For Suppliers · Short-Dated Stock
Sell compliant short-dated meat stock
In short
Short-dated stock is product that is still within its use-by or best-before date but has less shelf life left than buyers usually expect. Verified suppliers can list compliant short-dated stock on Protein Link for approved trade buyers, provided it is safe, accurately labelled and clearly described. Expired, unsafe or non-compliant product cannot be traded.
What counts as short-dated
In wholesale protein, short-dated usually means product with less remaining shelf life than a buyer would normally accept, for example chilled product approaching its date. It is still product that can lawfully be sold. It is not expired stock, and it is not a way to clear product that should be withdrawn.
Use-by and best-before are different
Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, Standard 1.2.5 sets the rules for date marking. A use-by date is used where food should be eaten before a certain date for health or safety reasons, and food must not be sold after its use-by date. A best-before date indicates the period in which food keeps its expected quality.
List the correct date type and the date itself. Buyers need both to decide whether they can use the product in time.
What Protein Link will not accept
- Product past its use-by date
- Product that is unsafe, damaged or has had its cold chain compromised
- Product that has been relabelled or re-dated in breach of food standards
- Any listing that misdescribes the product, its storage state or its dates
How to list it well
Short-dated stock sells on clarity. State the product, specification, storage state, pack format, volume and date marking. A buyer such as a food manufacturer may be able to use short-dated chilled product in a planned production run, but only if they can see exactly what is on offer.
List it early. The more shelf life left when the listing goes live, the more buyers can realistically use it.
Pricing, visibility and payment
As with any listing, you set the base price and buyers see one platform price, ex GST; your base price is never shown. Visibility controls let you choose which buyer groups can see the listing. The buyer pays through the platform before anything ships, and once payment is verified your share transfers to your Stripe account for that order, to be paid to your bank on Stripe's payout schedule.
Timing and freight
Remaining shelf life has to cover the time to accept the request, arrange freight and deliver. Refrigerated freight is coordinated through Protein Link's carrier partner and quoted per shipment, and lane availability is confirmed during onboarding. Allow for that time when you decide whether a product is still worth listing.
Responsibility
Suppliers remain responsible for the safety, quality, labelling and description of the product they sell. If you are unsure whether a product can be sold, check with your food safety regulator or adviser before listing it. Our guide to food safety considerations for bulk meat purchasing explains what buyers will be checking.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell meat that is past its best-before date?
Protein Link's listings should describe product accurately and buyers expect usable shelf life. Food past its use-by date must not be sold, and anything unsafe or non-compliant cannot be listed. If in doubt, check with your regulator before listing.
Should I freeze short-dated chilled product before listing it?
Whether product can be frozen, and how it must then be labelled, is a food safety and labelling question for your business. If it is frozen, list it as frozen and describe it accurately.
Who buys short-dated stock?
Approved trade buyers who can use product within its remaining shelf life, such as food manufacturers planning a production run.
Will buyers know it is short-dated?
They should. List the date type and date clearly so buyers can decide whether they can use the product in time.
List your stock with Protein Link
Request supplier access. There is no cost to apply, get verified or list, and your base pricing is never shown to buyers.