Business Opportunities in Misshapen Vegetables

I just watched a program on the BBC about the ridiculous amount of food that we waste – and rather oddly it struck an idea for a niche business.

We all waste food in our homes on a regular basis; a loaf of bread that doesn’t get finished here or a just-after-its-sell-by-date carton of juice. Supermarkets and restaurants are perhaps even more obvious culprits – frequently chucking out fruit, veg, bread and anything else that starts looking a little tired.

And, of course, much of what gets chucked out is perfectly edible. Where picky consumers are involved, aesthetics wins out.

But this starts even before it gets to the shops, with mountains of fresh produce and ingredients never even making it as far as the grocery store shelves simply because it doesn’t conform to specs. Apparently, courgettes (zucchini) for example must be between 17 and 21 centimeters – otherwise they’re simply composted, tilled back into the ground or fed to livestock.

So how about a niche market that sells exclusively misshapen veg, under-sized eggs, dented canned goods and overly bent bananas?

The goods could be sourced at a discount from producers and suppliers keen to get rid of stock that is rejected by the big retailers and then sold on to eco-savvy and cost-concious consumers, also at a discount.

If you know of a business that’s already doing this – let me know.

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