Short-dated stock buyers: sell near-expiry stock fast
We buy short-dated and near-expiry stock, mostly food and grocery, and sell it on through retailers, discount chains, wholesalers, charities and overseas buyers. Send us your stock list with the dates, and the sooner you do, the more options there are.
- 30+ years buying excess stock
- Confidential & discreet
- We can buy the whole parcel
Short-dated stock is the most urgent stock there is. Every day it sits in the warehouse, it's worth a little less and there are fewer buyers who can take it. We've been buying short-dated food and grocery stock for over 30 years, and the single best piece of advice we can give is simple: call early.
What is short-dated stock?
Short-dated stock is product with too little shelf life left for its normal channel. Major retailers usually expect a minimum amount of life remaining when stock arrives, so a product can be "short-dated" for a supermarket while it still has weeks or months left on the label. Near-expiry stock is the same thing, closer to the date.
It happens for ordinary reasons: a promotion that underperformed, an order that was cancelled, a production run that was too long, a shipment that sat at the wharf, or a forecast that missed.
Best-before vs use-by: what can legally be sold?
This matters more than anything else on this page, so here are the rules from Food Standards Australia New Zealand, which administers the Food Standards Code (date marking is covered by Standard 1.2.5):
- Use-by dates are for foods that must be eaten before a certain time for health or safety reasons. FSANZ says these foods "can't legally be sold after this date because they may pose a health or safety risk."
- Best-before dates are on most foods. FSANZ says "foods that have a best-before date can legally be sold after that date provided the food is fit for human consumption."
| Use-by | Best-before | |
|---|---|---|
| What it's about | Safety | Quality |
| Can it be sold before the date? | Yes | Yes |
| Can it be sold after the date? | No | Yes, if fit for human consumption |
| Typical products | Fresh meat, dairy, chilled ready meals | Most packaged, dry, canned and long-life food |
So short-dated best-before stock has options before and after its date. Use-by stock has a hard deadline. That's general information, not legal advice: if you're unsure about a particular product, check with your state or territory food enforcement agency. Our article on what out of date food labels really mean explains the labels in more depth.
37 semi-trailers of short-dated orange juice
Short-dated stock doesn't have to be small to be sold. We once sold 37 semi-trailers of short-dated orange juice.
A parcel that size generally can't go to one customer. It needs to be split sensibly across buyers who can each move their share before the date, without flooding the market or undercutting the brand owner's full-dated product. That's the job: knowing who can take what, how quickly, and where it won't cause problems.
If 37 semi-trailers can find a home, your pallet of short-dated stock almost certainly can.
Who buys short-dated stock?
| Buyer | What they look for |
|---|---|
| Discount chains and grocery outlets | Known brands with enough life to sell through their stores |
| Wholesalers and distributors | Volume they can move quickly to smaller retailers |
| Major retailers | Promotional stock for specific events |
| Charities | Food and essentials for the people they support |
| Overseas buyers | Volume, where dates and import rules allow |
Each buyer has its own date requirements and motivations. We structure the offer to suit them, while keeping stock away from the channels you want to protect. See who buys excess stock in Australia for more.
How do you sell short-dated stock to us?
- Send us the details, with dates. A stock list spreadsheet with SKU, description, quantity, best-before or use-by dates, and cost or RRP if you're happy to share. Add photos, storage requirements (ambient, chilled or frozen) and the location.
- We survey the market quickly. John discreetly checks with buyers who can move the stock before the date.
- We make an offer. In most cases we offer for the whole parcel. If that isn't possible, John gives you his best advice on how to sell it.
- We agree collection and payment. Collection is flexible and agreed per parcel. We pay promptly, as per our agreed terms.
We buy from anywhere in Australia, from New Zealand and internationally.
Why sell short-dated stock early?
Because time is the one thing you can't get back. With weeks of life left, there are many buyers. With days left, there are few. Once a use-by date passes, there are none. Calling us when you first suspect a line won't sell through gives everyone more room, including you.
Holding on also costs money: storage, especially chilled or frozen, insurance and handling, and eventually disposal costs if the stock can't be sold at all.
What about short-dated stock with other problems?
Damaged outers, a labelling error or a dent run can all complicate things. Tell us everything up front. We're transparent with our buyers, and we can often still find a solution. We'll also tell you straight if something can't be sold.
Should you use a food broker or a stock buyer?
A broker sells on your behalf. We buy the parcel ourselves and resell it, and we don't charge sellers fees. Which suits you depends on how much control and time you want to spend. Our article on whether to hire a food broker sets out the differences. For more on the food categories we buy, see food and grocery stock.
Got short-dated stock? Don't wait for the date to get closer. Send us the details today.
Frequently asked questions
How short is too short?
There's no fixed cut-off; it depends on the product, the quantity and how quickly buyers can move it. A long-life product with a few weeks left can be easier to sell than fresh food with longer. Send the dates and we'll tell you honestly.
Can I sell food that's past its best-before date?
Food Standards Australia New Zealand says food with a best-before date can legally be sold after that date provided it is fit for human consumption. Food past its use-by date can't legally be sold. Check with your food enforcement agency if you're unsure about a specific product.
Do you buy short-dated stock other than food?
Yes. Cosmetics, personal care, hair care, cleaning products and other dated goods all come through our hands. The same rule applies: the earlier you call, the better.
Will short-dated stock end up competing with my full-dated product?
Not if you tell us where it can't go. We strictly follow your guidelines on pricing and distribution locations.
Should I use a food broker instead?
It depends on what you need. A broker sells on your behalf; we buy the parcel ourselves and resell it, without charging you fees. Our article on hiring a food broker covers the difference.
Keep reading
Out of date food: what that label really means in Australia
Best before vs use by in Australia: what each date means, what can legally be sold after it, the bread exception, and what to do with short-
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