Watershed Case Studies IoT in Action: Misfits Market's Climate Action through Food Waste Reduction

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	IoT in Action: Misfits Market's Climate Action through Food Waste Reduction Watershed

IoT in Action: Misfits Market's Climate Action through Food Waste Reduction

Watershed

Technology Category	Cybersecurity & Privacy - Intrusion Detection
Applicable Industries	Agriculture Packaging
Applicable Functions	Procurement
Use Cases	Agriculture Disease & Pest Management Predictive Waste Reduction
Challenge	Misfits Market, an online grocer, is committed to making high-quality food more affordable and reducing food waste. The company is aware that 35% of food produced in the United States is wasted, contributing to a carbon footprint larger than that of the global airline industry. The challenge lies in sourcing and selling products that align with Misfits Market’s mission to reduce climate impact. This includes buying 'off specification' produce that is rejected by standard grocers for cosmetic reasons, such as size or discoloration, and selling products that are at risk of not finding a home due to reasons like nearing their expiration date or misprinted packaging. The company also aims to source products that promote better food systems, such as items with upcycled ingredients or those produced using regenerative agriculture. Read More
About Customer	Misfits Market's customers are environmentally conscious individuals who are interested in putting their dollars toward better outcomes for the environment. However, they often struggle to navigate the food industry and its many different standards. Misfits Market helps these customers by purchasing items that would otherwise be wasted at a lower cost from suppliers, and passing that cost savings onto the customers. The company also curates a selection of items that customers can trust are having a positive impact on the climate, and educates them about the carbon emissions or water savings associated with the items they offer. Read More
Solution	Misfits Market has developed a strategy to reduce food waste and emissions associated with it by creating a market for 'off specification' produce. The company works directly with farmers to buy this produce, which is often rejected by standard grocers for cosmetic reasons. Beyond produce, Misfits Market also focuses on offering products that lead to better outcomes, including packaged goods that are at risk of not finding a home due to reasons such as being too close to their expiration date or misprinted packaging. The company also sources products that promote better food systems, such as items with upcycled ingredients or items produced using regenerative agriculture. Additionally, Misfits Market invests time in optimizing its last mile routing and minimizing packaging to further reduce its environmental impact. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Intrusion Detection

Applicable Industries

Agriculture

Packaging

Applicable Functions

Procurement

Use Cases

Agriculture Disease & Pest Management

Predictive Waste Reduction

Challenge

Misfits Market, an online grocer, is committed to making high-quality food more affordable and reducing food waste. The company is aware that 35% of food produced in the United States is wasted, contributing to a carbon footprint larger than that of the global airline industry. The challenge lies in sourcing and selling products that align with Misfits Market’s mission to reduce climate impact. This includes buying 'off specification' produce that is rejected by standard grocers for cosmetic reasons, such as size or discoloration, and selling products that are at risk of not finding a home due to reasons like nearing their expiration date or misprinted packaging. The company also aims to source products that promote better food systems, such as items with upcycled ingredients or those produced using regenerative agriculture.

About Customer

Misfits Market's customers are environmentally conscious individuals who are interested in putting their dollars toward better outcomes for the environment. However, they often struggle to navigate the food industry and its many different standards. Misfits Market helps these customers by purchasing items that would otherwise be wasted at a lower cost from suppliers, and passing that cost savings onto the customers. The company also curates a selection of items that customers can trust are having a positive impact on the climate, and educates them about the carbon emissions or water savings associated with the items they offer.

Solution

Misfits Market has developed a strategy to reduce food waste and emissions associated with it by creating a market for 'off specification' produce. The company works directly with farmers to buy this produce, which is often rejected by standard grocers for cosmetic reasons. Beyond produce, Misfits Market also focuses on offering products that lead to better outcomes, including packaged goods that are at risk of not finding a home due to reasons such as being too close to their expiration date or misprinted packaging. The company also sources products that promote better food systems, such as items with upcycled ingredients or items produced using regenerative agriculture. Additionally, Misfits Market invests time in optimizing its last mile routing and minimizing packaging to further reduce its environmental impact.

Impact #1	Misfits Market's approach to reducing food waste and promoting better food systems has not only benefited the environment but also the business itself. Prioritizing climate action has proven to be good business for Misfits Market, as it aligns with the values of their customers and allows the company to offer products at a lower cost. The company's work has also helped farmers grow their businesses by creating a market for off specification produce, giving them a higher degree of confidence that their extra crop will find a home. Furthermore, Misfits Market's commitment to educating customers about the environmental impact of their purchases has helped motivate customer behavior and build trust.

Impact #1

Misfits Market's approach to reducing food waste and promoting better food systems has not only benefited the environment but also the business itself. Prioritizing climate action has proven to be good business for Misfits Market, as it aligns with the values of their customers and allows the company to offer products at a lower cost. The company's work has also helped farmers grow their businesses by creating a market for off specification produce, giving them a higher degree of confidence that their extra crop will find a home. Furthermore, Misfits Market's commitment to educating customers about the environmental impact of their purchases has helped motivate customer behavior and build trust.

Benefit #1	Misfits Market has helped Lakeside Organics, one of the largest organic farms in the United States, expand its crop by about 20%.
Benefit #2	The company has set a target for how many millions of pounds of food they want to save in a given year.
Benefit #3	Misfits Market purchases items that would otherwise be wasted at a lower cost from suppliers, and passes that cost savings onto the customers.

Benefit #1

Misfits Market has helped Lakeside Organics, one of the largest organic farms in the United States, expand its crop by about 20%.

Benefit #2

The company has set a target for how many millions of pounds of food they want to save in a given year.

Benefit #3

Misfits Market purchases items that would otherwise be wasted at a lower cost from suppliers, and passes that cost savings onto the customers.

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Overview

IoT in Action: Misfits Market's Climate Action through Food Waste Reduction

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit