Twin Cities embraces Imperfect Produce delivery service

(FOX 9) - A new home delivery service is giving new life to the produce not quite perfect enough for the store.

By its first day, hundreds of Twin Cities subscribers have already signed up.

Food rescue company Imperfect Produce delivers produce throughout the metro.

“Our goal is to recover as much food of the 20 billion pounds - or 20 percent of all fruits and vegetables that are grown - to be able to stop food waste and serve it to customers throughout the country,” said Neil Neufeld with Imperfect Produce.

Neufeld said the box prices can be as low as $11.

Customers place all of their orders on the Imperfect Produce website, and they can even order organic produce. But, none of it is cosmetically perfect.

The Twin Cities is their 18th market, and word traveled fast. In fact, the company reported over 550 subscribers on Day One.

“This area has just given us a giant hug,” Neufeld said.  

They even partnered with Second Harvest Heartland to donate leftover produce for local food banks and insist they are not selling produce that otherwise would go to food shelves.

“We have agreements with farmers. We don’t want the food bank food; we want to take what’s going to into landfill, what’s not going to be sold, what’s not going to be harvested so we can reduce food waste, and that’s what’s really important to us,” Neufeld said.  

It’s about rescuing produce that looks different, but when delivered to your door, tastes the same.

Imperfect Produce says their prices are about 30 percent cheaper than the grocery store. They also give another 30 percent discount for SNAP recipients.