Interested in trying out Imperfect Foods grocery delivery? Check out my honest review, how it works, and what it costs along with an unboxing video where you can see how the products are packaged, as well as how to save $80 on your first 4 orders. (Spoiler - I love it and think you will, too!)
Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
Have you heard of Imperfect Foods?
The last I had heard of them they were known as Imperfect Produce, delivering only produce, and were only available in select larger cities.
Recently, though, I discovered that they have grown into a larger grocery delivery subscription box service and are available in a lot more areas.
But I really got interested when I read that the boxes you get now are customizable - not just the "this is what we have" boxes I had gotten in the past from similar produce deliveries. Even though it was sometimes fun to try new produce, most of the time it was a quite a few things our family just wouldn't eat.
So I grabbed a coupon referral link and visited the website.
Before I ordered, though, I looked around at some of the FAQs to answer some questions I had.
The most important being: did they deliver in my area?
I was happy to see that yes, they did - they are now in 43 states, in fact. (Note: some areas are serviced by FedEx and may have a minimum requirement for each box.)
Other questions answered on the website include how to pick the food in your box, how the food is delivered, pricing, and delivery options.
I was also pleased to read about their mission to eliminate food waste and build a better food system for everyone. And that the prices average 20-30% lower than store bought.
Imperfect Foods Unboxing Video
How to Order From Imperfect Foods Grocery Delivery
I signed up and ordered my first box to test it out.
I do have to say I was a bit confused at first because when you sign up you are required to pick a "starter option." This is a small, medium, large, or extra large box that will be delivered on a weekly or every-other-week schedule as you choose.
You also choose organic or conventional. These things made me think I was only going to get what was listed.
Don't worry, though, you're not locked into anything.
I think there were prices listed at that point, but nothing is charged until your window for customizing your box opens. This happens a few days before your delivery - you will get an email.
And it's at the customization stage, when you can choose to leave what they've chosen for your box, or take it out and add others, that I finally "got" the system.
Here's a screenshot I took of customizing my medium size box:
On the right is where the items for your suggested box are listed and it's easy to just scroll through and remove what you don't want. It doesn't matter that I chose an organic box - I can add any conventional produce I want.
Again, you're not locked into anything, thankfully.
(Wondering why I sometimes choose conventional? To keep my grocery budget down, I use the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" lists, buying organic for the former but choosing conventional for the latter.)
Then you scroll through the items pictured on the left and click the "+" to add to your box. You can choose all produce or both produce and non-produce, it's up to you. So simple, right?
Imperfect Foods Packaging
If you've had a chance to watch the video, you know that I'm most happy with the lack of plastic in packaging.
The box I ordered this time was delivered in two cardboard boxes and the only plastic was around a head of cauliflower, a plastic box for the tomatoes, and the cheese and tortillas.
The only other packaging was a cold ice pack and the silver quilted liner for the cheese.
What to do with the packaging?
Cardboard is never hard for us to recycle, since we're always saving it up to use in the garden, plus most recycling places still take cardboard. But what about the ice pack and lining? You may be able to reuse them for picnics or camping, but you'd only ever need one or two.
Guess what? Most of the time you can return the ice pack and silver packaging!
If your boxes aren't delivered by FedEx, you can leave the packaging out when your next box is delivered and they'll take it away. Isn't that a great option?
Again, there is more on this on the website, but I was really happy to try this out and see that yes, they did just take the packaging I put out on the porch.
Types of Food & Pricing for Imperfect Foods
Pictured above is my entire order that was delivered in the two boxes as I show in the unboxing video.
Keep in mind these are things I chose this time - there were lots of other produce and grocery options I didn't choose, including more fruits, as we already had some.
Here are the produce and non-produce items included with the (Jan. 2020) prices:
- Organic Celery (1 ct) $1.89
- Organic Bell Peppers (1 lb) $3.19
- Organic Carrots (1 lb) $2.18
- Organic Potatoes (1 lb) $1.58
- Organic Apples (3 ct) $1.79
- Organic Parsnips (1 lb) $2.39
- Organic Rainbow Carrot Bunch (1 ct) $2.29
- Organic Grape Tomatoes (1 ct) $3.09
- Organic Romaine Lettuce (1 ct) $2.09
- Organic Beets (1 lb) $1.75
- Conventional Onions (1 lb) $0.65
- Conventional Cauliflower (1 ct) $3.06
- Conventional Turnips (1 ct) $1.89
- Conventional Avocados (3 ct) $1.99
- Imperfect Foods - Sharp White Cheddar Cheese (8 oz) $3.49
- Mi Rancho Organic Flour Tortillas (6 ct) (10.8 oz) 1 $2.49
- Mind Fish Co. Skipjack Tuna with Spring Water (5.6 oz) 1 $1.49
- Imperfect Foods Organic Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips (14 oz) $2.99
Total = $40.29 + $4.99 delivery
Note: in the video I mistakenly say it cost $43, which was actually what our first box was - this one with shipping was $45. But this is just to give you an idea of prices and cost, which I hope you can see are pretty good for delivered-to-your-door food.
Most of the time you can get free shipping with a $60+ order, too.
How does this fit into a tight grocery budget?
I've already gotten this question on YouTube, so I wanted to address it here, too. Our budget isn't as tight now as it used to be when our kids were younger, but I remember what it was like.
I can't answer if this would be right for you with your specific circumstances and the area you live. Some parts of the country can get cheaper produce - if this is you, it's probably not a good fit.
But I do encourage you to at least check out the website and prices, using their $80 off your first 4 orders ($20 each order) promotion to try it and see if it's something that will help you keep your budget down.
I regularly shop at Grocery Outlet and the prices you see listed above are all comparable, even with the delivery fee.
As for me, if it saves me a trip to the store it will save me money because I often buy items I see on sale that aren't on my list (this isn't terrible, but does make the trips more expensive).
I hope to use this service to keep us in produce (which is usually the reason I go to the store) and only shop once a month in a regular grocery and once every other month at Costco.
As you can probably tell, I'm pretty happy with Imperfect Foods and will continue to get boxes every other week from them as we need them.
It's very easy to skip a delivery, though, so you're not even locked into that if you don't need anything.
How to get $80 off your first 4 orders:
Simply CLICK HERE to check out the website and the coupons will be applied to your account once you set it up!
Have you used Imperfect Food Delivery Service? I'd love to know what you think!
*1 Year Update*
We've been getting boxes regularly, and Imperfect Foods continues to deliver through the pandemic and lock downs (was I ever grateful for the deliveries then!). I wanted to address a couple things from the comments:
- Yes, I have gotten 1 - 2 produce items that weren't useable - beets that were too woody, even after cooking and one other I can't remember. I didn't bother contacting them because it's not really a thing they would've been able to tell and I really do want to support the idea of less food waste and shopping responsibly.
- The customer service has been really great the times I've used it (this is in contrast to one of the comments). When I was given less rhubarb than I ordered, I sent in a message on their website and was emailed the next day with a credit to my account.
- The service has gotten really popular because of the pandemic issue and I've learned that the sooner I customize my box the more likely they won't be sold out of some things. I've put a reminder in my phone when my window opens to choose.
- Like I mention in my review, if you can easily find produce and food cheaper in your area, this might not be the service for you - that's okay. I still think it's worth it to try it and see - like any store there are things I'd never pay a certain price for and other things that are decent price. I always add in the convenience of having it delivered and because I'm rural that's good for me.
Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn't change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
Cas says
Very disappointing experience with them. The seafood arrived completely thawed, and they told me it's safe to consume according to FDA. The smoked steelhead is expired two months ago, but they said it's because the package is not updated. Some items have no expiration date/lot number on them, like one mighty mill bagel. Those from whole foods have an expiration date and the package is different, who knows how old they are.
Jacquelyn says
Glad I stopped by here to find my growing dissatisfaction is not just me.
I took to IF as a means to avoid trips to the grocery store, over buying at the grocery store, and occasionally try produce I would otherwise pass on. The first few weeks of IF were great -- I love their skirt steak for fajitas. But a couple weeks ago enough items were missing from my order that I didn't need to cross-check with my order confirmation email to notice. 6 items altogether....and I usually average about 30 items on an order. My papaya was bright orange-yellow, which indicated to me that it was close, if not past its prime. My suspicions were confirmed by the white fuzz growing on the stem.
I expressed my concerns to customer service, who refunded me promptly and gave me the spiel about how sorry they were and that my concerns had been relayed to the appropriate teams. Fast forward to this week and everything is fresher, but again I am missing a couple of items. I can make do without, but c'mon, part of the reason I pay for this service is to avoid making my own trips to the store!
Jami says
Yes, I agree that I often have a couple missing items, too, Jacquelyn, and it is frustrating to have to contact them often. I hope that they will get better about this as time goes on!
Tiffany says
I just ordered mine Monday, arriving Friday. I ordered a lot of meats as I thought they were a reasonable price for pasture raised & grass fed meats. Anyone have issues with meats and eggs?
I’m a little iffy on the produce I bought but my order came to $184 I hope it’s worth it 😭
Jami says
I've really thought the chicken, fish, and beef I've gotten from IF have been good. They are often slightly less than a pound, though -usually 12 oz instead of 16 oz. It's only an issue if using a recipe that calls for a certain amount.
Let us know what you think after your boxes arrive!!
Jacquelyn says
Meats have never been an issue for us. I really like their chicken and some of their skirt steak for fajitas. Did try the grass red ribeyes once and will say they weren't worth it. They were about $3 less per steak than they are at our grocery store, but we definitely compromised quality. And since grilling a steak is something we do but once a month, the extra $6 for better steaks is worth it.
Eggs are always ok too -- just the sizing is all over the place. The carton is probably pressed paper, so sometimes you lose an egg in transit due to the minimal packing of your delivery.
Cas says
Mine was completely thawed. And they told me it's sayfe to consume according to FDA. Never purchase from them again.
Michele says
I was so excited to order from here but that was short lived. Not only was my box missing items (they did refund) but most of the produce was in such bad shape it was either inedible from the start or wilted and rotten in 2 days. So for $20 the only edible products we received were: a small container of raspberries, 2 pears, a lemon and a yes bar. We threw out everything else as it was rotten. And I had to make an extra trip to the grocery store.
Christine Potthast says
Hello Jami,
I am pleased to have found your site and will take my time exploring it. I came across it by searching for review about Imperfect Foods. I have been a customer for a few months now and have decided to close my account with them, not without regret. While I love the idea of reducing food waste and support their business concept, I cannot compromise with their quality any longer.
After reading the reviews on this site, my impression is that the quality of their produce varies greatly locally. So, hopefully, they can resolve the issue locally and improve.
My family lives in Houston, Texas and we do not have any problems with access to grocery stores or long distances. On the contrary, there is a grocery store war going on down here. Also, farmers markets are available, much smaller than what I am used to from Germany but, they are here and they are close.
Having said that, I thought it was worth giving Imperfect Foods a chance because the concept of reducing food waste is important to all of us. My focus with my orders has been on produce as I juice a lot. As others have written on this site, my veggies were often smaller than those at the grocery store but I did not mind that. What I did not like in past deliveries was the fact that broccoli was always 'bendable' when it arrived and overall the veggies never seemed to be quite fresh. - I like your photos. It is great to see the difference as my vegetables have never looked anything like that.
My last delivery on March 31, 21 was the last straw for me. - And please, see below the e-mail that I sent to Imperfect Foods, today. I am describing my complaints in detail:
April 2, 2121
"Dear customer service department,
I was in contact with your customer service yesterday and brought my issue to their attention. The reaction was immediate and friendly. They issued a partial refund of $4.57 and even offered a $10 credit in case I would decide to stay on. Thank you for that.
That is not why I am writing this email, today.
I told your customer service representative that I would be closing my account. I am doing this with disappointment because I wholeheartedly support the idea of saving food that usually will be thrown away. For that reason I embraced your business concept. - However, imperfect needs to be distinguished from rotting.
In the past, my experience has been that the vegetables you deliver are much smaller than grocery foods. That is acceptable as long as the vegetables are fresh. Unfortunately, I have had limb veggies, especially broccoli, in previous deliveries.
