Why I’m “Breaking Up” with Imperfect Foods (Food Delivery Services and Safety)
I love that I live in a time when food can just arrive on my doorstep. What a gift! It’s making that lazy life I spoke of yesterday so much more attainable. š But really, as a mom of five kids (ten and up!), we go through a lot of food. Grocery shopping usually feels like a giant task to me. By the end of the trip, the cart feels heavy, and then I have to put it all in the car? And bring it in the house? Then put it all away? And cook it? It’s tiring, for sure!
I first heard of and signed up for Imperfect Foods, which was previously called Imperfect Produce, in October 2018. At first, I weighed all of the food to make sure I was actually getting good prices. I keep track of food costs on a pretty detailed spreadsheet. The first three or four orders were good deals or at least comparable to grocery store prices, give or take a bit. I stopped weighing the food and just kept ordering after that.
I kept my Imperfect Produce deliveries coming either weekly or twice per month from October 2018 through the end of August, 2019. I stopped the service just as we were listing our home for sale and preparing for a giant, cross-country move. Over that time, I spent over $2,000 on Imperfect Produce, an average of a little less than $200 per month. I even had a separate budget category for Imperfect Produce in YNAB and sometimes “stole” from other categories just to get more veggies. š I really liked the service and enjoyed the products. I should mention, at that time, we were living in Oregon.
We moved to central Virginia at the end of January, 2020. By February, I signed up again! They had changed their name to Imperfect Foods and were now carrying decent quality meat. Delightful! I was excited to start up again. How soon could I get my first box?! I increased my Imperfect Foods budget to account for the addition of meat.
My First Order Was Okay
I’m like a giddy little kid when I get fresh produce at the farmer’s market or when it’s delivered to my doorstep. It’s seriously like Christmas for me. I think vegetables are beautiful! I opened my box with utter joy. I didn’t anything alarming with the very first delivery we got in Virginia, so I happily ordered again. The next one was disappointing. And then the next one…And the next one. Here is a photo of the box I received on February 26, 2020:
Here are the problems I see with this order:
- Only one pack of turkey is sitting on the ice, the other is next to it, but not touching any ice.
- Both packs of turkey were completely defrosted, with no ice crystals, and were of a questionable temperature. I ended up throwing it away.
- There is no insulation in this box, anywhere.
- Vegetables and fruits that are traditionally eaten raw are sitting directly on top of or next to raw meat packaging. In fact, blueberries had spilled and landed on top of a raw turkey package. Eww.
After the previous order, an employee from Imperfect Foods had texted me to make sure my big order looked good. I still had that phone number, so I sent a picture of this box and mentioned my concerns. The employee responded:
“Oh no!” I’m truly sorry about that. Normally the meats are packaged in an insulated bag.”
They gave me a full refund for the box and said they they were forwarding the issue to their packing team. I wished they could rush out a quick replacement order, because I wasn’t able to use foods I had counted on in my menu plan. I didn’t ask for that, and they didn’t offer…
I Hoped It Would Be Better the Next Time…
Again, the meat was not on the ice pack. There was insulation, but not an insulated bag. There was nothing separating the vegetables and fruits from the produce. The meat was at questionable temperatures, with no ice crystals. I sent a text again, and got no response. Later that day, I got an email response.
“To do our best to prevent this in the future, I flagged your next several boxes for double-checks. This means our pack team will check your box one last time before delivery to help ensure the quality is great and the quantity is right on. Want to give your boxes some extra care.”
Sounds good that they would choose to double check my boxes, but what about the other customers? Was this practice going to continue? The next paragraph made me wonder…
“While our meat is packaged and sealed, everything should be fine to consume unless the meat has been leaking. We ask all customers to always watch their produce regardless, since it does come straight from the Earth. If you ever have meat leaking, please provide a photo because this is crucial feedback for our growth.”
Emphasis added by me–because this is the part that concerns me. As someone who took microbiology courses under a food inspector–and as a human who generally cares about food safety, it sounded like maybe this one employee didn’t quite understand how contamination worked or how dirty meat packaging actually is. In fact, one of the packs of pork chops did leak, but that is beside the point. Meat should not be next to veggies, period.
But, my next boxes would be double checked–there’s no way the company as a whole would think this practice of putting meat next to veggies is okay, right?! They gave me a partial refund in the form of store credits for this order.
