2026 Industry Report
Inside the Secondary Market
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20+ pages
Most CPG brands lose 1–3 points of EBITDA to excess inventory. This report — built on $5.9B in transaction data — shows exactly when to sell which products and to what buyers, so you can optimize your liquidation strategy for long-term success.
$5.9B
Transaction data
270+
Active buyers
16
Departments
1,200+
Brands analyzed
Free Download
Know the market to win the market.
What's inside
Three questions. One definitive data set.
01
When to list, by category
Recovery peaks between 60–120 days — but the curve isn't linear. Every major category has its own inflection point, and a two-week delay can cost you a full recovery tier.
02
How fast this market clears
Across categories among transacted products, most deals on distressed inventory close within 2 weeks. See how fast your category tends to move.
03
Meet the buyer network
Retailers, wholesalers, specialty buyers, and donation partners each play a distinct role in the market. Learn how to expand your buyer network and find the right buyer mix for your inventory – with one portfolio pattern we've identified as correlating to 80% higher cost recovery.
What's inside
What the data actually shows
80%
What separates the top-recovering suppliers from everyone else? A specific buyer portfolio pattern — worth 80% more in cost recovery.
68%
One category grew 68% on the Spoiler Alert platform last year, outpacing every other. Find out which one and why it matters for your surplus strategy.
4 categories
Four of the top ten categories on the secondary market break the standard recovery curve. Their shelf-life-to-recovery patterns don't follow the rules — and knowing which ones changes when you sell.
5 days
The fastest-clearing category on the platform closes in under five days. Across F&B, most resolve in two weeks or less — see where your category stacks up.
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Mark Fleming
CEO, Natural Choice Foods
fmr. Kraft Heinz · Treehouse Conagra
"One to three points of EBITDA are lost to waste in a typical manufacturer — and the real drag on the P&L runs meaningfully larger than what shows up on a markdown line."
The secondary market doesn't have to be a mystery.
Find out who's buying, what clears, and how to use it strategically — backed by $5.9B in real transaction data.