♪ ♪
♪ >> Rhonda: ALL RIGHT, GROCERY
STORES AND MARKETS WORK HARD TO
PUT BEAUTIFUL PRODUCE ON
DISPLAY.
DISPLAY. WHEN IT COMES TO FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES, UGLY AND IMPERFECT
IS GAINING A FOLLOWING.
>> Jason: THERE’S A TREND TO BUY
IMPERFECT PRODUCE TO AVOID
WASTING FOOD.
WASTING FOOD. AND JODY TRIERWEILER IS HERE TO
SHOW US WHY IT’S GAINING IN
POPULARITY.
POPULARITY. >> HI, GUYS!
HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
>> Jason: GREAT.
>> JASON WAS DANCING.
>> SO THIS CAUSE IS MEANT TO
SPARK A CONVERSATION ABOUT FOOD
WASTE IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT’S ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING AND
RIDICULOUS THE AMOUNT OF FOOD
GETTING WASTED EVERY YEAR AND IT
STARTS ON THE FARM BECAUSE THE
STANDARD FOR FOOD IS SUCH THAT
IT HAS TO BE BEAUTIFUL OR IT
WON’T BE PURCHASED FROM THE
FARMER.
FARMER. SO I FOUND A COMPANY, AND THIS
IS CALLED IMPERFECT PRODUCE, AND
I HAVE TO SAY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT
YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.
IT’S ABOUT 30% LESS THAN WHAT
YOU WOULD PAY GETTING THEM AT
THE STORE AND I WAS NERVOUS
THINKING THIS IS GOING TO BE
GROSS.
GROSS. SO WE’LL OPEN THE BOX AND REVEAL
TOGETHER WHAT YOU GET FROM
PRODUCE THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO BE SOLD AT THE STORE.
THIS DID NOT MEET STANDARD AT
ALL.
ALL. SO HERE’S THE FIRST.
IT’S A BUNCH OF KALE.
>> THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE
IS THE TALKS THAT WOULD HAVE
BROKEN OFF, SO IT HAVE BEEN
THROWN OUT.
THROWN OUT. >> Jason: AND WHAT’S GOING ON
HERE?
HERE? >> SO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS
ONE, IT’S DISCOLORED AND THEY
DON’T KNOW WHETHER IT’S GREEN OR
RED, SO THEY’LL TOSS IT.
>> IT’S GORGEOUS!
>> Jason: WOULDN’T YOU DO
SOMETHING WITH THAT.
>> LET’S KEEP GOING.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE CUCUMBER.
>> Tati: NOTHING.
>> IT’S CURVED AND WON’T FIT IN
THE BIN.
THE BIN. NOBODY WOULD BUY THAT FROM THE
FARMER.
FARMER. IT’S LIKE A SMILEY FACE.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S WRONG WITH
THAT.
THAT. >> Jason: IS IT THE STEM?
>> YES, I DON’T KNOW EITHER.
THEY DON’T TELL YOU, THEY JUST
SEND IT TO YOU.
>> Jason: A BEAUTIFUL PEPPER
JUST MISSING THE STEM.
>> THIS IS A SMALLER-THAN-NORMAL
ONION.
ONION. >> Jason: HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY
FOR THIS?
FOR THIS? >> $12 UP TO $50 DEPENDNG ON
HOW MUCH IT WEIGHS AND THE SIZE.
YOU DON’T HAVE THE GET RANDOM
FOOD.
FOOD. KEEP PULLING FOOD OUT.
>> Tati: THIS IS GNARLED UP BUT
PERFECTLY FINE.
PERFECTLY FINE. IT HAS SOME RED, SOME GREEN.
>> AND IT’S TOTALLY EDIBLE.
AND THEY HAVE DRY GOODS.
I KNOW THIS BRAND OF RICE, WHY
THE HECK IS THIS IN THE BOX?
IT WILL GET THROWN OUT DUE TO
EXPIRATION DATE OR IT WAS NOT
QUITE TRICOLOR BUT THERE’S
NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.
OR A LABELING CHANGE AND THEY
WOULD DISCARD THE PRODUCTS.
>> Tati: AND YOU’RE STRESSING
THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS?
>> ABSOLUTELY NO IT’S ALL
HEALTHY, SAFE TO CONSUME.
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE.
THIS PLUM HAS A LITTLE BIT OF
DISCOLORATION ON IT AND IT WOULD
GO RIGHT INTO THE TRASH.
AND YOU CAN PEEL THAT IF YOU
DON’T WANT TO EAT THE EXTERIOR.
>> Jason: WHAT IS WRONG WITH
THIS SPUD, OTHER THAN IT LOOKS
LIKE A MUMMY?
>> THEY DON’T ALLOW MUMMY SPUDS
IN THE GROCERY STORE.
IT’S UNDERVALUED.
IT’S UNDERVALUED. FIND A LITTLE AVOCADO IN THERE.
OR THERE’S A PACKAGING CHANGE.
LOOK AT HOW SMALL THIS AVOCADO
IS.
IS. IT DOESN’T MEET STANDARD BECAUSE
THEY’RE CHARGING A PRICE PER
AVOCADO OR PER POUND.
SO WHO WILL GET THIS ONE?
BUT TO THROW IT AWAY?
>> Tati: DO THEY HAVE ANY DEALS
GOING ON RIGHT NOW?
>> YES.
>> YES. IF YOU WANT TO ORDER IT.
IT’S NBCDETROIT TO GET 50% OFF
YOUR FIRST BOX.
IT’S CALLED IMPERFECT PRODUCE.
AND IT ALSO SAVES WATER AND
RESOURCES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.