High food prices are only beneficial if you went corruption. Unless you see 1st or of the gates and sold in batches big enough to be worth it but small enough not to attract attention of the other techers, I don't see how high food price is anything to smile about.

I think the best thing you can do to hedge your losses is to be a Dem, and then gradually lose any profit you made as prices went up during your stocking phase as you destock. I have been the highest finishing techer many times and in none of those times did I bother to be the 1st to destock.

Also, market trends are mostly different for different servers. I definitely wouldn't compare food on the Primary market with that on the express market.