I Ordered Again…
I made a big order. I seriously thought that this might help the packing crew–maybe they would put the meats in a separate box…I had such a positive experience with Imperfect Produce in Oregon, I thought, they’ve got to get this right! I hoped they would figure it out. As I waited for my box to arrive, I got the following mixed messages from Imperfect Foods, in email correspondence:
“Most of our proteins are vacuum-sealed which makes their shelf life longer — all information regarding shelf life is either provided in the item description during your shopping window or is printed on the label.”
I’m not sure why this makes the following practices okay:
- Shipping meat in a box where it is nowhere near the single ice pack.
- Shipping raw meat packages next to vegetables and fruits with no protective barrier.
Another point in the same email said:
“I want you to know that I’ve passed along your experience and concerns to Director of Food/Warehouse Safety and we’ve addressed it with the packing center in your area as the proteins are supposed to be in a separate insulated liner, no different than you packaging your own groceries at the store, as you mentioned.”
And,
“I’m confident it’s been addressed and won’t be an issue that you’ll have to encounter going forward.“
I had less confidence than this Imperfect employee, but still hoped…
My Last Box from Imperfect Foods:
March 24, I received my last order from Imperfect Foods. I won’t be ordering any more. To be fair, making that large order did help, for some of the produce. I received two boxes this time–one with produce by itself, and one with intermingled raw meat, veggies and fruit. Eww.
Again, there was no bag, no separation between meat and produce, and none of the meat was sitting on ice. Everything in this box was wet, from the condensation of thawing raw meat. Yummy, right? Don’t you just want to pick up that pear and eat it?
The Next Emails I Got Didn’t Seem as Apologetic…
In fact, I was treated as if I was the issue–complaining about something that isn’t really a problem. Here’s one quote from an email from a Supervisor at Imperfect Foods:
“Imperfect Foods isn’t taking this seriously? We ship to innumerable households and we find few to have issues such as yours.”
and
“If you are seeking reasonable additional store credits related to your March 24, 2020 order, please indicate which items you would like credited and I will work with you with the understanding that this will be the last time we can offer you credits related to this issue. “
Not, “rest assured, we will be fixing this issue!” Or “Wow, this isn’t acceptable at all, and of course we will provide a refund!” Or “I’m so sorry this has happened to you three times.”
In fact, it doesn’t sound like Imperfect Foods will be changing these policies at all. Once again, an Imperfect employee justified packaging raw meats next to raw produce:
“Factory vacuum sealed meats, hot dogs from your grocery store, as an example, are packaged in a similar manner to the product we ship. These are not the same as grocery apportioned meats wrapped by the store butcher. Two of the chief components to factory vacuum sealing is that the packaging is of a heavier grade, meaning that it is more durable, and it is heat sealed and designed not to leak.”
In other words, they think of their raw chicken, pork chops, ground beef and ground turkey in the same manner they think of hot dogs, which are pre-cooked. And, because the type of packaging is less likely to leak, they consider it safe enough to package next to produce.
Why Raw Meat Packaging Shouldn’t Touch Fresh Produce
First of all, let’s talk about the meat I received. The vacuum sealed pork chops that were in packaging “designed not to leak” did in fact leak red juice all over my white counter when I set them on it. I also noticed, as I defrosted some of the raw ground beef from my freezer, that little bits of raw meat floated in the chilled water.
It’s only a little bit, but it only takes a tiny bit to contaminate food. We used to package chicken ourselves on our farm. We saw how dirty the whole process is! The person handling the raw meat touches the packaging. There is no way around getting raw meat “juices” and bacteria on the outside of the package. We washed off our packaging, but I still wouldn’t consider it sterile enough to place next to the apples my kids eat for snacks! Eventually, we ended up sending our meats to USDA butchering and packing facilities so that we could sell it at farmer’s markets. Even at these facilities, raw meat touches the outside of the packages. It just happens. Keep this in mind:
“In a report published in 2010 (FSAI), a reported 13.2% of chicken packaging was contaminated with Campylobacter.”
Source: Safefood.edu
Another study, performed more recently, in 2018, found more evidence of bacteria on meat packaging:
“Overall, meat juice was detected on 61% of poultry package surfaces, 34% of shoppers’ hands, 41% of grocery bags, 60% of kitchen surfaces, and 51% of food item surfaces.”
This is why there are strict rules in place for restaurants and people who work in food service. I copied the following images from a worksheet that was created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The worksheet can be found here.
The worksheet recommends storing raw meats in a separate fridge from ready-to-eat food. I think pears would be in that category, don’t you? Also, there is a top-to-bottom order, with meats always on the bottom.
