In Australia, a new produce-delivery startup is reducing food waste by collecting healthy – but ugly – fruit and vegetables so they can be sold rather than discarded.
Fierce competition between supermarkets and produce retailers means growers are under huge pressure to ship fruit and veggies that look good. According to the startup, called Good & Fugly, an estimated 25 per cent of fresh produce never leaves the farm because it is considered to look inferior – yet is fit to eat.
Good & Fugly is selling boxes by subscription containing misshapen, but fresh, seasonal produce, and delivered weekly. A small box – enough to feed up to two people for four to five days – sells for A$39 ($US29) and a larger box to feed up to five sells for A$59 (US$43.50), delivery included. To date, deliveries are within greater Sydney but expressions of interest are being accepted via the company’s website to determine which regions are added next.
Richard Tourino, Good & Fugly’s founder, says 30 per cent of the world’s farmland is used to produce wasted food.
“We are on a mission to make saving the planet affordable, convenient, and delicious.
“We want Good & Fugly to be a nationwide offering, we can see the waste issue and we know consumers are keen to make a positive impact by jumping on board the fugly revolution. We’re also encouraging farmers to get in touch with us so their quirky, misshapen produce doesn’t go to waste,” he says.
The contents of the boxes vary according to season and the produce available, but the Good & Fugly team tries to include staples like potatoes, onions, and leafy greens in every order.
