Misfits Market is an online platform that sells fresh and high-quality organic food items at a much lower price than any supermarket or grocery store. Sounds unrealistic, doesn’t it? High-quality goods at a low price, how is that possible? Well, 29-year-old Abhi Ramesh was the man who made this pipe dream come true.
Foods that didn’t make the racks just because they looked a bit different. That’s what Abhi sells at Misfits Market. The products were excluded just because they didn’t reach a certain beauty standard. Abhi, who had graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in finance, started up a few ventures which unfortunately didn’t pan out well before founding it in 2018. “We make fresh, high-quality food more affordable and accessible to everyone while breaking the cycle of food waste.” Say Abhi when asked about his motto.
Misfits Market started as a small-scale start-up in Philadelphia that delivered fresh and organic food items straight to the customer’s home. Being able to deliver fresh and high-quality organic goods at such a low rate became a significant reason for the steady growth of regular and loyal customers for it as well as its expansion into the states of New York and New Jersey.
How was Misfits growth during the initial years of founding?
What started as a 700 square foot storage facility with a fridge in the corner, a few rented trucks to make deliveries and a couple of employees to help pack who Abhi found in Craigslist turned into a 10,000 square foot storage facility, over 1000 permanent employees including drivers and their own delivery trucks. This was the growth that Misfits Market had achieved in only a year from its founding. Misfits Market ships an average of 200 boxes a week to different households in the states. They also expanded their product versatility to include more staples like cereals and snacks, meat and seafood, herbs and spices.
Misfits farsighted vision
In the current times, where anything can be bought online Misfits Market truly proved to have a farsighted vision. During pandemic situation when the whole world went on a standstill not being able to go out when lockdown and social distancing made grocery shopping a more tedious task than just accompanying mom, Misfits Market was one of the few innovations that gave a breather as the people didn’t have to worry about going out to get groceries or if they could get fresh groceries at all.
How is Misfits Market able to give away products at such a low rate?
Produces which were excluded by other retailers due to their appearance are procured by Misfits directly from farmers at a low rate and sold to the customers at a much cheaper rate than stores. Misfits Market helps farmers earn extra money from the produce which would have gone to soil otherwise and also helps consumers have cheap and healthy goods. The other products which are sold through Misfits Market are goods that are close to their shelf dates i.e. have 6 weeks or close to their shelf life left. Making Misfits Market able to give them off at a much lower rate compared to the store.
The utopian empire where high quality does not have to mean a high price.
Being a second-generation immigrant, Abhi says that he believes he has realised his parents’ American dream. He also thanks his parents for the sacrifices they have made for him to stand in such a position today. Overall Abhi has built himself a utopian empire where high quality does not really mean a high price. Misfits Market has saved a lot of good quality products from going into waste without even having the opportunity to leave those farms and has also provided a lot of underprivileged households the opportunity to eat healthier and more high-quality organic goods which otherwise they couldn’t have afforded. Along with helping farmers save their otherwise dead stock of produce. Misfits also help consumers save money, time and fuel
Misfits Market making headlines
- “When families are struggling to find access to fresh food and such food is being discarded, something is wrong with the system” Reported Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- “Misfits Market, at least, seems intent on trying to do things the right way.” Published The Atlantic
- “Misfits Market: Redefining beauty in produce.” Wrote Yahoo Finance
Conclusion
What started with an investment of little more than 150,000 dollars now has been valued to be over a billion dollars by Bloomberg, bringing it into unicorn territory. Abhi comments that he sees growth as only an opportunity to provide more people with Misfits Market services at a lower rate and help more farmers and producers save their products from going to waste. Misfits Market has taken a huge step in rebuilding the beauty standards of produce. Hopefully making people realise a little bruised apple is far better than a shiny wax-coated one.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the misfit market-based?
Pennsauken Township, NJ, US
Is the Misfits market cheaper?
Yes. The cost comes out to be considerably cheaper than how much it would cost to purchase the same products at the grocery store. Purchasing organic produce yields even greater savings.
Is everything on the misfits market organic?
The selection is large and includes more than just produce. You can also shop a wide variety of pantry staples and specialty items. Most of the products sold through Misfits Market are organic and non-GMO. It’s easy to skip deliveries and cancel your subscription online.
