Beautiful on the inside? Walmart selling "ugly fruit" at a discount
Walmart (WMT) says it's trying to make a dent in the estimated 133 billion pounds of food Americans throw out each year, with the world's largest grocer now selling weather-dented apples at a discount in 300 of its Florida stores.
The move comes amid pressure by activists targeting wasteful practices at Walmart, with nearly 150,000 people signing a Change.org petition calling on the retailer to curb food waste.
A brand of imperfect apples from Washington state, called 'I'm Perfect,' is debuting in five-pound bags in the sunshine state this week, the company writes in a blog post. While severe storms or a string of hot days can damage the exterior finish of fruits, making them off limits for traditional grocers, the texture and flavor doesn't change, the retailer noted.
The apples will eventually be available in 12 varieties from Granny Smith to Red Delicious.
The pilot launched this week follows a test that started in late April in which Walmart began selling a brand of weather-damaged potatoes dubbed "Spuglies" at Texas stores.
And, while Walmart is the biggest retailer to jump on the trend, it's not the first. Giant Eagle is selling imperfect produce in a pilot at stores in the Pittsburgh area, while Whole Foods (WFM) is engaged in a similar move in California.