What Is InstockMarket?
InstockMarket is on a mission to tackle one of the biggest issues in the food industry: waste. Believe it or not, a third of all food produced worldwide ends up wasted—that’s a staggering 1.3 billion tons every year! This waste happens all along the food chain, often for reasons that seem totally avoidable. Think irregular sizes, mislabeled packaging, canceled orders, or just plain surplus. InstockMarket steps in to rescue these products before they hit the trash, connecting chefs and food businesses with surplus fruits, vegetables, and other food items that would otherwise go to waste.
Main Benefits of InstockMarket
Here’s why InstockMarket is making waves in the food rescue scene:
- Rescued over 3,491,962 kg of food from waste as of October 2024
- Partners with around 200 suppliers, including farmers, growers, and intermediaries
- Daily arrivals of fresh surplus products at their Food Rescue Center
- Final quality checks ensure only the best food reaches chefs and businesses
- Offers a wide selection of circular brands and high-quality surplus fruits and vegetables
- Helps reduce the environmental footprint by saving agricultural land, energy, water, and cutting CO2 emissions
How Food Waste Happens
Food waste isn’t just about leftovers on your plate. It’s a complex problem that starts way before food reaches consumers. Irregular sizes of fruits and veggies often get rejected by retailers, packaging errors can make products unsellable, and sometimes orders get canceled last minute. Surpluses pile up, and without a system to redirect this food, it ends up in the bin. This is where InstockMarket shines—by creating a bridge between surplus food sources and those who can use it, like restaurants, cafes, bars, and other food service providers.
Who Can Benefit from InstockMarket?
Chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality pros looking to make a real difference can turn to InstockMarket for sustainable sourcing. Whether you run a cozy cafe, a bustling bar, or a large restaurant, sourcing from surplus streams means you’re not only getting quality ingredients but also actively preventing food waste. Plus, it’s a smart way to keep your food footprint low without compromising on taste or variety. The platform supports the entire horeca sector—helping everyone from retail to wholesale to food service make smarter, greener choices.
InstockMarket’s Approach to Circular Cooking
InstockMarket isn’t just about rescuing food—it’s about changing how we think about cooking and consumption. Their five principles of circular cooking encourage chefs and food lovers alike to embrace sustainability both in and out of the kitchen. It’s about making the most of every ingredient, reducing waste, and supporting a food system that’s kinder to the planet. This approach also ties into the growing trend of upcycling food and creating innovative dishes from surplus ingredients, turning what might be waste into culinary gold.
Project Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger – by redistributing surplus food to reduce hunger and food insecurity
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – promoting sustainable food systems and reducing waste
- SDG 13: Climate Action – lowering CO2 emissions by preventing unnecessary food production
- SDG 15: Life on Land – conserving agricultural land and natural resources
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – collaborating with suppliers and the hospitality sector for greater impact
Why InstockMarket Matters Now More Than Ever
With the global food system under pressure from climate change, population growth, and resource scarcity, projects like InstockMarket are crucial. They offer a practical, scalable solution to a problem that affects everyone—wasted food means wasted resources and lost opportunities. By rescuing surplus food and connecting it with those who can use it, InstockMarket helps build a more resilient, sustainable food system. So next time you’re sourcing ingredients, remember: choosing surplus food isn’t just smart—it’s a powerful way to make a positive impact on the planet.