The Company Hello Fresh follows this rule and places the two packs of meat on the bottom of the box, right on top of an ice pack, and then there is a cardboard barrier. Then, all of the other ingredients are in a paper bag, many sealed in plastic as well, and on top of that cardboard barrier.
The Imperfect Foods boxes I received were layered oddly, with veggies, meat and fruit mixed up all over the box. They didn’t admit to packing it this way, but implied that it probably happened in shipping:
“Please keep in mind that after your box is packed, your box is transported from the pack center to the carrier, who delivers it to you. Your box is never intentionally jostled, but if you have ever watched a commercial carrier, you understand that boxes are not subjected to normal movement when in transit. We do not use dividers or additional cardboard or paper, as that would add to the carbon footprint.”
I just wonder why Hello Fresh, Thrive Market and Azure Standard boxes are not in an equal amount of disarray when they arrive?
Here’s another picture from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation:
The raw turkey in this picture is above ready-to-eat food. It might be in vacuum sealed packaging, or in a rimmed dish to prevent it from leaking on foods below–but it is still enough to get a restaurant written up by a health inspector.
The CDC has the same guidelines for food safety in a home kitchen:
“Store raw meat on the bottom shelf away from fresh produce and ready-to-eat food.”
The FDA agrees:
“Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator.”
The CDC also mentions guidelines for grocery shopping and keeping raw meats separate from other foods here:
In fact, if you do a Google search for “separate raw meat” and “FDA,” or “CDC,” you will find a plethora of information. I could keep quoting!
I did’t see any disclaimers from either the FDA or CDC, saying “unless the meat is in vacuum sealed packages.”
Why Meat Should Be Shipped On Ice
I think we all know that meat should be refrigerated. Even if the meat is originally frozen when shipped, it should be defrosted properly, on ice. Imperfect Foods told me that indeed, the meat does leave their warehouse frozen. Let’s look at the timeline of my last box:
It left the FedEx facility at 6:31 PM on March 23, 2020 and arrived at my home at 10:27 AM on March 24, completely defrosted. If the meat left the Imperfect warehouse frozen, as two employees assured me, then the meat wasn’t kept cold enough in the box and defrosted too quickly. If kept at refrigerated temperatures, raw, ground meats should take around 24 hours to defrost. Bigger cuts of meat should take between 24 and 48 hours to defrost. (source) This meat was traveling for 14 hours and was totally defrosted.
The CDC has an article called Tips for Meal Kit and Food Delivery Safety. In that article, they mention the importance of separating raw meat from other foods, as well as this quote:
“Perishable food should arrive frozen, partially frozen with ice crystals still visible, or at least as cold as it would be in a refrigerator.”
My meats from Imperfect Foods did not come partially frozen. It wasn’t as cold as it would be in a refrigerator.
In fact, most of the meat I received from Imperfect Foods was nowhere near the ice pack. Also, note that Hello Fresh sends the same size ice gel pack for two packages of meat (4 chicken breasts, for example) as Imperfect Foods sent with several packages of meat.
Since my meats came completely defrosted, I think it’s important to remember safe thawing guidelines by the FDA:
“Because bacteria can multiply so rapidly in unrefrigerated food, itās simply unsafe to let food thaw at room temperature. If left unrefrigerated, some organisms can create toxins that will survive the cooking process even if the food is cooked to temperatures that kill the bacteria themselves. There are three ways to thaw safely: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. If you thaw food in cold water, change the water every half hour to make sure it stays cold. Foods thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately after thawing.”
The meat wasn’t sitting on ice, so it wasn’t thawing in any method equivalent to those listed by the FDA.
Forgetting Their Mission Statement, And Their Customer?
According to their website, Imperfect Food’s Mission statement is:
“Eliminate food waste and build a better food system for everyone.
If food can be saved, we will save it. With every bite into a misshapen apple, short piece of pasta, or oversized egg we can shape our world for the better. Weāre hungry for change and eager to reduce waste on the farm, at the store, and in the home.
We are Imperfect Foods. Weāre proud to deliver groceries on a mission.”
But sadly, food is wasted when it hasn’t been handled properly and cannot be safely consumed. I’ve thrown away meat, vegetables and fruit from Imperfect Foods because I didn’t think it was safe to eat.
The FDA says that food waste occurs both in the food industry and by consumers.
“…food waste by consumers may often result from fears about food safety caused by misunderstanding of what food product dating actually means, along with uncertainty about storage of perishable foods.“
Possibly, the consumers are uncertain about how safely the perishable foods that were shipped to them were stored.
