Service Gives Misfit Fruits, Vegetables A Home, Reduces Waste

BOSTON (CBS) - It's estimated that Americans throw away $165 billion worth of food every year. And some of that food gets tossed out before we can even buy it just because of the way it looks.

One company thinks it has found the perfect solution to keep good food from being wasted. It is now shipping out imperfect produce to some very happy customers, including Raechel Bayuzick, of Boston.

"Basically, they send you vegetables that, for whatever reason, aren't fit to be sold in a store," Bayuzick said.

What can't be sold in the grocery store can be sold in Misfits Market, a weekly delivery service of organic - and possibly ugly - fruits and vegetables.

"A lot of times these foods are totally safe and totally perfect to eat, they are just not the right size or shape for grocery stores," explained Bayuzick. As she examined her healthy haul, she noticed some discoloration on a zucchini, a misshapen head of lettuce and some smaller-than-normal apples.

Misfits Market wants to cut down on food waste by selling weird-looking or discolored produce that may have been bound for the trash instead of the table.

"Honestly, I opened the first box and I was disappointed that nothing was ugly. Like, I wanted things to be shaped weird but everything looked perfect," Bayuzick said.

Misfits Market launched in 2018 and just began shipping to Massachusetts in March. The produce is primarily sourced from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but the company will tap into farms outside the region depending on the growing season. A small 10- to 12-pound box costs $23.50 a week, and a large 18- to 20-pound delivery is $42.50. Prices drop for a subscription plan.

But no matter how it looks, it's the taste that won Bayuzick over. "Everything is organic. It's so, so good."