In my last delivery from 3/31/21, I found that three of four carrots were mushy at one end, the avocado was as small as a lemon and the apples well, they are always small. Last night, I also noticed that the chard had black and mushy sides on its stems and the cilantro was completely limb with black leaves inside. That was after my contact with you customer service representative. The chard I could still use by cutting away the black sides, and the cilantro I could revive overnight in cold water. This morning, I noticed that the avocado is starting to show green mildew spots and that was frankly too much. - Consider all of this for vegetables that are not exactly inexpensive. - Sad. - I took pictures by the way.
The reason for this email is to alert customer service about the situation and to create a record. A quick live chat does not do that I suppose and my complaint was not complete anyway.
I am hoping that your produce quality will improve in the future as the concept is worth saving.
I for my part will now close my account. Veggies are much fresher at my local farmers market and even Whole Foods and Trader's Joe are much better options at this point.
I wish your company all the best.
Kind Regards
Christine Potthast"
This was my message to Imperfect Foods, today. I thought it might be of interest to add this to your review. While I am not overly picky or critical, I do expect is that my produce is fresh. Hopefully, they can improve their quality down here in Texas.
Thank you for your thorough review. Christine Potthast
Jami says
That is too bad, Christine, but I totally get it. If my produce was anything like that I probably would never have written my review. 🙂
From all the comments I have noticed the difference in local - which is too bad for a country wide company. I can only hope, like you, that they will be able to make their service the same no matter where you live.
Doug Caswell says
Looks like Trader Joe's beats about 90% of these prices.
Susan says
There were many things not available when we ordered. The apples were very bruised. The snack mix was very small and expensive. Why if if was going to be discarded? They chose dark chocolate covered nuts and it was too much chocolate. We didn't get a full box either order and gave up. Delivery was sketchy at best, but that may have been FedEx.
Sherri says
I live in Minnesota as well and although some of my items are smaller than I thought they would be, this is a great way to try foods not readily available in our stores all year due to our temperature/ and high prices. My husband and myself both work and when we r not working , we are running our kids around and my IF box safes time we just do not have much of.
Jami says
Thank you for adding your thoughts!
Jenelle says
I am a huge IP fan. I've been using them in Minnesota for over a year now and it just keeps getting better. I eat like a queen now. They are great with communication. Always respond to email, always text when my order is in the way and delivered.
There has been some sloppy packing of boxes but what people have to realize us this is more like a CSA than regular grocery delivery. Yes items end up sold out after I place my order sometimes, but they always notify me in advance via email. Whoever packs my boxes throws in tons of freebies. Once I got four loaves of Dave's bread for free, along with three fresh mozzarella balls and two heads of cabbage. If it's something I can't use, I give it away.
Their packaged products are amazingly curated. The bakery goods are over the top amazing. They have croissant toast from La Boulangerie in SF and this cinnamon bread that comes totally drizzled in icing. Their upcycled oat pulp cookies are the bomb too.
Yes, sometimes I have to sort the spring greens and cut around bruises. Every now and then there's a bad avocado. But you learn what's good and what isn't and as a single person I'm always letting stuff go bad and picking around anyway. If you're expecting perfect, don't buy Imperfect. The tradeoff is less food waste and a better environment. But maybe pretty peaches are more important to you.
I could never afford another grocery delivery service around here, much less all the high quality organics I get with IP. I am a customer for life!
Jami says
I'm so glad you left this review, Jenelle!! I think the reviews here are the case with many of this type - the people who are happy don't bother leaving a review, so they seem skewed. 🙂
My experience is like yours - I'm actually amazed at the condition of our "imperfect" produce. Most of the time it sure seems perfect and if not, it's mainly bigger or smaller sizes than in stores. But that just reminds me of what my vegetables look like when I'm harvesting from my garden! Occasionally there's a spot (like I mention in the video), but it's easy to cut around.
And totally agree that they've upped their game with the non-produce offerings! Fancy butter, deli meat, and that toast you mention - yum!!
It's not for everyone, like anything really, but I do encourage people to at least try a box to see. Plus, it's like Christmas opening the boxes each week. 🙂
Jewels says
I live in NYC, in the hood. These prices are a joke. I can buy from the corner market, buy produce that looks the same, AND support a local small business (arent you crunchy white women all about that?) . Plus they do no contact delivery (=
I got my first and last box today, that was 50 dollars of destroyed (literally broken into pieces) produce that was supposed to be enough for 2 people for a week. It was enough for 2,perhaps 3 meals. And I'm bout that controlled portion size. 👌🏽 My tofu was disgusting and had obv been frozen and thawed and was inedible, onions moldy, and 3 teeny tiny apples that were the cost of a pound of the same apple strain. I'm not sure what silver spoon you were born with in your mouth, but this ain't it, sis. This most certainly ain't it.
Jami says
I'm glad you have access to such good produce for reasonable prices, Jewels.
I can only say that on the other side of the country, the IF delivery, service, and produce are working for me. I have never gotten a moldy onion, my apples are usually always the size I show in the video, and the produce isn't all "broken," which you can also see in the video.
It works for me, so I think it's worth trying, but I know it won't work for everyone.
Amanda Foote says
Why do you come in so ready to be rude to a stranger? Completely and unnecessarily rude for her just giving and honest review of her thoughts.
Asjah says
I had some similarly experiences with Imperfect Foods. I'm in Boston, Ma. I did also notice that the fruit and veg was priced the exact same as my local Market Basket so I really wasn't at an advantage buying from them. And I agree, the portions are very small. I couldn't get many meals out of them at all. I think it's the idea of 'doing a good deed' of some that is what's really resonating with everyone.
Andy says
I live in a food desert neighborhood which for me means no grocery stores without a 30 minutes bus ride or local shops a neighborhood over that delivers. Being high risk, Imperfect helped us avoid leaving the house during the pandemic without using Amazon/Whole Foods (because as Seattle residents, we see their impact firsthand.
It sounds like I might be lucky I've had such success with Imperfect for the past year. I think I had a super soft lemon once, and they gave me the wrong coffee one time, but overall it's been super good. The fish is much cheaper and better quality than what I could normally buy around me, which is funny because living in the heart of west coast salmon fishing still doesn't make it as affordable as what I get in my box.