The Imperfect Foods supervisor shared a different mission statement:
“We hope you understand that our mission is to create a small environmental footprint by utilizing a minimal amount of materials, while bringing safe foods to Americaās table!”
I think it’s really important that company employees are aware of and upholding their business’ main goal. What is Imperfect Foods’ number one goal? Is it to:
- “Eliminate food waste and build a better system for everyone.” OR
- “Create a small environmental footprint by utilizing a minimal amount of materials, while bringing safe foods to Americaās table!”?
I’m confused now, because I am not sure they’re succeeding in the first mission statement by claiming the second. And, if “minimal amount of materials” comes before “safe foods” in their priorities, then there’s a problem.
Maybe It’s Better In Other Areas?
Perhaps the issues I have faced are only issues in my area. Maybe west-coasters are still receiving the great quality, safely packed boxes like I got in Oregon. I hope so!! I really do hope that this is a local issue that can be solved.
I was thinking, this may be simply one of the glitches that come along with scaling a business. Imperfect Foods expanded to the east coast in 2018, I think. Fairly recently. Obviously, the people in charge can’t be everywhere–so they’ve got to hire employees to take charge in their distant locations. I hope this is just one of the kinks that comes with expansion, and that they’ll work this out and make necessary changes.
I Quit Today
I replied to the email offering me store credits, and instead, asked for a refund for the box that contained meat and produce. I didn’t ask for a refund for the other box that only contained produce. I mentioned that I don’t think Imperfect Foods is a good fit for my family, because I am concerned about the safety of the food. I didn’t get a response yet, but I saw online that they put my account “On Hold.”
What About Ordering Produce & Not the Meat?
At first, I considered ordering produce and avoiding the more-risky proteins. I’m concerned about the company’s overall views of food safety. If they are repeatedly putting raw meat in with my vegetables and don’t see a problem with it, how can I trust them to handle food safely? Meat and veggies were layered in my box like a lasagna. I wouldn’t want an employee to touch someone else’s raw meat and then pack my box with lettuce and apples and send it to me. There’s no way to know. And, since they don’t seem to believe that meat packaging is dirty, I can’t trust that this kind of carelessness or contamination won’t happen.
I Asked About This on Social Media
Since the Imperfect Foods supervisor said that they have few people who have issues such as mine, I started to wonder if I’m the only one who thinks this is wrong. I assumed I had at least one friend who would agree with me–she’s got a Master’s in Biology and has been posting “Germaphobe” tips on Facebook because of the Coronavirus. I thought for sure, she’d be in my boat here! I wondered, though, would there be others? I will share some screenshots (with identities blacked out to protect my friends and Facebook followers):
I was glad to know I wasn’t alone, and knew I couldn’t just let this issue go, for the sake of others.
My Purpose in Sharing This
Like I mentioned above, I really enjoyed Imperfect Produce when we lived in Oregon. I was a dedicated customer and spent quite a bit of money with them. I’m super sad–not just disappointed–sad that they don’t seem to get that this is an issue. I’m sad about how they’re handling me, a loyal customer. I tried emailing multiple times, asking them to alter their practices, and got some disappointing responses (as I shared above). Their emails didn’t speak of plans to change, or that they recognized that my concerns were valid. So, I share this to:
- Bring about change. I really hope that they see the comments of other people and know that I’m not the only one upset by this. I do hope that they read this and change their practices. They have the potential to be a great business & serve a lot of people! I really want them to do it safely.
- Keep people from getting sick. There is already too much sickness going on in our world today!!! Many people are turning to food delivery services like Imperfect in order to get groceries, safely, into their homes. But–the way my food was packaged was not safe. The last thing we need right now is to have people getting food borne illnesses and Coronavirus! Yikes.
Update, A Response From Imperfect Foods 3/31/2020
Imperfect Foods emailed me back today. They are refunding the money I spent on the box full of meat plus produce, but they are refusing to serve me any longer. First, the email from the supervisor said:
“I am so sorry that your meats, in spite of being in the keep cold insulated full wrap bag did not perform to your standards.“
But to clarify, the meat was not in a bag–there was no bag present in any of my orders. What they probably meant was that there was insulation around the perimeter of the inside of the box (in this specific order–not in all of my orders).
“Did not perform to your standards,” again, sounds as though I am the one with unattainable standards and the problem here. There is no actual apology for their company doing anything wrong here–just an apology that their company doesn’t meet my standards. So odd!
