[LINK] "Imperfect groceries can make perfect sense for budget shoppers, Loblaws program bets"

[rfmcdonald]

CBC shares the Canadian Press' report about this entirely laudable program. Needless food waste is best avoided.

Ugly food can mean a pretty profit.

At least, that's the bet Loblaws is making with its ugly duckling line of produce aimed at shoppers looking to save money on the sky-rocketing cost of fresh food.

The company launched its Naturally Imperfect line last March, offering ugly apples and potatoes to Ontario and Quebec shoppers as part of a trial run that later expanded to select stores in other provinces.

More types of cheaper, but blemished and misshapen, produce will soon be available across the country, the company announced Wednesday.

"It really went well above and beyond what our expectation was," said Dan Branson, the company's senior director of produce.

"I think it really spoke to the fact that Canadians are out there really looking for some options."