Jami says
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! That's mine, too, as another West Coaster. 🙂
Mae says
What are crunchy white women? HA! I'm rolling.
I love your review... I had a very similar experience, down to the odd tofu and damaged/broken pieces. I was trying to explain to customer service about the tofu and I wish I would have thought to say it was frozen and thawed... I truly was at a loss of what had happened to it, but that makes sense to me now.
xx
Molly Perry says
I just got my first (and last) box today. They just left the box on the porch and did not ring the bell or knock so even though my husband was home, he didn't know a box of food was sitting outside. When he opened it, everything was just thrown inside. The cold foods were in a bag that was open and the almond milk was half out and produce was sitting in the bag next to the chicken. I live in the Sacramento area and most of the prices are MUCH higher than I pay at the store. I will be cancelling my subscription. I really thought it would be awesome to help fight food waste and save some money, sadly this is not to be.
Georgia says
The meat, fish, and produce prices are much higher than what we pay in Dallas. The salmon smelled bad and tasted worse; clearly it was not fresh. I am trying to cancel UNSUCCESSFULLY. They keep sending me unwanted food. Very unhappy.
Marianne says
I like the fact that you use very little plastic.
Jami says
Yes.
lillian leone says
how many potatoes in 1 lb you received. I did not see too many of them in your box.
Jami says
That video was awhile ago - in my last order, I got 5 smallish-medium and one large yukon gold potatoes and when I weighed them they were a little over 1 pound.
Lil W. says
This may seem a bit paranoid, but I always wonder if the unwrapped, sticker-free loose produce I order is indeed the higher-priced organic version that I selected (usually the options are side-by-side, conventional being cheaper). What's to stop them from throwing in the conventional? Ethics, I hope! Just a thought.
Kittie says
I have been getting imperfect foods weekly for nearly a year. Customer service is great but I get really tired of contacting them nearly every week. I’m not sure who is packing my boxes but they are imperfect. Not sure if they are just super stoned or what exactly. I will see if you’ve had any experience like this? My foods are packed in The Seattle area.
Jami says
Yes, I do have issues with getting everything that I've ordered. Not every week, but maybe a couple times a month? I do contact them and they've been very responsive. But I'm like you - I wonder why it's not getting better? They'd certainly have less customer service to deal with if they could get the boxes packed correctly every week, lol!
Bill says
I see no bargains here. I'm a savvy shopper and none of these prices are that good. Do a little coupon cutting get off the couch and price shop. You'll be glad you did. Your paying for convenience and being lazy.³
Mara says
It’s not called or branded as “Bargain Foods”. Just because you have extra free time to cut coupons doesn’t mean that everyone does. Regardless of your particular situation, some of us work strenuous hours making it hard to sit around clipping coupons, others are housebound and can’t get to the store. For many, it IS about the convenience and mitigating food waste so it works for them.
Janis deDebrant says
Where do you people shop???? This prices are higher than I have ever paid in Southern California Ever!!!
Jami says
You are lucky - SoCal is the heart of the produce basket for the US and you're benefitting from your proximity.:)
Vera says
I live in Massachusetts and the prices here, including at Whole Foods, are even cheaper than Imperfect Foods and the quality is better.
Jami says
Good to know.
Jenelle says
I live 😜 n Minnesota and the prices are better than the grocery store. I pay for organic what I'd normally pay for conventional at the store.
EmAlabama says
I think it's important to mention that for the many families (like mine) who are struggling through this pandemic, Imperfect Foods has the option to send you a survey of eligibility if you are receiving SNAP/EBT/other subsidized food benefits. Though it is illegal through the USDA for online grocery companies to accept these as forms of payment, they have generously offered 33% off every order for qualifying families. This is my first time ordering a box, but I find their mission and values somethingI can surely get behind.
Jami says
I'm so glad to know that - thanks so much for letting us know!
Tiffany says
Wish they delivered to my ZIP code in South Florida
Jami says
Hopefully they will soon, I know they are expanding!
Gail Dickinson says
I’ve been ordering from them for a few months, their fish is very good. The produce is often good but packing is terrible and it is not unusual to have blackberries or grape tomatoes strewn around the box. I decided to try a veggie spaghetti with pesto dish and it arrived with the top off. Chips have come with the bag split open from weight on top. So you have to be very careful what you order. Misfits packs their produce better.
Jami says
Yes, I have had loaves of bread flattened and bags of chip shards, lol. But overall it's not bad - I know they're trying to fit the most in each box.
Simone says
I posted this on another "review" as well. People should know what they are getting into prior to signing up, but thankfully, there's no "contract" and can cancel at any time.
I have been a customer of Imperfect Foods now for about three months. While I love the convenience of the service and I think the leafy green produce I receive is better than most of what I can find in a store, twice now, my order was not correct and there’s no way to really get a hold of customer service other than email. Also, the produce is apparently “thrown” into the box because when I receive it, it looks exactly like that: I don’t get bundles of carrots, they are strewn all over the box. Same with anything else that is loose such as onions, shallots, potatoes, apples, etc. (leafy greens are bundled with rubber band or twist-tie).
Twice now when I didn’t receive my full order, I contacted Imperfect immediately. I’ve received an email stating that someone will get in contact with me within 24 hours and this last time (missing many items from my order), it was a lot longer than 24 hours before the matter started to get resolved; there was no initial contact within 24 hours.
Also, the week of Thanksgiving, I was told that I would be getting my delivery on Monday rather than Tuesday, just to find out at the end of day on Monday, there was no delivery, no text or email to tell me that it was delayed to Tuesday.
I enjoy this service but maybe because it is so new, there are still many glitches. I cannot depend on the company to get my order right, so I cannot accurately meal plan with their system of “maybe you will get what you ordered” delivery, lack of communication, and inability to correct the order quickly (in other words, get me what I ordered rather than giving me a money credit).
As far as saving money, don’t think I am saving anything other than a high delivery fee. I find that I pay the same for the “imperfect” food that I would at a grocery store and sometimes, such as with certain meat items (and cheeses), Imperfect Foods is higher than the grocery store.
