The Commodity Kitchen with David Maloni

David
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Twice a month, David Maloni serves up a fast, focused look at the world of commodities—covering everything from major food ingredients to energy and beyond. With over 30 years of experience advising some of the world’s largest commodity buyers, he brings unmatched insight and practical perspective to the table. Each episode delivers a market update, the key news and trends he is watching, and insights from occasional guest experts in the food supply chain—all in under 15 minutes.

  1. 1D AGO

    Firm Markets, Funky Consumers

    In this episode, I break down the latest moves across the commodity markets, and we’re continuing to see firming conditions in several key areas. The Datum FS Commodity Index moved higher again, soybean oil climbed to six-month highs, and dairy markets strengthened with cheese and butter both trading higher on solid volume. In proteins, chicken markets are rising even with year-to-date production up, egg prices have doubled since our last episode, and pork bellies hit 11-week highs. Beef remains a major story — year-to-date slaughter is down sharply, and the latest annual cattle report shows the smallest U.S. herd since 1951, with inventory down year over year and herd rebuilding expected to be slow, especially with drought in the Southern Plains. I’m then joined by Jonathan Maze, Editor-in-Chief of Restaurant Business Magazine, to talk about the consumer and the foodservice industry. As he puts it, the consumer is “weird” right now — very price sensitive, yet still spending on delivery and rushing to try viral menu items. We discuss how social media is accelerating trends and driving sudden traffic swings, while heavy discounting continues as the industry works through ongoing traffic challenges. Looking ahead, Jonathan says one of the biggest trends to watch is beverages, as younger consumers shift away from traditional meal patterns and restaurants push harder into drink innovation to capture more occasions. Connect with our host: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Connect with our Guest:  Jonathan Maze's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanmaze/ Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/

    13 min

  2. JAN 28

    Inflation Signals

    In this episode, I review what’s changing across major commodity markets. Even though the Datum FS Commodity Index is still trading near two-year lows, I’m starting to see inflation creep back into several areas. I call out crude oil moving higher, the dollar being higher (not ideal for commodities), and grain markets staying generally rangebound. The clearest standout on the ag side is soybean oil, which I note is up 20% year over year and at a five-month high this week, with biodiesel demand as a major driver. I also run through proteins and dairy. In dairy, I mention cheese blocks higher, barrels kind of flat, and butter sharply higher—while also noting cheese and butter are still down materially year over year. On proteins, I cover table eggs jumping $0.27/dozen this week, chicken markets firming (breasts and wings at multi-week highs), pork output up year over year with a cutout that’s been sideways but down month over month, and beef output down year over year with choice and select cutouts higher versus last year. I flag chicken breasts as moving through key technical resistance levels, and I close with consumer sentiment improving per the University of Michigan reading, along with a reminder that inflation can show up all at once—so staying close to the data matters. David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/

    6 min

  3. JAN 14

    2026 Market Reset

    Welcome to The Commodity Kitchen Podcast, and happy New Year. In this episode, 2026 Market Reset, I walked through what’s setting the tone for markets as we head into the new year. Grain markets are generally rangebound with some firmness in soybean meal, and soybean oil is still up about 9% year over year due in part to biofuel demand. In dairy, cheese blocks are steady while butter is down 7.9% on the month, marking some of the lowest non-COVID prices of the last decade and creating real contracting opportunities. Crude was a little firmer, while diesel and gasoline prices continue to edge lower. On proteins, eggs have been hit hard—down 61% over the last month—while chicken output is up 4.3% year over year, keeping markets in check. Pork output is up short term but expected to be fairly tepid for the year, and beef production is down 5.2% with trim firming and the rib complex unusually weak. I also flagged the potential Supreme Court ruling on Trump-era tariffs and China’s new 55% tariff on beef once quotas are filled, both of which could add confusion and tighten imported lean beef supplies in the U.S. as we move further into 2026. Connect with our host: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/

    8 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    Markets & Mistletoe

    In this episode of Commodity Kitchen, I walked through the latest commodity trends, noting that our food-weighted index has fallen below prior-year levels for the first time in nearly two years. Energy markets remain a tailwind with gasoline now at four-year lows, while grains and soybean oil continue to show weakness. Coffee prices are easing after tariff exemptions on Brazil and Vietnam, and dairy markets are sharply lower year over year due to abundant milk supply. Protein markets remain mixed, with chicken output running higher, pork values supported, and beef production down more than 4% year to date — a key driver behind the recent surge in cattle futures. I was joined by Pedrom Rejai of Elevate Growth Partners, who explained how tariffs and retaliation are disrupting global food trade, pointing to a 96% collapse in U.S. beef exports to China as licenses expire and Australia steps in to fill the gap. We discussed how the almond industry successfully diversified export markets after the 2018 trade war and why that model is critical today. Pedrom also outlined best practices for navigating international sourcing, including leveraging USMCA exemptions, tightening documentation on processed foods, and investing in traceability and supplier diversification to build long-term supply chain resilience. Connect with out host: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/ Connect with out Guest: Pedrom Rejai's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedromrejai/

