COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — Shoppers walking through the Colorado Springs Sunday Market see tables filled with fresh bread, pastries, salsa and other locally made products.
But once the shoppers leave and the tents come down, what happens to everything that did not sell?
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News5's Jaylen lee, spoke with three vendors at the downtown market and found there is no single answer. Depending on the product and the business, leftovers may be taken home, traded between vendors, sold later at a discount or donated to people who need them.
For Jayna Delanzo, owner of Jayna’s Artisan & Co., the plan begins with estimating how many loaves and sweet treats customers will buy.
Delanzo said the more unusual bread flavors often sell first, while a few basic loaves or desserts may remain as closing time approaches. She keeps her products at full price during the market, occasionally adding a free cookie with another purchase.
The bread that remains is not frozen and brought back to another market.
“I date all my products, so you know that if I’m at a farmers market today, it was baked yesterday,” Delanzo said. “Fresh, fresh every time.”
Delanzo may send a loaf to work with her husband, who serves in the military. She takes most of the remaining bread to God’s Pantry Ministry near Fountain.
“I’m hoping that somebody who maybe can’t afford to buy a loaf at the farmers market can get something that’s really good for them and something that tastes really good too,” Delanzo said.
She also periodically bakes sandwich loaves specifically for a Colorado Springs homeless shelter, although she said most of her donations come from what remains after a market.
Yet, donations are only one option.
Alexis Klund, an employee with Provision Bakery, said the bakery studies which products sell quickly and adjusts how many items it brings. Morning rolls are a customer favorite, so the bakery may bring about 80 for a market day.
The bakery also responds to which ingredients are available from local producers. Klund said an increase in locally available jalapeños, for example, could lead to more batches of jalapeño-cheddar bread.
At closing, employees may take a few items home or share them with friends and relatives. Provision can also return remaining loaves to its bakery and place them on a day-old shelf for 30% off.
Some products never make it out of the market.
“Because of the nature of the farmers market, we do a lot of trading with other vendors for their products,” Klund said. “A lot of the time, we’ll see if anybody wants to trade with the last couple of items.”
Marty Earp, co-owner of LoJo’s Salsa, said his business usually comes close to selling out. The remaining samples and fresh salsa are shared with other vendors, coworkers, neighbors and people around the market.
“Whatever we don’t give out, we have to essentially throw away, so we try to give it all out,” Earp said.
Earp said the salsa can be frozen, although it may lose some of its flavor over time. Unopened chips can last longer, giving the business more flexibility.
He also said customers should not assume items still on display near closing have been sitting out all day. Salsa samples are replenished as customers take them, and vendors said leftover food is not necessarily old or unwanted.
For shoppers, that also means an end-of-day discount is not guaranteed. Customers can ask individual vendors how they handle remaining products, but some businesses keep their prices unchanged before donating or sharing what is left.
The Colorado Springs Sunday Market operates from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays at Acacia Park through Oct. 25.
WHERE TO FIND FOOD ASSISTANCE
People looking for food assistance can use the Care and Share Food Bank food locator to search for nearby pantries, mobile markets and distribution sites.
Pikes Peak United Way also connects residents with food, housing and other assistance through 211. Residents can dial 211 or text their ZIP code to 898-211.
God’s Pantry Ministry is located at 30 Widefield Boulevard. Current contact information and distribution details are available through the Care and Share food locator. Calling ahead is recommended because pantry schedules and requirements may change.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