Asjah says
Thanks for posting this. MY THOUGHTS/EXPERIENCES EXACTLY.
Molly says
While I love the idea and like the way the Imperfect Foods works, I am disappointed nearly every week by items missing from my order. I send an email nearly each time letting them know of the error and asking why it happens nearly each week. Oftentimes there is an item or two I did not order. Is this someone's idea of offering a replacement? It's not a replacement, I don't offer my thanks for it, and it's not what I ordered. Why do I keep ordering? I don't want to go into the grocery store and I like this better than ordering delivery from a conventional grocer. That part is definitely my own issue and so I will soon give up on the far from perfect service of Imperfect Foods.
Sydney Bowers says
I have been using Imperfect foods for about 4 months now. I must say that I agree with you that it a great service, but, I have had a few problems. I had some vegetables sent with no ice so they were extremely wilted. They have sent wrong items (that's how I discovered romanesco - I had ordered cilantro), and left out items. I had something that said keep frozen until use, and it came with no ice and was completely thawed out. They were very good about crediting my account for the wrong items, spoiled items, and the items I was not sent. The produce is not consistent, but overall, I do recommend the service.
Jami says
Thanks for your input, Sydney!
Anne Margaret says
Hi. We have been IF subscribers for a few months. We get a delivery every other week. We LOVE them! Our experience has been, well Perfect. We have had one bad item from them, but it got damaged in shipping. Of course some of the fruit is bruised, hence the reason it is Imperfect. We have had some cool shaped veggies. We have no complaints.
Customer service has been great too.
We also get a box from Misfit Markets. We have had a lot more bad quality produce from them.
Just FYI, we get our delivery through FedEx. We do have a minimum, which just went up, as did our delivery fee. It is still worth it though. With two family members who are in the high risk group for severe complications from the virus, getting in groceries is life saving convenience. We go grocery shopping once a month, get in our IF and Misfit, get a few meals from Dinnerly every month and get one monthly grocery delivery for milk and other necessities. (The grocery delivery fee and tip are $25 total, so a lot more than IF's delivery fee.) Other than doctor's appointments, we don't leave the house except that one grocery run. IF has allowed us to have fresh produce all of the time. We are on a tight budget. We get so much from IF, we save money.
We love IF and highly recommend them.
Jami says
Thank you so much for this review of IF that is like my experience! As you can see, it's mostly people who aren't happy who are leaving comments, so it's nice to have some balance.
I do think it would be good for people to try it if they're interested and see what their experience is - it could be like you and me. 🙂
charles says
First I just accidentally ran across this imperfect food article by sheer accident. Any way I have been ordering since may, and recommended by daughter. As far as mostly unhappy people posting? What would you expect when not getting what they expected. Any way when more neg reviews over positive, something is going on.when you opened your two boxes I was amazamazed to see the recondition of the contents.I have in 6 months never opened a box as in that good of condition. I have learned not to order such as tomatoes, lettuce, grapes,bell peppers, raspberries, blueberries even strawberries. ACTUALLY any item that I was not going to consume very quickly. The packing is poor at best. Imperfect should not mean unusable or for immediate use.I under stand food waist etc but I deserve usable products ugly produce no problem, just not stale produce. I do not purchase chicken or fish, I would question the condition of such items. I still use imperfect food service, but out of 5 stars 2 1/2 and that's my experience. When I want higher quality I go to whole foods or a similar quality market.
Jami says
Thanks for your viewpoint and experience, Charles. That's interesting about the produce - where do you live? I'm wondering if that's the issue with such a diversity in quality (ours is still very good - I order lettuce almost every week now that our garden is done and it's lovely).
charles says
Charles, from Mckinney tx, i watched your unboxing again very close, and it still amazed me. Your box contents are very close to what i order ( i only purchase organic). and i try to purchase from US farms/markets, i realize much of the produce is coming from mexico due to season. I was raised on about 500 acres in the great state of Oklahoma, we grew every thing fruits and vegetables, cane for sorgum mill. cattle, pigs , chickens. i know a little about no waist. So when i get products that actually have mold or slime i question Imperfect's food waist statement. I'm not in the habit of throwing out food. raspberries in the little clamshell package that was just MUSH. Enough neg's i am pleased other's are getting what the have paid for. as far as responding back to Imperfect foods, i have politely notified on occasion, and have yet to receive a return call. E-mails sure. And again i will continue to use Imperfect foods they have other products i desire. But when it is produce? I just know what and what not to purchase. And let me say shipping via FEDX may be some of the problem. Have a good day and thank you for returning to me.
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Marianne says
I had been contemplating signing up, but never did. Actually reading this post was what prompted me to just go ahead and try it. After I signed up I then started to read the comments. I became really worried. Nothing had shipped yet so I could have cancelled then and there, but decided to just give it a shot. I'm glad I did. I received my first box today and I wanted to add my experience so far since I've noticed that it seems like the comments contain a lot of negative reviews.
I ordered around 27 items. Of the 27, only 1 of them was not available. I was told I wouldn't be charged, but I'm waiting to see that that actually reflects correctly on my CC statement. If there is a discrepancy, I'll reach out and go from there.
I saw someone mention that maybe food quality is regional, and I'm thinking that very well might be the case. All of my produce was ripe or at least ripe. Nothing was spoiled. The meat was either cold or a tad on the frozen side. I even got almond milk that was cold and seems perfectly fine. So far I am pleased with my box. Hopefully future orders are just as nice. I'm cautiously optimistic.
Jami says
Thank you so much, Marianne, for taking the time to leave your positive experience! You are right, it's people upset who tend to leave comments (as with everything, and I get that they are frustrated).
But I stand by my review all these months later - I have had only a handful of things not be good in all that time and most of the items I pick are delivered. Every once in awhile there will be a substitution.
And I know many people locally who use the service and love it like I do - they just don't leave comments. 🙂
Marzia Martignoni says
Hi, my name is marzia and am from West Virginia. The service is terrible, missing items, botched produce, rough packaging. They just increased all the fees. Bummer. Will cancel the subscription asap.
