Misfits Market, the online food retailer that specializes in organic, sustainably sourced food items that might otherwise go unsold, has launched its first private label product line with a handful of shelf stable products under the Odds & Ends brand.
The products in the line, which include ground and whole bean coffee, nuts, dried fruits, and pretzels, have been developed with a focus on sustainable sourcing, a spokesperson for the company told SFA News Daily.
The Delanco, New Jersey-based company said it is working directly with farmers and producers to reduce inefficiencies and minimize waste for the products in the Odds & Ends line. For example, Misfits Market’s direct trade premium coffee blend consists of beans that typically wouldn’t have a direct path to market because of their lot size and other factors, and would otherwise be sold using differential pricing that could result in losses for growers. Instead, Misfits Market pays fixed, stable prices that help insulate growers from market volatility, the company said.
“As Misfits Market’s private label expands, the company will continue to look at different ways to deliver quality at a value, whether that means sourcing products from lesser-known regions, upcycling uneven or misshapen foods into new products or blends, or working with producers to use more creative and sustainable practices and packaging,” the Misfits Markets spokesperson said.
Odds & Ends launched with a couple varieties of 12-ounce packages of coffee priced at around $7.99 to $9.99. Dried fruits include 14-ounce packages of organic dried cranberries and organic dried Turkish apricots, both priced at $6.99, and 6-ounce packages of organic dried mango slices at $6.79. Nuts include organic almonds, walnuts, cashews, and mixed nuts, priced at $7.99 for 12 ounces of raw walnut halves and pieces to $10.99 for 16-ounce packages of raw almonds. A 7-ounce package of dark chocolate-covered mini-pretzels is priced at $3.99.
The new private label line follows Misfits Markets’ expansion into some new categories like wine, its launch of a mobile app, and the expansion of its geographic footprint to all of the lower 48 states across the country.
Although the company is known for rescuing “ugly” produce that has imperfections, it has expanded its range to include a variety of shelf stable and dairy products that vary based on availability.
One of Misfits Foods’ primary competitors, Imperfect Foods, has also been focused on growing its private label program. The company’s Imperfect Foods line includes items such as blemished almonds, dried fruit strings, and other snack foods, including chocolate-covered pretzels, coffee from undersized or misshapen coffee beans, olive oil from olives impacted by frost, along with a variety of sustainably sourced meats and dairy products. Last year Imperfect Foods added several health and beauty care items, including facial oil, body butter, and shampoo.
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