For generations, supermarkets have been molding our expectations about the appearance of fruit and vegetables—ever noticed how meticulously uniform those red peppers look? Cucumbers are always straight, aren’t they? Onions shouldn’t exceed the size of a cricket ball, and tomatoes, well, they ought to be as round as possible. Yet none of this aligns with nature’s variety.
Shockingly, we discard around 40% of all food produced annually, with a significant portion being fruits and veggies deemed too unsightly for supermarket shelves. But here’s the kicker: a YouGov survey discovered that a whopping 77% of consumers would gladly purchase and consume these unconventional items.
Enter Oddbox, a champion for the unorthodox produce, taking a stand against waste, unnecessary packaging, redundant air miles, and limited shopping lists, all while offering equitable support to farmers. Signing up is straightforward—visit their registration site, choose from fruits, vegetables, or an assortment of both, and decide between weekly or biweekly deliveries, reports the Mirror. Starting at £11.99, your box is delivered overnight to ensure freshness.
Oddbox isn’t just challenging misconceptions; they’re publicly confronting absurd beauty standards for veggies through their ‘Not as odd’ campaign—keep an eye out for it during your London Underground journey. “The food system is broken, and supermarkets are part of the problem,” declared Gastón Tourn, Chief Growth Officer at Oddbox.
“With this campaign, we’re showing that wonky produce isn’t odd -what’s truly odd is a system that values perfection over sustainability and which leaves hardworking growers out of pocket.”
“At Oddbox, we’re led by growers, the seasons and what’s available. We have a no air-miles policy and pay growers fairly – always. And we take fruit and veg in all shapes and sizes, exactly as nature intended. From bendy-but-delicious asparagus to hail-scarred, juicy apples, we’ve seen it all – and that’s exactly what our community loves about us.”
With over 18,000 customer reviews on Trustpilot, averaging 4.5 out of 5, it’s clear that the innovators at Oddbox have hit upon something that shoppers can truly support. “Just brilliant! An inexpensive delivery of a box of fruit weekly on a Wednesday night” said one five-star review.
“I never thought I’d enjoy eating fruit so much instead of calorie-filled biscuits and chocolate or cakes! It’s really helping my diet, and the staff at Oddbox are really friendly and helpful.”
“Thought I’d try this out after getting a voucher from my parents, and I’ve never turned back! ” said another satisfied convert. “Been able to plan my meals better and actually eat healthier! Opening the door to a surprise box every Friday is just lovely!”
One five-star review enthused: “I have had three Oddboxes so far, and they all have been excellent. What’s not to love? There’s the ability to swap vegetables, efficient deliveries, good quality produce, and ensuring I become more adventurous in cooking again. I cannot find fault at the moment.”
However, some customers did report issues with the freshness: “Obviously, the fruit and vegetables are less than perfect but sometimes the vegetables aren’t fresh and can be withered, which I don’t think is very good, especially as the cost isn’t that cheap.”
It’s worth noting that freshness can also be a problem at supermarkets. Others pointed out that shopping locally might be more economical: “It’s a lot of money for less produce than you can buy in your local market. The good side is that the box is delivered, at an extra cost, so you don’t need to carry heavy bags.”
For those seeking alternatives, Lidl offers a £1.50 Waste Not box filled with about 5kg of food that would otherwise be discarded, while Abel and Cole provide a similar service to Oddbox, currently offering 50% off the first month.
But, if the philosophy of Oddbox resonates with you, they might just be the right (wonky) choice.