Roll up, roll up. The Odd Shop is open.
Oddbox might have started out with an odd-looking tomato in a Portuguese market, but it’s come a long way since then. While rescuing “too odd” and “too many” fruit and veg is still at the core of our food-waste-fighting mission, we’re looking at what else we can rescue to make a bigger difference in the fight against food waste – beyond apples and spuds.
Food waste is a huge issue, and not just when it comes to fruit and veg. It’s estimated that as much as 40% of all food produced globally goes to waste, and that, in the UK, 1.5 million tonnes of food is wasted at the manufacturing part of the supply chain (that’s before it gets into shops). And we want to help change that, too.
That’s why we’re now looking at how to help fight food waste beyond fruit and veg. Over the past year, you’ve rescued tonnes of tasty extras from our add-ons store. From Montezuma’s wonky chocolate, to short-shelf-life oat milk and limited-edition sweets, we’ve teamed up with other brands to rescue their items that help fight waste in one way or another. But now we want to go a step further, and bring you even more of the waste-fighting product you’ve been loving.
A BIT ABOUT THE ODD SHOP
That’s why we’ve opened up The Odd Shop. You’ll still be able to add your fruit and veg add-ons from our fresh add-ons store. A bit like a marketplace, in The Odd Shop, you’ll be able to pick up extras to go alongside your fruit and veg order – tasty snacks and kitchen essentials included.
Some things might be made with ingredients that could have gone to waste, others might have too short a shelf life for some retailers, and others might be in old or misprinted packaging. We’ll team up with brands to rescue things for all sorts of reasons, and we’ll always tell you why their product is at risk of going to waste.
Unlike your standard supermarket, what’s available in The Odd Shop will change every week. Just like our fruit and veg boxes, it all depends on what needs rescuing. Oat milk or cereal? Sauces or sourdough? Chocolate or coffee? It wouldn’t be Oddbox without a surprise, now would it.
The idea is that everything in The Odd Shop helps make a difference in the fight against food waste – whether that’s because it’s at risk of going to waste itself, or because it helps make the most of what’s in your box.
These waste-fighting picks will usually be sold at a bit of a discount to their usual RRP, which makes them even more tasty. And there’ll even be the odd freebie every now and again, so keep your eyes peeled for those.
HOW WILL IT WORK?
The Odd Shop is different to our usual add-ons store where you pick your fruit and veg extras. All of these items will arrive in a different box or bag to your main subscription. This means you can add as much as you like, without having to worry about your fruit and veg getting squished. But it’ll still arrive overnight alongside your other box.
It’s open on a trial basis to begin with – just to give us a taste of how you like it. And, at first, it’ll only be open to customers in certain areas – this is all down to logistics and keeping everything fresh for you.
Want to see what it’s all about? Log in to your account to take a look around The Odd Shop. We’d love to know what you think.
