ImpactAlpha, June 20 – Sixty million tons of food is wasted in the U.S. before it leaves the farm. Misfits Market is among a troupe of startups trying to reduce this waste by helping more of it reach consumers.
The North Philly startup buys “ugly” but ripe fruits and vegetables directly from farmers and sells them at a discount to grocery stores via subscription service. Since launching last year, the company’s service area has grown to include every zipcode in Pennsylvania as well as Ohio.
It has raised $16.5 million led by Greenoaks Capital to support its expansion in the Mid Atlantic and Southeastern U.S.
Baltimore-based Hungry Harvest uses a similar model to buy unwanted produce and other items from grocery stores, while Bay Area-based Full Harvest takes a farm-based approach to buying up ugly produce on the West Coast.
