Eat your ugly vegetables

With food waste at an all-time high, food companies have found a way to reduce some of that waste. Ugly produce refers to vegetables and fruits that are oddly shaped, colored, or sized. Ugly produce is often thrown out, representing a significant amount of food waste. Different factors can lead to ugly produce. Most common are cosmetic imperfections such as blemishes, scars, odd shapes, or uneven colors in the fruits and vegetables. Size deviations like produce that is too small, too large, or varies too much in size compared to the standard may result in products being tagged as ugly. About 30 to 40 percent of the food produced in the United States is never eaten. It is estimated that in the US more than 40 million tons of food is thrown away every year. Supermarkets will not sell produce if it is too ugly. Supermarkets often have strict standards for produce appearance. Similarly, consumers may have a bias against ugly produce. Many will only buy more visually pleasing fruits and vegetables. Several things are being done to help market ugly produce. The first are efforts to increase awareness about the issue of food waste and the nutritional value of ugly produce. Others are working to redistribute ugly produce to food banks and community pantries. Consumer groups are encouraging customers to embrace ugly produce and recognize that appearance is not a reflection of the product's quality. Consumers need to stop discriminating against imperfect produce. "Instead of throwing ugly produce in the trash, it can be used as composting material if no one is willing to buy it" according to Salil Khetani, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Heidelberg University. "Farmers can compost it themselves as an organic fertilizer or sell it to other farms or gardens that need such organic materials to enrich their soil." It is normally just exterior damage and the inside is not affected and not ugly. Experts say the best time to eat fruits and vegetables is when they are very ripe and look the ugliest. Some food marketers are adding googly eyes, naming irregular appearing produce or assigning other human-like characteristics to increase purchases. Some produce retailers have started a campaign to call these products "imperfect" instead of "ugly," hoping customers will be more open to the kinder, gentler name. There are companies that specialize in selling ugly produce. Misfits Market is the largest online market specializing in ugly produce. Since its start on 2018, the company has worked directly with farmers to "rescue" and sell organic ugly produce that might otherwise be discarded. Another recent marketing strategy is to charge a higher price for ugly produce by convincing consumers that these products are just as healthy. And they are helping to save the environment by buying products that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Consumers are becoming more willing to try ugly produce. Four out of 10 US consumers are open to purchasing ugly produce. Men are slightly more likely than women to purchase ugly produce. Consumers between the ages of 35 and 54 are more likely than their younger and older counterparts to make such a purchase. Not everyone thinks selling ugly produce is a good idea. Food-justice advocates argue that profit-based solutions for ugly produce are hurting their cause. Food justice advocates are individuals and organizations working to ensure equitable access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food for all. According to these groups, markets that buy and sell ugly produce are taking away food that in some cases farmers donate to local food banks. Perry Haan is Professor of Marketing at Tiffin University. He can be reached at haanpc@tiffin.edu.