    19 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    Markets on the 50-Yard Line

    In this episode of The Commodity Kitchen Podcast, David Maloni and Gerry Dalton break down the key commodity market drivers for the week ending December 6, with a focus on grains, dairy, proteins, and macroeconomic signals influencing market conditions. While energy markets and the U.S. dollar remain relatively rangebound, several important shifts are emerging beneath the surface—particularly in soybeans and soybean oil, dairy supply fundamentals, chicken production, and U.S. beef imports. The hosts examine changing supply dynamics across major protein categories, review recent USDA data showing a month-over-month decline in the U.S. milk cow herd, and discuss the Trump administration’s decision to ease beef import tariffs. They also highlight signs of ongoing consumer pressure, including increased discounting and weakening labor data, and explain how recent softness in the U.S. dollar could provide support for commodity prices. Connect with our hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/

    10 min

  6. 11/19/2025

    Cattle Pull Back, Milk Surges: Key Market Moves Ahead of Thanksgiving

    In this pre-Thanksgiving episode, we break down major moves across cattle, dairy, grains, and protein markets. Live cattle and feeder cattle futures—after hitting record highs—have now pulled back to levels last seen in July, though they remain historically elevated. September milk production surged 4% year over year, and the milk cow herd climbed 2.5%, marking its biggest increase in decades. Grain markets continue to firm, with nearby soybean futures reaching their highest price since June 2024, supported by tighter-than-expected soybean supplies and increasing demand tied to biofuel mandates. We also analyze key protein dynamics: chicken output is running about 3% above last year, with whole birds holding steady at $1.05/lb; beef cutouts have begun drifting lower but remain higher year over year; and lean/fat trim prices continue moving in opposite directions due to limited government production data during the shutdown. Tyson and Pilgrim’s Pride both expressed confidence in strong chicken demand for 2026 despite today’s lower prices. Tune in to hear the full discussion and understand how these trends may shape commodity decisions heading into the holiday season. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/

    10 min

  7. 11/05/2025

    Meat and Dairy Thrillers

    Welcome back! We open with a couple of Halloween scare stories before diving into markets: cheese is around recent highs (discussed near $1.80/lb) with a long-run support near $1.50/lb that hasn’t held below for long over the past 10–15 years; we’re not especially bullish on cheese here. Butter remains around the 1.60 level and relatively rangebound despite holiday demand. On proteins, retail beef prices in September rose 14.7% YoY to a record high, likely starting to curb consumption, while pork (+1.6% YoY) and chicken (+1.5% YoY) present better value. We also flag a potential resumption of Mexican cattle imports (no date yet) that could help beef supplies in 2026. Give the full episode a listen for our take on price floors, value spreads across proteins, and what these developments could mean in the weeks ahead. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/

    12 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    Markets Under Pressure: Dairy Down, Tariffs Rising

    In this episode, we take you through the latest movements across food, energy, and agricultural markets. The Datum FS Commodity Index is down 6% month over month, driven largely by steep declines in dairy and poultry. We unpack what’s behind the sharp drop in chicken breast, wing, and tender prices, the continued weakness in butter, and the broader trends putting pressure on nearly every major commodity. You’ll also hear our thoughts on how these shifts compare to past market lows and what might signal a turnaround. We also zoom out to the bigger picture—how government shutdowns, renewed tariff discussions with China, and record corn harvest expectations could reshape the landscape for U.S. producers and global trade. From rare earth mineral tensions to multi-year lows in grains and oilseeds, we explore the forces at play and what they could mean for feed costs, pricing stability, and market confidence heading into the end of the year. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/

    10 min
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4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Twice a month, David Maloni serves up a fast, focused look at the world of commodities—covering everything from major food ingredients to energy and beyond. With over 30 years of experience advising some of the world’s largest commodity buyers, he brings unmatched insight and practical perspective to the table. Each episode delivers a market update, the key news and trends he is watching, and insights from occasional guest experts in the food supply chain—all in under 15 minutes.

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