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Perfectly Imperfect with Imperfect Produce

by Casha Doemland on 10/17/2018 | 2 Minute Read

Have you ever strolled through the produce section of a grocery store and realized that 99.99% of the fruit looks either identical or has zero blemishes? If you haven't, they do, and that's because the FDA has strict standards for the produce you can purchase in stores.

Did you also know that more than 20% of fruits and vegetables never leave the farm due to cosmetic imperfections, which according to Imperfect Produce, is thousands of pounds of food each year.”

To fight the waste, Ben Simon, CEO and co-founder of Imperfect Produce, started his journey during college with Food Recovery Network, a non-profit dedicated to preventing waste on college campuses. Shortly after, he met Ben Chesler and they scaled the program nationwide, which inspired the foundation of Imperfect Produce in August 2015. To help complete the trifecta, Aleks Strub hopped on board to take care of all things marketing and the company has been chugging forward ever since introducing new cities along the way.

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Imperfect Produce is a delivery service, similar to Blue Apron, Martha & Marley Spoon and Sun Basket, but instead of shipping your meals on a weekly basis, they send a variety of “ugly” produce – both organic and conventional.

When we say ugly, we don’t mean it’s moldy or on the brink of rotting. Nah, it's healthy and delicious fruits and vegetables that don't look they came from central casting – think an undersized apple or onion, crooked carrot or a slightly discolored orange. All of which are sourced directly from local farmers and eliminate the waste on farms while simultaneously offering a profit.

Just choose the size, from small to extra large, organic or conventional and the frequency of which you’d like it delivered, and the box shows up to your door. The best part, if you prefer to customize your box to your favorite fruits and veggies, you can do just that and save up to 30% from what you’d spend at your local grocery store.

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On top of helping you, Imperfect Produce is also donating thousands of pounds of delicious produce to non-profit organizations and food banks across the nation on a weekly basis. Curry Without Worry has delivered 700,000 vegan Nepalese meals since 2006 thanks to the weekly donations. Second Helpings prepares nutritious meals for hungry children and adults every day, free of charge, in the Greater Indianapolis area. Oregon Food Bank strives to eliminate hunger and serves 740,000 people throughout Oregon and Washington, and those are just a few of the many Imperfect Produce donates to.

Between saving up money on produce delivered to your door and donating to dozens of causes, 30 million pounds of food and 900 million gallons of water have been saved since the inception of the company. What more could you ask for from a food delivery service?