Imperfect Foods
Imperfect Foods is a direct-to-consumer grocery delivery subscription service that sells imperfect, surplus, and near-expiration food items at discounts, serving environmentally conscious U.S. consumers nationwide. It operates as a subsidiary of Misfits Market following a 2022 acquisition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Imperfect Foods does
Imperfect Foods, Inc. is a direct-to-consumer grocery delivery subscription service that sources imperfect-appearance, surplus, near-best-by-date, and excess-inventory food from farmers and producers, then delivers these items to U.S. consumers at discounts reportedly ranging from 11% to 56% off retail. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon, the company operates an e-commerce platform accessible via web and mobile applications (iOS and Android), with over 1,000 SKUs spanning produce, meat, seafood, dairy, bakery, snacks, pantry, deli, wine, coffee, and tea. The company's core offering is a Grocery Subscription with pre-populated carts at $35-$45+ per order, complemented by a Flex Plan for manual ordering, an Imperfect+ premium membership, a Misfits Perks loyalty points program, a referral program, gift cards, and a Wine & Alcohol delivery service. The company does not operate physical retail storefronts or third-party reseller networks, instead relying on nationwide direct delivery with geographic exclusions in 10 states.
The business model is built on a cost advantage derived from sourcing food that would otherwise be wasted — a supply stream that enables gross margins exceeding 40%, roughly double traditional supermarket margins of around 20%. Distribution leverages over 500,000 square feet of combined distribution space following the late-2022 all-stock acquisition by Misfits Market, Inc., under which Imperfect Foods now operates as a subsidiary while retaining its brand and B Corp certification (achieved 2021). The company has rescued over 145 million pounds of food since founding and operates the only nationwide grocery delivery service offering a free Packaging Return Program, having collected over 10 million pounds of plastic packaging for reuse and recycling. Imperfect Foods has set a net-zero carbon target by 2030, a decade ahead of major retailers.
Go-to-market is product-led and subscription-centric: a free signup quiz, pre-populated weekly carts, skip/cancel-anytime flexibility, and a referral program ($10 credit for both referrer and new customer) drive low-friction acquisition and retention. Marketing is multi-channel — blog content, organic social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest), email/SMS, app stores, and significant earned media coverage (Bloomberg, NYT, CNBC, The New Yorker, GMA, TechCrunch). Customer segments are horizontally segmented, targeting environmentally conscious consumers, individual/household grocery shoppers, and budget-conscious shoppers who accept imperfect appearance in exchange for savings.
Imperfect Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Imperfect Foods
- Legal name
- Imperfect Foods, Inc.
- Website
- https://imperfectfoods.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Imperfect Foods is a direct-to-consumer grocery delivery subscription service that sells imperfect, surplus, and near-expiration food items at discounts, serving environmentally conscious U.S. consumers nationwide. It operates as a subsidiary of Misfits Market following a 2022 acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Imperfect Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Grocery Delivery
- NAICS
- All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)
- SIC
- Retail-Food Stores (5400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail (CRAHAHAG)
Keywords
Where Imperfect Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Imperfect Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Grocery Subscription (Grocery Plan): Core subscription service where customers receive pre-populated carts with imperfect produce, pantry items, and other groceries. Customers can customize their orders and have items delivered weekly or bi-weekly. Revenue is generated through recurring order charges based on plan ranges ($35-$45+ per order) plus applicable taxes, shipping fees, and operational fees.
- Flex Plan: Flexible shopping option for customers who have cancelled their Grocery Subscription or are new customers. Customers manually build their cart during shopping windows with no auto-population. Revenue is generated per transaction when customers meet order minimums.
- Imperfect+ Membership: Premium membership program offering exclusive benefits such as free or discounted shipping. Billed on a recurring basis with automatic renewal at the start of each billing cycle. Includes free trial and promotional subscription options.
