The $2 Billion “Ugly Fruit” Empire
But I could have called this story “REthink What You Think You Know” 👇
Back in 2018, in the US.
Abhi Ramesh is out apple picking with some friends.
One of those fun, fall experiences 🍎
And while doing so, he notices something:
TONS of apples on the ground.
❌ NOT ROTTEN.
Just a little misshapen, or some spots.
Curious, he asks the farmer:
“What are you gonna do with all these?”
The farmer replied 🧑🌾:
“Well, Supermarkets don’t buy ugly fruit.
It doesn’t sell. The market doesn’t want them.”
So, WHAT happens to them?
“We store them for a while.
Try to sell some at the farmers market.
The rest? Composted, to the pigs, or tossed.”
And THAT’s when Abhi has his epiphany💡
→ If this much waste is happening on one small farm…
→ What’s happening at thousands of others?
So, what does Abhi do?
He approaches local organic farms with AN OFFER:
“I’ll buy all your UGLY produce.
The stuff NO ONE wants.
But at a serious discount.”
Soon, his studio is filled with weird-looking apples, mutant eggplants, and knobby carrots.
THEN HE:
→ Built a Shopify pre-order page.
→ Spent a few bucks on basic branding.
→ Invested $1.000 in ADs.
He started selling “Mystery Boxes,” filled with ORGANIC ugly produce.
The promise?
→ 40% cheaper prices than traditional stores.
→ Delivered straight to your doorsteps.
AND IT TAKES OFF 💸💸💸
People LOVE the concept.
It’s cheaper. It’s super original.
And they feel like they’re doing something GOOD.
Within 2 years, 80.000+ customers were buying this “waste” from Misfits Market.
⏩ Fast-Forward to today:
Abhi runs a business worth $2 BILLION.
All from flipping “trash” into “treasure.”
And “disrupting” the way we value food.
👉 So… did he get lucky?
I don’t think so.
Abhi’s story reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
“The task is not so much to see what no one has yet seen,
but to think what nobody has yet thought
about that which EVERYBODY SEES.”
—A. Schopenhauer
In other words, Abhi’s story is a lesson about assumptions, blind spots, and overlooked opportunities.
✅ TRUE INSIGHT often come from RETHINKING the familiar,
❌ NOT from chasing something entirely new.
So, go out there. Start rethinking.
To your success,
Gaetan Portaels
P.S: I know some critics say calling it “ugly food” is just marketing. Maybe it is…
But even if that’s true, it shows the power of strategic positioning, storytelling, and a good spin.
Original publication date — April 17, 2025 (HERE)