Source: WRAL, 1/30/18

A produce box that earned the attention of an investor on the reality show “Shark Tank” has launched in the Triangle. Hungry Harvest takes produce that is rejected by grocery stores and provides the food via its delivery service. An estimated 20 percent of produce delivered to grocery stores is rejected for various reasons – too big, too small, odd shaped, unattractive, there is already a large supply of the product at the store, etc. The produce is fine to eat, but would normally just be thrown away. That is where Hungry Harvest comes in. The company has deals with grocers to get the rejected produce. CEO Evan Lutz came up with the idea when he was a senior at the University of Maryland. After hearing a lecture from a local farmer about surplus produce, Lutz decided to purchase the food at a discounted rate and see if he could sell it in his dorm’s basement. The makeshift farmer’s market caught on.

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