“We are no longer able to solve your complaints using a financial approach. Iāve noticed youāve contacted us with a number of similar complaints recently, and itās evident that weāre not currently in a place to meet the standards you require.”
Again, what a strange response when food safety is the matter at hand! Yes, I do require my food to be packaged and shipped safely. Yes, I do want meat to be kept at cold temperatures and to be separated from fresh, ready-to-eat foods. Is that really unreasonable?
“Based on the patterns observed in your recent account history, it does not look like we are a good service for you. Since it is clear that we currently do not have a feasible solution for you that aligns with our business model, I have canceled your subscription with us.”
Keeping raw meat on ice and away from fresh produce does not align with their business model? Yikes! That’s all I was asking for. I’m okay with my subscription being cancelled, if they can’t find a feasible solution to keep food safe. What a big bummer!
They ended the email with:
“Iām sorry that we couldnāt come to a solution that worked for both of us and weāve truly appreciated your support in helping us fighting food waste.”
I am really baffled by this, truly! They’re a food delivery company and food can make people sick if mishandled. These aren’t minor complaints, and I’m not being ultra picky about something little. This is a big deal.
The last part really gets me, “helping us fight food waste,” because I’m thinking about the pounds of raw meat and produce I have thrown into the garbage after receiving their deliveries, because it didn’t seem safe enough to eat.
Again, I’m sad to lose this service. I’m sad that they’ve ended my customer relationship with them on such a bitter note.
What Do You Think About This?
I would love to hear your thoughts! Would you be okay with raw meats arriving in a package next to carrots, apples, celery and lettuce? Share your thoughts below.
38 Comments
Lesley
That’s awful. I dont blame you for cancelling. I am in Oregon and have been receiving boxes for a couple of months now. The meat is always in an insulated bag with an ice pack.
brenda
Lesley, that’s great!! This is really a simple fix. I just wish the company policies were the same all over the country. I’m so glad you are having a good experience with them!
Hal
I also live in Oregon but had the same issue of meat not being in a bag. The salmon trimmings in my box were mixed in with the veggies and at 45 degrees F after being in a FedEx truck for 24 hours. I’m a food safety fanatic, so I emailed them as soon as I read your article. Makes me wonder if the impact of the virus is causing their quality of service to drop, but even then that’s not an excuse.
Sharon Beller
Same things were happening to me! I was just about to cx my deliveries ( Also tired of tossing questionable & spoiled foods) and complained a few times. It looked like they just tossed my food into boxes. But they do use the insulation bags now. I have found a product or two outside the bag which is strange. I honestly don’t think the packers care or they are over worked? Mine are from Indiana /Mich. I live right on illiana border in Illinois. I cx my HelloFresh subscription cause at the end they were delivering to 200th place. Not street. I’d go to the other house. I’d be told my food was not there. Then 4-5 days later the cops were pounding at my door around ten pm. They had the box. Every bag had been opened. The recipie cards gone.supposedly Their granny at that same address had been emptying the boxes & storing stuff in fridge. Cops acted like it was My fault cause the woman finally got around to attempting to deliver it to me while I was at work. I got NO responses! None from hello fresh! So. After over 2 years I Cx. I get lots of special deals. Promos. But. I don’t want to see that cop again & porch delivery should not entail a neighborhood treasure hunt.
brenda
Sharon, that sounds horrible! WOW! I can’t believe you were treated like that. What a bummer! These companies could have such an amazing service if they just paid attention to these little details!
Tina
100% had similar problems to you, along with missing and extra items (if I didn’t order it I didn’t want it, which means you sent me food that will be wasted). I was calling/emailing after nearly every order and finally I canceled. I’ll just go to Aldi. Im sure they would have sent me a nastygram soon if I’d continued. I mean seriously, every order had a problem and they assured me it’d be flagged/checked, same story different box. Missing stuff I paid for. Thawed items. Cold items not anywhere near ice. I’m in Minneapolis and ended my subscription in late 2020, sad they’re still pulling the sane stunts.
brenda
Tina, the phone calling and emailing after every order was the hard part for me, too. I chose the service to make my life easier, and this definitely did not make my life easier. Aldi is great! We live near one in VA now. We didn’t have any in OR and I saw bloggers mentioning Aldi and was curious!
