What Happens When Food Passes Its Peak at the Grocery Store?

At retail grocery stores, unsold produce that has passed its peak is regularly removed from shelves to make space for newer, fresher produce. So what happens to this perfectly edible food once it is removed from the store shelves?

Second Harvest Heartland’s Food Rescue Program partners with retail grocers in our communities to divert food being removed from their store shelves to help feed hungry people. Every day, the professional Food Rescue Fleet and our trained food shelf partners collect thousands of pounds of produce, dairy, deli, meat, bakery, and grocery items from more than 275 grocery retail partners. This donated product is distributed to food shelves, soup kitchens and shelters throughout Second Harvest Heartland's 59 county service area.

A CBS Minnesota news article reports how one local retail grocer, Cub Foods, donates its less-than-perfect food products to Second Harvest Heartland and local food shelves to help feed those in our community who are hungry.

In 2013, Cub stores in the Twin Cities donated more than 9 million pounds of fresh food as part of the Retail Food Rescue program. With Cub’s help, the Retail Food Rescue program represents nearly 40 percent of Second Harvest Heartland total food distribution—a food stream that provides many wholesome and fresh foods.

Thank you to Cub Foods and all of our dedicated retail grocer partners for your commitment to helping us end hunger.