Katie says
I joined nearly a year ago and have seen this company nosedive. Sad because I love the concept. They’ve blamed everything from an influx of customers due to increased marketing to expansion to Covid. It started with inaccurate deliveries and underweight produce then progressed to missed deliveries for weeks at a time and suddenly no more refunds but rather credits for their mistakes and now an unannounced shipping increase and minimum order for free shipping increased from $45 to $65. Their customer service went from stellar to mediocre at best and prices are ridiculous. I might as well shop at Whole Foods or Dean and DeLuca. And their emails made me shake my head. The arrogance behind their email when I canceled for the first time was mind blowing. Along the lines of not crying or missing me. Funny, you begged me to come back with credits that I hadn’t used. Congratulations! I came back for a week used my credits and experienced even worse service. There’s no chance I’m ever coming back and I am so horrified by your bad business practices that I was driven to write this review. I will continue to spread the word on how bad this service is and they’ll either fix it or go out of business. I genuinely hope they fix it but no matter what, I am done. There is no winning me back.
Jami says
Well, this is just a comment section on my site where I reviewed my experience with Imperfect Foods, so I doubt anyone from IF is reading this. 🙂
I haven't experienced this and continue to get service from them that I expect from a company like this, so I stand by my review. Sorry to hear yours has been different.
Katie says
Hi Jamie,
I’m not concerned with anyone at IF seeing my review. Frankly, they don’t care based on their continued horrible customer service. My point in commenting is so people are aware of what many others are experiencing. While you may stand by your review and continue to push your affiliate link, the truth is that I am not the only one experiencing less than stellar service from this company. Just look at the comments. And in fact you have in your own comments acknowledged issues, “happens all the time” so you “blast customer service” but have said they were addressed so I guess that makes it ok in your book. Well I don’t have the time to constantly be addressing these issues and by your own admittance, it’s not only their food but their service that is imperfect and frankly by extension so is your blog as you don’t address these issues other than to defend the flailing company in the comments.
Heather says
Thank you I was considering using this service but your review saved me from a big mistake.
Molly says
I recently tried Imperfect foods... I was not impressed. Ordering and delivery was great. Not too expensive either. I was so excited... then I received my order. The produce (fruit)was not ripened, the fish was of low quality, my carrots were slimy. I was so hoping it would be a home run 🙁
Yvonne says
It is a rip off. I tried it for a couple months. They notify you that your order has been changed and instead of crediting your order for items unavailable, they substitute items with much less valuable items at best but, most of the time it was just deleted and my account was never credited. They owe me about $40+. I would never sign up again.
Marzia Martignoni says
That happens to me all the time. So, I just take pics as soon as I open the box, then blast their customer service chat line.
Caroline says
I take pictures of damages or substituted items every week and email them to let them know what is missing/wrong. Their customer service has been great about crediting me back for what is wrong- but at what point is it still not worth it? Every week at least one this is damaged beyond use because their packaging (while ecological) doesn’t protect the produce at all. If I don’t double and triple check the box, I’m losing money left and right. Planning to cancel after I (hopefully) get my refund for this weeks missing items.
Marzia Martignoni says
Hi Caroline. I actually unsubscribed after all. I was so mad bc at the beginning I was excited at the idea of having stuff that otherwise would be out of the big distribution. Tempted to try misfits but who knows?
Elia Carreno says
Terrible service. Totally disappointed. In my first box they didn’t deliver any of the products requested. On top of that from all the produce they sent I had to throw away more than half. The pears and mangos were spiked already. The cauliflower was too. Celery was soft already. Really bad quality! I requested food for 5-6 people and they sent me a little ouch with 2 chicken thighs, and that was all the meat sent! It is a FRAUD! Stay away! I really wanted to like it because of the concept, but it is not worth my time or money!
Jami says
Gosh, I think the service must vary from area to area - which is too bad, really. I have had the best service with only a few pieces of produce not edible after 7 months and just a few wrong items which I was credited for. I still love the service.
Meher Syed says
If you wouldn't mind sharing, what area did you order to?
DJ says
Felt like a total scam. They forced me to sign up all the way to giving my credit card and creating a subscription and I hadn't even had a chance to see what they offer or what foods I could choose to order! Talk about putting the cart before the horse. All of a sudden I had a delivery date and they had my credit card and I hadn't a clue what food was going to be delivered or how to make any choices! I promptly canceled and will not be doing business with this place in the future. I should have stopped the process when they asked for my credit card before giving me a chance to even order what foods I wanted!
Jami says
Well, from my understanding that's how most subscription sites work - there isn't another way to get into the cart to see what's there. That's why I tried to show in this article the types of foods offered and what the shopping looks like. Once you go in to customize your box, you can remove anything they added (based on your initial options of box size, etc.) and add whatever you like so you know exactly what you're getting.
DJ says
Not how any of my subscription sites work, including other food delivery services. Other sites you can browse the foods to have the knowledge required to make a decision on whether you should subscribe! This place expects to sign up and pay on blind faith and it's ridiculous. A big reason why it has dismal reviews on trust pilot. I need to know in advance what foods are available to me before I sign up and pay for weekly deliveries.
John says
Your experience is mine too. Such a scam and the produce that came, which I didn’t order isn’t “imperfect”, it’s awful. Avocados are trash and priced like gold. Got a whole bunch of trash apples and the smallest hardest lemons I’ve ever seen. This company is a scam. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR CC INFO!
Joyce BUONFIGLIO says
Just got my first box today. Of the 17 items on my order, I only received 4! I was charged for everything, so I have contacted them, of course. This has been the worst experience I've had with any of the "shipped to the home" food companies I've ordered from, and I think I've tried just about all of them. Most of the 4 items that actually arrived were pretty ragged. I would advise anyone who gets a link and a coupon to try Imperfect Foods, to just delete or trash it.
Jami says
Gosh, that's really too bad and if that had been my experience I'd feel the same as you do!
However, I've been ordering from them for 9 months now and nothing like that has ever happened. I've had a few missing items that they needed to refund me for, but that's it.
Joyce BUONFIGLIO says
I was so disappointed. I was hoping for a really good experience, as I found the concept to be very inviting. At best, they can't seem to be consistent across the areas they serve. At worst, they just cannot get their act together. I think the reason folks are leaving bad reviews after yours, is that those of us who were so appalled at the service that we Googled for reviews, could not let people think that your experience was typical. Sorry.
