Is the B次元官网网址渦gly produceB次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� trend already reaching the end of its shelf life in supermarkets?
Walmart and Whole Foods in recent years tried selling some blemished fruits and vegetables at a discount, produce they said might otherwise be trashed because itB次元官网网址檚 not quite the right size, shape or colour. But the two chains and others quietly ended their tests, suggesting dented apples and undersized potatoes may not be all that appealing in stores where better looking fruits and vegetables are on display.
B次元官网网址淐ustomers didnB次元官网网址檛 accept it as much as we had hoped,B次元官网网址� said Mona Golub of Price Chopper, a grocery chain in the Northeast that also discontinued its offering of ugly produce.
Still, some stores and home delivery startups havenB次元官网网址檛 given up on the idea of selling less-than-perfect produce to reduce food waste and say theyB次元官网网址檙e doing well.
At a Hy-Vee store in Iowa, a recent display of B次元官网网址淢isfitsB次元官网网址� produce included packs of apples, lemons and oranges that were either too big or small, or otherwise substandard in appearance. A sign explained that B次元官网网址�6 million pounds of fresh produce goes unused each year,B次元官网网址� though the packages didnB次元官网网址檛 specify why the produce might have otherwise been thrown away.
B次元官网网址淚 like the cost savings and it is good to help and not throw so much away,B次元官网网址� said shopper Brian Tice, who bought a pack of small oranges.
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Another shopper, Jamie Shae, said she didnB次元官网网址檛 realize there was anything special about the fruit
B次元官网网址淚 happened to see the bags of lemons,B次元官网网址� said Shae, who was in a rush and grabbed two bags.
Shopper Joan Hitzel, who was browsing other produce nearby, said she thought the Misfits were a good idea given the tons of food that gets thrown away, but didnB次元官网网址檛 plan to buy any that day.
The supplier of the Misfits produce to supermarkets, Robinson Fresh, said about 300 grocery locations still sell the fruits and vegetables, including the Hy-Vee stores. Kroger also said it still plans to introduce its B次元官网网址淧ickuliar PicksB次元官网网址� this spring.
But among other regional chains that have stopped carrying ugly produce are Meijer in the Midwest, Hannaford based in Maine and Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle, which cited B次元官网网址渋nconsistent customer interestB次元官网网址� for pulling the plug on its B次元官网网址淧roduce with Personality.B次元官网网址�
Walmart no longer offers the damaged B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 PerfectB次元官网网址� apples it introduced in Florida in 2016.
The efforts channeled growing interest in reducing food waste. Government agencies say the best way to reduce waste is to stop producing too much food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 31 per cent of the 430 billion pounds of the nationB次元官网网址檚 food supply goes uneaten. That does not include the fruits and vegetables that get tossed at the farm level, before foods reach stores.
For fruits and vegetables that donB次元官网网址檛 meet supermarket standards, some may get processed for products like juices and some go to food banks. Startups delivering ugly produce say thereB次元官网网址檚 so much theyB次元官网网址檙e not taking from food banks.
Shopper preferences may not be the only challenge for ugly produce in supermarkets.
B次元官网网址淩etailers really prize their produce sections,B次元官网网址� said Imperfect Produce CEO Ben Simon, whose company had partnered with Whole Foods on a test at the chain. Grocers might worry that cheaper produce will cannibalize sales of regular produce, or give off a bad image, he said.
Delivery startups say theyB次元官网网址檙e seeing interest in their services. But they are up against shoppers who inspect the fruits and vegetables they buy and those who worry about all the packaging.
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B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been food shopping online, and I started thinking about all the boxes, all that cardboard,B次元官网网址� said Nyasha Wilson, a New York City resident who carefully selects apples for ripeness at a farmerB次元官网网址檚 market.
The companies say they might at least change shoppersB次元官网网址� views on discarded produce. Evan Lutz, CEO of the startup Hungry Harvest, said most of it is just too small or slightly discolored.
B次元官网网址淭he vast majority that would go to waste isnB次元官网网址檛 really that ugly,B次元官网网址� he said.
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