Bad growing conditions mean funky asparagus spears, and one retailer in the United Kingdom is taking advantage.
Morrisons added curled, misshapen asparagus to its “Wonky Veg” line, and is selling it for £1, which media report says is the cheapest on the market for a 180 gram bag.
The retailer reportedly added the “Wonky Veg” line to “help growers sell the crop.”
“We've stepped in to buy the crop as we wanted to help growers and put this normally luxury ingredient into the hands of shoppers for just a pound,” Morrisons asparagus buyer Michael Weightman told The Grocer.
This isn't the first “ugly” “imperfect” or “misfit” produce item to hit the market lately.
The Packer's Ashley Nickle wrote about ugly produce trends at Viva Fresh in Austin.
Craig Slate, vice president of sales at SunFed, Rio Rico, Ariz., said his company's Almost Famous line is definitely in the spotlight, receiving more interest than expected.
“Too much, honestly,” said Craig Slate, vice president of sales for North America. “It's been great, and it continues to grow. This produce, when you look at it, it still looks pretty dad-gum good.
“It's been well received, the bags make it very fun, whimsical, actually helps hold in humidity and moisture so the produce stays fresher,” Slate said. “It's been great.”
Read the rest of Ashley's story here.