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Press release

Oddly appealing: Delhaize rescues 25 tons of ‘funky’ strawberries

August 1, 2018 – Up to 25 tons of fresh Belgian strawberries have been rescued since the sales launch in mid-June of “funky” or “crazy” strawberries, the latest products in the range of misshapen or odd-looking fruits and vegetables that have been seasonally available in all Delhaize stores for four years with great success. 

While these produce misfits do not have a standard size or appearance, they offer the same freshness and quality as conventional fruits and vegetables yet at a slightly lower price. Delhaize thus helps its growers to sell larger volumes of products while meeting rising customer demand. 

The strawberries follow the arrival earlier this season of unusual-looking apples and pears. So far, Delhaize has saved about 50,000 trays of strawberries – approximately 25 tons – with the goal to rescue 90 tons this year. 

Delhaize began offering a variety of misshapen fruits and vegetables in 2015 and subsequently has sold more than 530 tons of produce that would otherwise never have reached customers’ kitchens. 

The brand, which wants to reduce food waste by 50% by 2020, was the first supermarket operator in Belgium to provide the new produce option. Delhaize additionally donates a substantial amount of unsold fresh products each year, including the equivalent of 3.9 million meals in 2017 to food banks and other charitable organizations.