza Crust experts to find out what your average cost might be to bring our convenient products into your operation. We'll do a side-by-side comparison so you know without a doubt whether you can improve your customer experience with our quality products! Recalculate [Contact Us ](https://www.akcrust.com/contact-us#locations) ### Still not convinced? View our infographic, 5 Ways Pre-Made Dough Balls Streamline Pizzeria Kitchen Operations. 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