The staggering amount of food waste we produce prompted Richard Turino to launch Australia’s first fresh food delivery service of rescued fruit and vegetables. Kim Berry writes. This article was first published in Food & Drink Business May 2021.
Good & Fugly is intent on rescuing wonky, quirky, and misshapen fruit and vegetables from adding to Australia’s food waste statistics. As it stands, up to a quarter of produce grown in Australia is not even leaving the farm.
Founder Richard Tourino said the cosmetic standards of supermarkets were sending perfectly good food to landfill.
“Thirty per cent of all the world’s farmland is used to produce wasted food. Good & Fugly is on a mission to make saving the planet affordable, convenient, and delicious. We’re going to give those imperfect fugly fruits and veggies a chance,” Tourino says.
The start-up is offering a small or large box home delivered for $39 and $59 respectively, including delivery. The small box feeds around two people for up to five days while the big box will feed up to five.
Deliveries are currently available in Sydney, with plans to go nationwide.
“We want Good & Fugly to be a nationwide offering, we can see the waste issue and we know consumers are keen to make a positive impact by jumping on board the fugly revolution. We’re also encouraging farmers to get in touch with us so their quirky, misshaped produce doesn’t go to waste,” says Tourino.
NSW Circular CEO Lisa McLean says it is encouraging to see initiatives like Good & Fugly unlock new produce markets and in doing so reduce waste and carbon emissions.
“Most people would not know that a quarter of fruit and veggie produce never leaves the farm simply because it is considered ‘ugly’. It tastes great and people want to eat it, but this narrow view of quality food is contributing to unnecessary and significant wastage.
“In fact, three per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions come from organic waste,” McLean says.
Tourino hopes Good & Fugly will help more people realise that the fruit and veg might look quirky, but its nutritional value and taste is perfect.