Mandy
I live in Roanoke (looks like we are close) and I have had the exact same problem with imperfect foods throwing items in the box in no order with minimal packing. Stuff arrives crushed and leaking. The response I got was the same: We apologize, we will take extra care packaging your next orders. Here is credit for the things that were messed up. But the problem persists. I don’t know why they aren’t willing to fix this issue and separate things and spend a little money on ice and packing material when other similar food services do it. My guess is, imperfect foods is another food delivery service destined to disappear in the near future.
brenda
Hi Mandy! We ARE close! We are in Lynchburg. š Imperfect Foods is going to have to improve these details or they will likely disappear, I think you’re right.
Jennifer
Iām in Washington state and have just had the same packing issue with my latest box, my third, and the first onw of the three to contain raw meat. My ground turkey leaked too, all over the produce. I completely agree with everything you said and I told them as much via email tonight. Iām cancelling regardless, but weāll see what they have to say. After 20 years of receiving grocery deliveries in one form or another, I have never once experienced lazy and negligent packing like this. Itās complewly unacceptable. Iām shocked disappointed and livid all at the same time. I also canāt believe the responses they gave you. Those were completely unacceptable too.
Cherie Gauthier
Iām so glad I found your article. On a friends recommendation, we tried Imperfect Foods. Our first box was only produce but it was a horrible mess. Warm food, with squished tomatoes and blueberries. The touch and smell were gross and weāve fought fruit flies for a week. Their response was reasonable so I tried again. The meat did arrive in a separate insulated bag but the packaging was horrible, with heavy foods on the top, ālayered like a bad lasagna.ā Your point about food safety in the warehouse has me questioning all of their practices and Iāve put my account āon holdā. Probably for good.
Allison
I’m having the same problem. We’re going to try one more time with the request that the meat at least be placed in a separate box or a bag so it isn’t next to produce. But it’s just two of us and I’m only ordering about 6 or six things total and it comes in a huge insulated box with one ice pack which is generally thawed (the last one was leaking) and all this food being tumbled around. I’ve also written when they’ve asked for feedback and I clearly state that I don’t want a refund, I just want to inform them and ask for a smaller box with the hopes there will be less damage to produce and less air space for thawing also. They just give me refunds anyway. *sigh* This week, we’re getting some grass-fed lamb which we’ll cook up right away and some veggies that can be washed. I will have to cancel after this order especially with the weather getting warmer and FED Ex not delivering from refrigerated trucks. Problem for us is, we live in a very small town where we can’t get grass-fed meat. We can’t afford (or store) 1/4 of a cow from a local ranch or other online options. This is a great option if they’d only package the items properly.
Paige Simonson
I just started my service with Imperfect Foods in early March before we were placed on lockdown here in Los Angeles. I’ve had 5 deliveries and there’s been no consistency except for the meats/tamales ordered have been placed inside a cold-storage bag with an ice pack. No issues there. The issues are with the loose fruits like apples, peaches, etc. that are seemingly tossed into the box and become crushed by the cold-storage bag or the canned items ordered. I’ve received a few with damaged and soupy fruit, as well as bruised and limp greens. Seems they nedd a better way to package the box like the other food delivery services. I would prefer to reuse or recycle whatever they include as better packaging instead of throwing away damaged fruits/vegetables. I’ve also let them know their boxes for my orders have been to large, hence all if the items being tossed around during the delivery process. I’ve received a refund or partiL refund twice now and may order once more to see if anything has changed. It’s more affordable and especially helpful during this time but not at the expense of the damaged food that I’ve received.
Tawnie
I’m so glad I came across your article. I’m in Washington State and have been having the same issues. It made me question if others were having the same quality issues. The first few boxes I received were great which contained all vegetables and fruits. The last few however that had meat, while the meats did come in separate insulated bags, the problem was with the poor quality of the produce and heavy items layered within which caused soft items like grapes, stone fruits and berries to get squished and jostled throughout. Also in another smaller box I received recently there was no ice pack at all with only produce and the grapes were sour and disgusting which got rotten juice on all the other items. I’ve contacted the company twice now and have not even had a response from them. I’ve decided I’m going to cancel my subscription also after all these quality issues and go with Dandilion Organics local company.
Madison
I’m also in Virginia and just got my first order today. It was supposed to arrive yesterday, but it was delayed with FedEx until around midday today. When we opened it immediately after delivery it was a mess! Luckily the meat and tofu were in the insulated bag with ice that was still cold, but otherwise everything looked like it was thrown in. Two of the peaches and lots of the berries (which had come out of their containers) were crushed and got fruit juice all over everything else, and this had clearly been sitting like this for hours. Very disappointing!
