What's Happening in Olivette, MO…

A startup grocery business delivering “ugly produce” is now open in Olivette.

Imperfect Produce, which is based in San Francisco, opened a location in Dielman Industrial Park recently. The company's goal is to reduce the amount of food wasted in the nation by inviting people to subscribe to its service. Once they join, the company delivers “ugly produce” and other foods that would otherwise go to waste. Subscriptions are $12 at the basic level. The company was founded to help the produce—20 billion pounds per year—that are currently wasted to go to consumers instead.

Company officials say the new location will have eight employees to begin with, and will add more as it grows. Flyer printing can be used to spread the word about new businesses like this.

Imperfect currently has locations in over 20 markets throughout the country, and plans to expand into a minimum of 40 new cities before the year's end. The company was founded in 2015, and since then, with the help of Kevin Durant of the NBA, an early investor, has raised $47 million.

The company's website says that it aims to show how beautiful imperfections can be, in a world where perfection is valued. So-called “ugly produce” is vegetables and fruit that may be misshapen or have other flaws that most customers don't like, but is perfectly fine for consumption.