Not all produce is suited to win a beauty pageant, but Oddbox is helping to reduce food waste by selling fruits and vegetables that are beautiful on the inside (even if they're ugly on the outside.) The startup delivers what it calls "wonky produce": fruits and vegetables that grew to have irregular shapes or superficial blemishes but that taste just as delicious as their more comely counterparts.
Unfortunately, cosmetics play a large part in the produce industry. Consumers are less likely to purchase produce that doesn't look like the Platonic ideal of its species, meaning that a huge percentage of perfectly edible and delicious produce gets wasted just because it doesn't look good. Oddbox gathers that potentially wasted produce and delivers it to homes and offices, and since the produce would have been tagged for waste, the company can offer 30 percent savings on its deliveries.
Wonky Produce Deliveries
Oddbox Reduces Food Waste By Selling Unattractive Produce
Trend Themes
1. Reducing Food Waste - The trend of delivering and selling imperfect produce reduces food waste and offers savings to consumers.
2. Eco-friendly Delivery - The trend of delivering wonky produce reduces carbon footprint and promotes sustainable practices.
3. Consumer Perception Change - The trend of delivering less visually appealing produce can shift consumer perception and help reduce wasted edible food.
Industry Implications
1. Online Grocery Delivery - Companies like Instacart or Amazon Fresh could adopt the trend of delivering wonky produce to their customers.
2. Food Service - Restaurants and food service providers can also use this trend to reduce their food waste and save on produce costs.
3. Farmers and Producers - Farmers and producers can capitalize on this trend by partnering with delivery services and selling their wonky produce to a larger market.