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/

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/

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/