Kendra R Palomarez
I just wrote them an email about the packaging – it was a hot mess with torn lettuce everywhere, blackberries open and smushed at the bottom and meat just randomly in the package. I’ve encountered this before and wrote them. Now I see from your experience, they may not take this seriously. I just signed up for the waitlist for my local delivery service and will likely cancel Imperfect.
Sarah Moeding
Woof. I’ve just had a similar thing happen twice. Today’s box had a *pool* of chicken juices in the insulated bag, which also contained the can of soda water I ordered, along with the meat. Everything was room temp, both times. This is horrifying. I got refunds for things last time and I’ll be expecting a full refund this time. I’m not a germaphobe, and I’m not squeamish about food issues, but this is dangerous and irresponsible.
Lindsay
I’ve had the same issues as well. Majority of the time I have missing items or get ones I didn’t order. They always take care of it but it’s annoying. It was a great resource to have during quarantine. I cancelled it for a bit but went back because some of their prices are still better than many of the grocery stores in Cleveland, Ohio and still less risk as Covid is on the rise here. I’m just more careful now about what I get. The fruit goes bad so quick. I mainly just order the meat (but will now be reconsidering after all the resources you provided!). My roommate ordered a box during the time I cancelled mine and they sent her two large boxes. The second box was entirely full of potatoes that she didn’t order. Our guess was they really needed to get rid of potatoes so “accidentally” sent them but it was a ridiculous amount that we had to give away. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one with issues. Their name suits them.
Trever
Thank you soooo much for bringing light to this!! I searched google trying to find anything like this, and it took a few different searches to find it! I knew someone would say something about this.
I ordered 2 boxes for my FIRST (AND ONLY!) ORDER, and they were in HORRID shape. MY ORDER WAS 2 DAYS LATE!! Sitting in a fed ex facility in California in the middle of AUGUST! It was 107 degrees this past week!! Like many others have said, they were completely warm. Salmon and beef outside of the cold bag, Not cold at all, blood dripping on the side of the box onto the other raw produce and fruit. Everything was just thrown in. Damaged tomatoes. Mushy cucumbers and broccoli. There was literally mold on the blueberries. And not one strawberry was edible. Literally opened both boxes and they instantly smelled of rotting, slimy food. I canāt believe this is how the boxes are packaged. Stuff just thrown in, damaging everything else in the order, cold stuff not remaining cold at all, no separation of meat and produce. ONE GEL ICE PACK PER BOX. The āinsulationā didnāt even cover the entire perimeter of the inside of the box. There was a 3 and a half inch gap. All the cold in the box escaped through that gap. And only one box has the metallic cold bag and it wasnāt even sealed! They have a sticker you peel to seal it, and it was still intact! Everything was spilled out of it and it was collapsed at the bottom. Everything was wet from the condensation and started to spoil the produce. Cucumber and squash was literally mushy and slimy. Grapes were crushed, making everything else sticky.
I too, am concerned about the packaging being a breeding ground for bacteria. I read that they will collect the boxes and packaging from your order when you receive your next order and that they will reside the packaging for other orders. At face value, that seems like a good idea on cutting down waste. But after more thought, thinking about how I received my order with spoiled food, and juices leaking; that is a disgusting thought! Your produce has no sanitary barrier between the packaging and the produce.
They blamed the jumbled up mess on the fedex deliverers?? IF IT WAS PACKAGED WELL ENOUGH TO BEGIN WITH, THAT SHOULDN’T BE AN ISSUE. Itās laughable that they are so proud of cutting down on food waste when I literally had to throw away EVERYTHING in the box. Except for a bag of coffee (because it was in its own sealed packaging from the manufacturer) Total waste…. so incredibly sad. Itās literally as if they went to a grocery stores dumpster and picked the food out and sent it with an ice pack in a fedex box.
Unless they really make some changes, youāre just paying to throw the food away that the other companies would throw away to begin with!! Maybe in the middle of winter, things wouldnāt be as bad, but thatās no excuse.
