Key Takeaways
- The US grocery stores reject over 20 billion pounds of produce annually due to imperfections, resulting in over $17 billion in food waste.
- Companies like Misfits Market are working to reduce food waste by buying rejected produce from farmers and selling it to customers at a discounted price.
- Misfits Market has saved 200 million pounds of food from being trashed since its launch in 2018.
- The rejected produce is often just as nutritious and flavorful as the perfectly uniform produce found in grocery stores.
- Reducing food waste can help make healthy and affordable food more accessible to millions of people across the country.
Introduction to Food Waste
The issue of food waste in the US is a significant problem, with grocery stores rejecting over 20 billion pounds of produce annually due to imperfections. This not only results in a substantial amount of waste but also has a significant economic impact, with an estimated value of over $17 billion. At Florida Georgia Citrus, a family farm in Monticello, Florida, owner and operator Kim Jones shows the reality of this issue. The farm harvests about 7 million pounds of produce per year, but what Jones cannot sell gets sorted into separate bins, where he only has a few weeks before determining what must be thrown out. This is just a small portion of the massive amount of produce that is rejected by grocery stores each year.
The Problem with the Grocery Ecosystem
The whole grocery ecosystem has been built around making sure everything is perfectly uniform on the shelf. Abhi Ramesh, the founder of Misfits Market, noticed this problem seven years ago and saw an opportunity to make a change. Ramesh launched Misfits Market in 2018, an online grocery store that buys rejected produce from farmers and packages it in four warehouses across the country. According to Ramesh, when people think about food waste, they often think about rotting food in landfills, but the reality is that much of the waste is due to the rejection of perfectly edible produce that does not meet the cosmetic standards of grocery stores.
The Solution: Misfits Market
Misfits Market is working to reduce food waste by buying rejected produce from farmers and selling it to customers at a discounted price. The online grocery store hasn’t yet turned a profit, but it has so far saved 200 million pounds of food from being trashed by shipping it to customers across the country. Customers like Jojo Cheng have taken advantage of the often-discounted rejected produce, saying that she can usually find items at 15% to 20% off compared to regular grocery stores. Cheng also appreciates the variety of items available on Misfits, including produce that she wouldn’t typically find at her local grocery store.
The Impact on Farmers and Consumers
The impact of Misfits Market is not only felt by consumers but also by farmers like Kim Jones. Jones says that any idea that helps save food from being thrown out is a plus. By buying rejected produce, Misfits Market is helping to reduce the financial burden on farmers who would otherwise have to discard the produce. This, in turn, can help make healthy and affordable food more accessible to millions of people across the country. As Jones says, "You peel all that off and you wind up with a juicy piece of fruit…It’s still got a good flavor." This highlights the fact that the rejected produce is often just as nutritious and flavorful as the perfectly uniform produce found in grocery stores.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The issue of food waste in the US is a complex problem that requires a multifaceted solution. Companies like Misfits Market are working to reduce food waste by buying rejected produce from farmers and selling it to customers at a discounted price. While there is still much work to be done, the progress made by Misfits Market is a step in the right direction. As the US continues to grapple with the issue of food waste, it is essential to consider innovative solutions like Misfits Market that can help make healthy and affordable food more accessible to everyone. By working together, we can reduce food waste and create a more sustainable food system for the future.
