As grocery prices continue rising faster than many families can keep up with, one entrepreneur is changing the game. Their product tackles two major problems at once: saving money and keeping perfectly good food out of landfills.

The scoop

With the U.S. wasting an estimated 30%-40% of its entire food supply each year, shoppers are looking for creative ways to stretch their budgets.

For that specific reason, Louise Fritjofsson co-created Martie, a way to slash grocery bills by hunting for brands' surplus goods. Surplus goods are items that are still high-quality but are pulled from shelves because of outdated packaging, seasonal flavors, canceled orders, or simple overstock. 

Martie has become a go-to resource. The online marketplace rescues brands' overstock and excess inventory and sells it at steep discounts, so families can save money while preventing good food from being wasted.

"We are fully accessible, no membership needed," Fritjofsson told The Cool Down. "You can just come and get these amazing discounts and prices — no one can compete with our prices. … We price compare all of our items all the time, and we make sure that we're always the cheapest one."

That means shoppers can score deep discounts without compromising on quality, turning what would have been waste into major annual savings.

How it's helping

Martie makes the process incredibly easy: browse, click, save on the site or app, all while keeping food out of landfills. It's a low-effort hack with a big impact.

The biggest impact on consumers is the money in your pocket. With food prices up across nearly every category, even a few discounted pantry items make a noticeable difference. But some shoppers are reporting savings of 50% or more by switching to recycled goods sources.

There's also a huge environmental win. When food goes to waste, it doesn't just disappear. It releases methane, a harmful gas. By choosing surplus groceries, you're directly preventing that pollution and helping cut down on the water and energy required to grow and ship new products.

It's one of the simplest ways to shop more affordably and sustainably at the same time.

Would you buy juice or yogurt made with bruised or misshapen fruit? If I couldn't tell the difference 🤔 If it were cheaper 💰 If it were healthier 🍎 I'd never buy it 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What everyone's saying

People are celebrating Martie as an innovative, great way to shop for food cheaply. 

Eater called it "a high-end version of the Marshalls food aisle."

Customer testimonials also added: "I always have been impressed by Martie. I order so many snacks and pantry items from here. I love the variety and being able to try new things at a reasonable price!"

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.