MarkE says
We’ve been doing this for over a year now and the quality/freshness has really fallen off. For instance last week the pack of blackberries were full of mold, the cucumbers had a coat of slime and the raspberries were well... let’s just say THE clump of leaky red fruit in the raspberry box was uneatable.
We’ve had an issue with how the pack the box at least once a month for the past 6 months, broken cucumbers, carrots and missing items...
The customer service was decent until they started accusing us of not being honest about missing items... “because we’re the only ones with that complaint” well needless to say it was easy to call their bluff because I provided pictures of the smashed fruits, broken slimy cucumbers, blueberries spilled all over the box and random items that we didn’t order.
They didn’t like being called out for it. What is amazing is we didn’t ask for anything or demand any kind of refund/replacement. We just thought they would like to know they’ve got a quality control issue that is getting worse.
Also quality of food has changed (about 6-8 months ago) we were getting really decent salmon that we liked and then all of a sudden it changed to really thin stinky “Atlantic” salmon (from Norway) it’s very different farm raised “junk” cuts.
I think that since we joined with a special price they’ve decided to just treat us like crap to either get rid of loss leader or just see how long they can get away with it.
We’re done with them and I would recommend the fruit and veggie box from new seasons over this bait and switch
Jami says
Thank for sharing your experience - sorry it's not as good as it had been for you. We're still very pleased with the food and service 9 months in - although I've never gotten berries as we've been eating our own.
Marlene says
I only received one order and cancelled. The fruits and veggies looked like they were ready for the trash. Nothing was fresh except 2 ears of corn on the cob. Apples, nectarines, green peppers, and potatoes all had bad spots. At least at the store I can reject them. We bought the medium for 2 of us and it would have been great if the quality was there. I guess, I learned my lesson the hard way.
Jami says
Wow, that hasn't been my experience at all, as you can see from the photos and video - sure sorry that's been yours.
Julie says
My first box was a similar experience. I paid more for everything per pound, topping it off with a $5.99 delivery fee. While it was a nice convenience, it didn't impress me enough to keep overpaying for mediocre produce.
Jules Jenkins says
Question then comment.
I’m only one person can I order small amounts for just a one person family?
Comment: I really appreciate your review. I’ve tried other food services and find them Packaging heavy & that bothers me, if if it’s recyclable. There’s No recycling anywhere near my rural Tx area, sadly.
Imperfections don’t bother me, waste does and that’s why I asked about smaller amounts for just a single person. I’m also on a very tight budget which is why the other companies didn’t work for me.
Thanks so much for the review. I’m gonna use the $10 coupon on a first order. 👍
Jami says
Yes, Jules, you can pick a small box - but that's only a suggestion as when you customize you can add or delete so you get only what you need and think you'll use! Plus, there are a lot of things that aren't perishable (like canned tomatoes or beans) that can be added, too.
Also, you can choose to get a delivery every other week, giving you two weeks to use it up. 🙂
I do hope this works for you better than the others you've tried! While I might be able to save a few cents on similar products at the store, not going to the store saves me money because I always buy more than what's on my list, lol.
Christine Billings says
I just cancelled my Imperfect Foods subscription because the fruit that I have been getting is disgusting. I received it on my front step and immediately opened it. It was still very cold from coming out of the cooler. I got a rotten nectarine, along with fruit that is so scarred the penetrated by bugs and sharp objects that I won't eat it. I tried them for three months and it went from marginal to non-edible for any of the pieces. I'm done! I wonder if it depends on where you live. I live in Southern California where we should have beautiful fruit, but this last delivery was the straw that broke the camel's back!
Jami says
Bummer, Christine. Yeah, I wonder if it depends on that, too. I've had only a few off pieces in the 7 months I've been with them, though nothing to make me want to cancel. Most of the produce is lovely.
Michelle says
I started ordering through imperfect in April because of two things: trying to reduce the number of grocery trips and fresh fruit and veggies were becoming scarce in my area. The stores would put it out and it became a race to get the food. I’ve ordered every week since April. So, roughly 20 boxes. I’m a massive fan! Their customer service is top notch. I had blackberries spill one time, credit within 24 hours. And I just had to message them. As far as cost goes, for my area, it’s cut my grocery bill in half. I also will only buy my chicken from them now as well. It’s delicious and healthy BUT the main factor was that I was tired of cutting off almost a pound of fat from the chicken I’d by at my grocery store. Imperfect’s chicken has minimal amounts that I cut off. I’ve ordered so many different things from them..purple cauliflower (kids loved it! We can’t get it locally), FLOUR(another sold out item locally) we’ve tried new things, got our usual favorite items..I honestly can’t say enough about Imperfect. Our first order did take about 3 weeks to process, BUT I signed up right at the beginning of quarantine. This doesn’t mean it was sitting for 3 weeks. The order was packed the morning it was delivered. My order is always delivered by an Imperfect delivery person, who always wears a mask!
Jami says
I so appreciate you leaving this good review, Michelle!! Seems like it's only the people who have a problem who leave a comment. 🙂
I'm with you - the few things we haven't gotten or that weren't good have been taken care of right away.
And while I probably can get some of the things cheaper in a store, I save money because I'm not GOING to a store where I always overbuy anyway, lol. And I LOVE not having to shop as much!
Mike Simmons says
Thanks for the video, but It looks like your promotional link is no longer working... And a single box , all regular food So none of it expensive organic, now costs $55 plus shipping so 60 total. I guess I'll just keep on going to grocery outlet. I guess they somehow got popular enough to raise the prices.I mean it's only been 6 months since this video.
Good luck all.
Jami says
Thanks for letting me know the link wasn't working - I've updated it so if you do decide to try it, you'll get the $10 off your first box.
As far as the pricing, I'm not sure what you mean - maybe that was an example? You start with a size of box, but you can take things out or add when you customize and all the prices are on the right as in my screenshot. It is a little confusing that they have you start with a size when you can basically build whatever you want. And you can remove anything they've automatically added as well. You have choices for conventional and organic - you choose everything in your box. The site and choosing is all still the same as I've written here.
