For food banks, pantries & charities

Affordable surplus food for food banks & charities

Stretch your budget further. ClearanceFood connects food banks, community pantries, social supermarkets and charities with surplus, overstock and short-dated food in bulk — buy by the case, pallet or full lot at clearance prices, and turn a fixed budget into far more meals.

Why surplus food works for food banks

Demand on food banks, pantries and community projects keeps rising while budgets stay tight. Surplus food is the natural answer: manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers constantly carry overstock, short-dated lines and cancelled orders that are perfectly good but need to move quickly. Redirecting that stock to charities means more food on the shelves for less money, and less edible food sent to landfill.

On ClearanceFood you buy that surplus directly, at clearance prices, with the dates and quantities shown up front so you can plan distribution.

What your project can source

We list ambient, chilled and frozen stock suited to a wide range of charitable projects:

  • Food banks and referral-based emergency food parcels
  • Social supermarkets and pay-as-you-feel pantries
  • Community fridges, larders and lunch clubs
  • Shelters, refuges and community kitchens cooking at scale
  • Schools, breakfast clubs and holiday hunger programmes

Buy in bulk, at the right size for you

Every listing can be bought by the unit, case, pallet or full lot, so a small pantry and a large distribution hub can both find a quantity that fits. Auctions let you set your own price ceiling, while Buy Now listings let you secure stock immediately when timing matters.

Food safety and dates

We list best-before (quality) stock and never anything past its use-by (safety) date. Best-before food is legal to redistribute and remains good to eat beyond the date; each listing shows the best-before window, storage type and quantities so you can distribute responsibly.

Read more in our guide to best before vs use by dates.

Suppliers: donate as well as sell

If you are a business with surplus you would rather give than sell, we can route it to a redistribution partner so it reaches charities directly. Tell us what you have on our sell your stock page.

Frequently asked questions

Can food banks and charities buy surplus food here?

Yes. Food banks, community pantries, social supermarkets, community fridges and charities can register and buy surplus, short-dated and end-of-line food in bulk — by the case, pallet or full lot — at clearance prices.

Is it cheaper than a cash-and-carry or wholesaler?

Usually, yes. Because the stock is surplus, overstock or close to its best-before date, it is priced well below normal wholesale, so a fixed budget stretches to far more meals.

Is the food safe to distribute?

We list best-before (quality) stock, never anything past its use-by (safety) date. Each listing shows the dates, storage type and quantities so you can plan distribution with confidence.

Can suppliers donate stock to charities instead of selling?

Yes. Suppliers who would rather give than sell can ask us to route their surplus to a redistribution partner, so edible stock reaches people who need it instead of going to landfill.

How does our food bank get started?

Register for a free account, browse the live auctions and Buy Now listings, and bid or buy the lots that suit you. Delivery or collection terms are shown on every listing.

Source affordable food for your community

Register free, browse live clearance auctions and Buy Now listings, and secure surplus food in bulk for your food bank, pantry or charity.