Fighting Food Waste - Imperfect Produce
Norma Newton
A recently delivered box of produce from Imperfect Produce. (Photo Credit: Hermosa Journal)
Guilty of not buying completely edible produce because it does not look a certain way? Turns out, you are not alone - we do it too! Each year tons (think billions) of great tasting produce goes to landfills in part because stores will not sell cosmetically challenged fruits and vegetables. Fortunately, the Emeryville based company, Imperfect Produce, seeks to change this reality.
Imperfect works directly with growers to sell their oversupply and odd looking produce. These fruits and vegetables taste the same and have all the nutrients as their grocery store counterparts, but sometimes look a little different. The seasonal produce is sold at 30-50% below store prices and each order is fully customizable before it arrives on your doorstep. Delivery is currently available in certain parts of California, although founders Ben Simon and Ben Chasler plan to expand across the country.
Who knew reducing food waste, supporting local farmers and being thrifty could be so easy? Something tells us we’ll never be able to look at store produce in the same way.
Fava beans deemed imperfect due to some external scars. (Photo Credit: Hermosa Journal)
A sampling of the most imperfect looking produce in our box. (Photo Credit: Hermosa Journal)