Hope that clarifies it for you!
Stacey L Parish says
I was excited to get my box but unfortunately I never received it. I saw the disclaimer that boxes may take up to 2 days longer to deliver. Well, after 4 days I contacted the company and there was no record of it ever being shipped. They said they would refund my $68.00 and it would take up to 10 business days to credit to my account. It's been a month and I still haven't gotten my credit. Very disappointing.
Jami says
That is disappointing, Stacey! Keep calling about that credit, though - in my experience the customer service is good and they will fix it.
David Wolf says
We really wanted Imperfect Foods to work for us, but unfortunately, they have not yet mastered delivery logistics. The first order arrived 3.5 days after it left the plant, which meant that all of the meat and fish was warm and unusable. I'm not sure how that contributes to the mission of reducing food waste, since we had to throw it out. Our second order, this week, also arrived late, rendering the meat unusable. But worse, it was the wrong meat--in fact, aside from the produce, the order was completely wrong and was missing all of the meat/pasta/cheese we ordered. Needless to say, we will not be using Imperfect Foods again. To their credit, customer service was quick and response, and I was promptly credited for the spoiled items. For a similar service and better shipping logistics, I recommend Misfits Market.
Jami says
I'm bummed to know this, David, but also surprised, because in the 6 months I've been ordering, delivery has been like clockwork. Which probably means it's area-specific, so your take that they don't have delivery mastered is probably correct.
I've only had one item in all that time be wrong, too.
Well, not everything is good for everyone - I appreciate you're leaving your experience, as well as how they credited you.
Catherine Powell says
I've been ordering from Imperfect for about six weeks, and I am very happy with both the food and the customer service. Thanks for this article, Jami. I'm in Oregon too and look forward to following this site.
Jami says
Welcome, Catherine! I'm so glad you're following. 🙂
Thank you for your input - I think what the company is trying to do is a good thing, so even when I got some woody, inedible beets in the last box, it didn't bother me. It's kind of like a garden - you win some, you lose some, but the overall picture is good!
DavidaRochelle says
AVOID these scammers at all costs. They demand you give your credit card info before they give you a price list. IMPOSSIBLE to cancel. They won't stop harassing me with constant texts and emails. They IGNORE all customer service emails sent.
Waited on hold for 1 1/2 hours after they emailed me the WRONG delivery date. REFUSED request to CANCEL.
Though I never placed an order I was woken up by repeated texts claiming my food delivering was on its way. WTF? They even accessed my gate code which is a MAJOR PROBLEM with our gate security company.
HELP. My credit card co requires over an hour wait on hold to cancel. HELP.
DavidaRochelle says
They're also way, way over-priced. A LOT more expensive than Whole Foods delivery.
Jami says
That's not my experience with prices at Whole Foods, but it could be the area we live in. Like I said in the review, I think their prices are decent, and even cheaper for some of the produce.
Jami says
Wow, I'm sorry you've had this issue with them, that has not been my experience at all. They are by no means scammers - I know many, many people getting quality food delivered and love them. I would keep trying their customer service, it's a chaotic time for them with the Pandemic.
J-me says
I'm thinking of signing up with them. Just out of curiosity-why do you think they are scammers?
Sunny Winters says
Seriously?Who calls customer service anymore?Just email them or chat. Of course you're gonna be waiting hours to get somebody on the phone. How do you think This kind of company saves moneySame thing with your credit card Just go to your bank website and you can deny just about any kind of charge with the click of a mouse.
It really sounds like you're not the type of person who should be buying things on the internet. I use the service and have never had anything slightly bad happen.
Thanks for The video!It was very informative even for someone who already knows about it.
Jami says
Glad you found it helpful, Sunny!
Jerry Davis says
This is a good article that covers the brand promise Imperfect Foods is striving for. As was mentioned by the author, your experience will vary based on where you are. I liked what I saw from this relatively young company and they earned a lot of goodwill from me during the start of the Corona virus outbreak. But...
I've been with Imperfect Foods for 6 months in the Austin, TX area and just decided to cancel. I started out with a delivery every week, dropped to every two weeks, and the stopped altogether. The biggest factor in my decision was the inaccuracies between orders and delivery. I had no problem getting a box on time. It's just what was in the box didn't match the order and I was short by about $20 each time. I had to carefully check each delivery, contact the company for a refund for items not delivered, and then verify that each refund was processed. That all became too much work. I'm OK with some substitutions but I couldn't plan a meal with Imperfect Foods. It was like delivery people in the warehouse were just throwing whatever was laying around in a box and shipping it. If I ordered the cornish hens, I got veggie patties instead. If I ordered chicken breasts I got hot dogs instead. But I would also get a box of egg noodles I didn't order to go with the other box of egg noodles I didn't order from last week. I ordered six lemons and 4 were bad so I couldn't make the sauce I wanted to make for the pork that was missing entirely from my order. It's impossible to keep a pantry stocked with the right stuff for the meals you want to make because you really don't know what you are going to get. Customer service was helpful in getting my bill adjusted, and they promised to do better, but after 20 weeks all the customer goodwill was exhausted. The friend that referred me to Imperfect Foods had already quit. We did two more orders and decided it was too much work. HEB Grocery, Sprouts Grocery, most of the brands fronted by Instacart, and even WalMart have figured out how to execute a stock pull and home delivery better than Imperfect Foods in my area. I've been testing those for 6 weeks with no issues. So I'm just going to go with them.
Jami says
That's fair, though sorry that's been your experience, as it hasn't been mine.
I think since January I've had to contact them only 3 times for items that weren't included and they credited my account. I've only gotten items I didn't order a couple times, but I haven't been charged for them so didn't bother letting them know.
Rachel C. says
I've been getting weekly deliveries from Imperfect for the past year or so. I absolutely love it! There customer service is fantastic as well. I have received some very tired produce on a few occasions and broken eggs once. I emailed them immediately and they credited my account for the spoiled items plus a few extra $$ off my next box.
Jami says
Oh, that's so good to know, Rachel! I was thinking that maybe in the warmer months some of the veggies might not be so great, so it's great that they take care of that, too.