- Cold-Pack Orders: Separate minimum requirements ($30) for perishable products requiring refrigerated packaging. Additional Cold-Pack Fee may apply for orders below the minimum threshold.
- Referral Program: Customers earn referral credits ($10) when new customers use their referral code and place qualifying orders. New customers receive $10 discount on their first order.
- Gift Cards: Gift cards sold in denominations between $10 and $250. Purchasers receive a unique code to forward to recipients who can add the balance to their account.
- Discount/Financial Incentive Programs: Various discount programs in exchange for personal information (email, phone) including promotional offers and loyalty benefits.
- Misfits Perks Loyalty Program: Loyalty points program automatically enrolled upon account creation. Customers earn points on purchases (2 points per $1 for Grocery Subscription, 1 point per $1 for Flex Plan) and redeem for perks including grocery items and order discounts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Grocery Subscription with customizable plan ranges |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Flex Plan for manual shopping |
| Subscription | Monthly | Imperfect+ Premium Membership |
| Unit Pricing | Per order | Cold-Pack Orders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Imperfect Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Imperfect Foods is a subscription-based online grocery delivery service that sources cosmetically imperfect, surplus, and "ugly" produce, along with pantry and grocery staples, directly from farmers and producers, then packs and ships these items to consumers' homes at prices typically below conventional grocery retail. The platform allows customers to customize weekly boxes and recurring orders while supporting the company's mission of reducing food waste.
Product overview
Imperfect Foods operates as a grocery delivery subscription service focused on reducing food waste by selling imperfect, surplus, and near-best-by-date food items at discounted prices. The core offering consists of the Grocery Subscription service, where customers receive weekly deliveries of 1,000+ items (produce, meat, seafood, dairy, bakery, snacks, pantry, deli, wine, coffee & tea). The company complements this with the Flex Plan for manual ordering, Imperfect+ premium membership for enhanced benefits, Misfits Perks loyalty program for points-based rewards, a Referral Program for customer acquisition, Gift Cards for gifting, Wine & Alcohol delivery through licensed third-party partners, and a Packaging Return Program for sustainability. The company was acquired by Misfits Market in late 2022.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Imperfect Foods Subscription Box A customizable weekly or recurring subscription grocery box of cosmetically imperfect and surplus produce, pantry staples, and grocery items shipped directly to U.S. households at prices below conventional grocery retail. Targeted at sustainability- and value-conscious household shoppers.
- Imperfect Foods Online Grocery Store The Imperfect Foods e-commerce website and mobile app, where customers can shop individual produce, pantry, and grocery items on a one-time or recurring basis, supplementing the subscription box with add-on products.
- Imperfect Foods Mobile App iOS and Android mobile applications that allow customers to manage recurring subscriptions, customize weekly grocery boxes, browse the assortment of imperfect and surplus produce and grocery items, and place orders from Imperfect Foods.
- Reusable Packaging Return Program A packaging return and reverse logistics service allowing customers to return reusable delivery packaging from Imperfect Foods shipments, which the company collects and reuses to reduce single-use packaging waste in its grocery delivery operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 139 million lbs of food saved by customers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Imperfect Foods
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Imperfect Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Imperfect Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Misfits MarketcoreMisfits Market acquired Imperfect Foods in late 2022 through an all-stock transaction. Imperfect Foods became part of the Misfits Market family of companies, with shared infrastructure including over 500,000 square feet of distribution space. Both brands continue operating while benefiting from combined operations, logistics, and customer base.
- GoPuffminorFollowing the acquisition of Imperfect Foods and expansion of distribution infrastructure, Misfits Market (including Imperfect Foods) began offering fulfillment services for third-party brands including GoPuff, enabling high-margin fulfillment revenue.
