Martie opens in Texas: Saving money with salvage, overstock grocery sellers

HOUSTON - Overstock and salvage grocers sell foods that don't sell in major grocery stores but are still good, and an online overstock grocer just launched in Texas.

These grocers can save you hundreds of dollars a year and help save the planet.

40% of all food in America goes uneaten and thrown out, according to the USDA. Meanwhile, grocery prices are soaring.

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An online grocer called Martie aims to tackle both problems.

"We buy their surplus inventory, call it overstock. That’s the way we can offer it at a huge discount to you," said Martie co-founder Louise Fritjofsson.

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Martie serves 12 states, having just launched in Texas with a warehouse in Dallas, selling overstock from major manufacturers, such as Annie's Homegrown, Kind, Kellog's, and Quaker.

"Prices are 40% to 70% off. Any average order, you would save $54. Historically across our users in a year, a Martie shopper saves about $600," said Fritjofsson.  

Martie sells shelf-stable pantry goods, including organic and gluten-free items, plus household, beauty, and pet products.

"Your coffee, your tea, pasta, kid snacks, snack butters, the things we use on a weekly basis, we have an enormous snack assortment.  You can make sure you can get your shampoo, your toothpaste, and your pet food at a really good discount as well," listed Fritjofsson.  

For example, we found Kind Vanilla Blueberry Bars for $4.19 on the Kroger website, which were priced at $2.99 on Martie.com.  

The company says it does not sell food past Best Buy dates, listing the dates on its website for shoppers to see. There's no subscription or membership fee. Shipping is free on orders over $50, or $6 for smaller orders.

Now, let's talk about produce.

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Some other online grocers focus on salvage fruits and vegetables, rescuing those ones in five-pieces that are tossed because they're considered too ugly for supermarkets.

Misfits Market says it works with farmers and food producers to sell salvage organic fruits and vegetables, bakery and dairy products, plus some sustainably sourced pantry staples and wine, delivering them at up to 40% off.

And Imperfect Foods sells 'ugly' fruits and veggies, plus some meat, dairy, and pantry staples.  It consolidates deliveries by the neighborhood, reducing carbon emissions.

You can also find discounted dry goods in overstock stores like Ollie's Bargain Outlet.