For The SF Market—White Pony Express’s third-largest food donor—food recovery has never been about checking a compliance box. It’s about nourishing people.
California’s SB 1383 mandates organic waste reduction, but this partnership goes further: turning wholesale surplus into vital, culturally meaningful meals for East Bay communities.
We caught up with Pete Olsen, The SF Market’s Community Program Manager, to hear how it works.
“White Pony Express has been essential in redistributing large volumes of recovered fresh produce from our merchants to the East Bay community,” says Olsen. “Their partnership has been vital to meeting the goals of SB 1383—and to so much more.”
That “more” is the key. Because The SF Market works with a wide range of produce wholesalers and distributors, their donations go well beyond standard pantry staples.
“We’re able to recover a much wider selection of high-quality, nutrient-dense foods,” Olsen explains. “This variety lets us provide culturally significant items that reflect the tastes and traditions of the communities our partners serve.”
The Market operates at the wholesale level, so the team rarely sees the end result of their work. But they hear about it from us.
“We often get stories about how our donations bring variety, freshness, and dignity to the food their clients receive.”
Variety. Freshness. Love. That’s the mission—and that’s what shows up in every delivery.