- Covilli Brand ProduceminorCovilli Brand Produce is highlighted as a farming partner working with Imperfect Foods to creatively prevent waste and make family farming more sustainable by purchasing imperfect produce that would otherwise go unsold.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Imperfect Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Misfits Market: Direct-to-consumer grocery subscription service rescuing imperfect and surplus food at discounted prices. Now the parent company of Imperfect Foods following the late-2022 all-stock acquisition, operating an identical model with overlapping product categories and shared distribution infrastructure.
- Hungry Harvest: Subscription-based produce delivery service that sources 'ugly' and surplus produce from farmers and delivers to households on the East Coast. Closest pure-play peer with the same imperfect-produce subscription model, similar value proposition, and overlapping target customer (conscious consumers).
- Farmbox Direct: Subscription produce delivery service focused on organic and seasonal produce from small US farms. Directly comparable DTC subscription model with emphasis on sustainable sourcing, though smaller in scale and with narrower geographic coverage than Imperfect Foods.
- Daily Harvest: DTC subscription food brand offering pre-portioned, plant-based frozen smoothies, bowls, and snacks delivered nationwide. Comparable on DTC subscription mechanics, recurring revenue model, and mission-driven branding, though narrower product range and frozen-only focus.
- HelloFresh: Largest global DTC meal kit subscription company with US operations. Comparable on subscription-driven home food delivery model, though focused on recipes + pre-portioned ingredients rather than surplus grocery rescue. Closest public-market comparable for the subscription economics.
- Blue Apron: DTC meal kit subscription company delivering pre-portioned recipes and ingredients to households. Comparable subscription cadence, customer onboarding mechanics (preference quiz), and skip/cancel flexibility, though product offering is meal kits rather than grocery subscriptions.
- Sun Basket: DTC meal kit and prepared meal delivery service with subscription model. Comparable on subscription-driven home food delivery and emphasis on sustainable/healthy positioning, though product is recipe-based kits rather than surplus grocery rescue.
- Thistle: DTC plant-based meal subscription service delivering chef-prepared, ready-to-eat meals nationwide. Comparable on subscription model, mission-driven branding (sustainable food systems), and direct-to-consumer home delivery, though narrower geographic coverage.
Broad incumbents
- FreshDirect: Established online grocer delivering fresh groceries to customers in major US metros (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Washington DC). Comparable product categories and DTC grocery delivery model, but operates as a broader grocery retailer rather than surplus/imperfect-produce specialist.
- Amazon Fresh: Amazon's online grocery delivery service offering broad assortment including perishables with Prime membership benefits. Largest direct competitive threat via scale, free delivery economics, and national reach into all 50 states where Imperfect Foods is restricted.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Imperfect Foods social profiles
Digital presenceImperfect Foods compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Imperfect Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Imperfect Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Imperfect Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors18 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Imperfect Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Imperfect Foods
What does Imperfect Foods do?
Imperfect Foods is a subscription-based online grocery delivery service that sources cosmetically imperfect, surplus, and "ugly" produce, along with pantry and grocery staples, directly from farmers and producers, then packs and ships these items to consumers' homes at prices typically below conventional grocery retail. The platform allows customers to customize weekly boxes and recurring orders while supporting the company's mission of reducing food waste.
Is Imperfect Foods a public or private company?
Imperfect Foods is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Imperfect Foods founded?
Imperfect Foods was founded in 2015. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Imperfect Foods based?
Imperfect Foods is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Imperfect Foods make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Grocery Subscription (Grocery Plan) is the primary driver. The others are flex Plan, imperfect+ Membership, cold-Pack Orders, referral Program, gift Cards, discount/Financial Incentive Programs and misfits Perks Loyalty Program.
Who are Imperfect Foods's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Misfits Market, Hungry Harvest, Farmbox Direct, Daily Harvest, HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Sun Basket and Thistle. Broad incumbents are FreshDirect and Amazon Fresh.
Does Imperfect Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Imperfect Foods.
What industry is Imperfect Foods in?
Imperfect Foods's product category is Online Grocery Delivery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHAHAG, Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail. Its NAICS code is 445298 and its SIC code is 5400.