tracy krieg
I had camplobactor in 3017 from a duck farm and beliebe me I felt I was dying..4 days in hospital amd 6 weels.follow up after…i wont ne touchimg any of the items I recieved from imperfect foods either..especially after reading this and a former employees statements…place meeds to ne shut down
Pamela
I have had all of these issues, and more. I was initially excited about this service as I am disabled and shopping in stores is no longer an option for me, making fresh produce difficult to obtain. My delivery this week was the last straw. Over a dozen items were missing. Not out of stock, they somehow neglected to put that many items in my box. How is that even possible? There were three items I hadnāt ordered. They sent me the wrong kind of lettuce, which was old and wilted. Iāve exchanged several emails with the company. I asked when the missing items would be delivered. They refused to deliver. No explanation. I was offered a $10 credit. I had over $30 worth of merchandise missing! They need to REFUND for items they donāt deliver! As for the items I didnāt order? They wonāt allow them to be returned (Covid) but they specifically instructed me that I couldnāt keep them, but was required to donate them! What? Their whole attitude – through three different employees – was very blasĆ© and unconcerned. And as with your experience, they acted like I was the problem. I am beyond disappointed. I thought I had found the solution to getting fresh produce. This is a terrible company and should be avoided.
Evan
Our experience also. I just stopped ordering meat or cheese from them.
They also need to hire any kid who has worked in a grocery store bagging.. you know a job you would give a TEENAGER>.. The boxes looked like they were packed by five year olds told to put their toys away, and then shaken up by a gorilla.
Tomatoes and EGGS on the BOTTOM of the box.. Potatoes on top. Smack head. .. Anything that can be bruised and crushed .. is bruised and crushed. Going to cancel soon also.
Belinda
I can agree, it’s frustrating. I have a subscription with them and I love the produce I get…most of the time. But I have had to send a couple of complaint emails because of the way things were packaged. My 1st was when I got 2 boxes, and all that was in the 2nd box was my ice pack and 5 lemons. The 2nd was a few weeks ago when everything was so tightly packed that the packages of blueberries and cherry tomatoes fell apart in shipping, and half my zucchini and roma tomatoes were broken. There’s gotta be a happy medium somewhere. I started out ordering meat because in our small KS town there aren’t a lot of affordable organic fish options (unless you want catfish). But, when my 1st order came on a relatively warm day and I realized that during summer months, my box would sit on the porch in 90 degree heat with the meat NOT in the insulated bag with the ice pack, that made me nervous. Also, so did all the meat touching all my produce. So yes, no more meat orders. I now order produce and snacks. Way less worrisome.
Autumn
In Northen California here and I too have had packaging issues, though usually things are with the ice pack. I came looking for information from others about the inconsistency because I think I can count on one hand the number of times my order has been 100% accurate over the last year. As someone who’s worked in retail and food service and understanding the likelihood that during the pandemic their growth has been exponential and probably they have a high turnover of staff and an ever-changing inventory, tied with having good customer service in terms of getting refunds for the things I didn’t receive, I kept giving them the benefit of the doubt. (And also I like some of their products which are unique to imperfect.)
But yesterday I received, for the second time, only my produce and none of the other items. There was even a time when my box didn’t even make it on the truck. I’m currently waiting to hear back from customer service and I don’t doubt that I will get a refund but I am appalled at the responses mentioned in this post.
Before signing up for Imperfect and every now and then since, I’ve gotten deliveries from another company (full price of course) but I can update my order until 6am the day of delivery and nothing has ever been amiss and they take back all the packaging (and even bottles) to recycle or sterilize and reuse. So I’ll be returning to them as my primary delivery.
I REALLY wanted to support what Imperfect was doing, but I think they’ve gotten too big and after reading all of this… well, just because a company’s mission is a good one, doesn’t mean they are good at carrying it out.
I still can’t believe the responses you received from customer service….
SB
They just brought me a bunch of warm meat and dairy. All at 49-50F, despite being in an insulated bag with a fully frozen ice pack. So the food was already warm when they put it in there?
brenda
Ewww, that’s awful! I am so sorry you faced this situation, Sarah! I hope you’ve found a better solution for getting convenient (well-kept) foods!
Anna
I’ve had thawed, leaking meat the last two shipments. I am waiting to see what their response will be – but it looks like we may have to part ways with Imperfect. Simply not acceptable – and now that they’ve stopped using the insulated bag, I am very concerned with the quality of the non-leaking meats.
brenda
I’m so sorry Anna, this is such a bummer! I hear you! I wish they handled things differently.
Tina
(Reposting my comment that I accidentally posted as a reply)
100% had similar problems to you, along with missing and extra items (if I didnāt order it I didnāt want it, which means you sent me food that will be wasted). I was calling/emailing after nearly every order and finally I canceled. Iāll just go to Aldi. Im sure they would have sent me a nastygram soon if Iād continued. I mean seriously, every order had a problem and they assured me itād be flagged/checked, same story different box. Missing stuff I paid for. Thawed items. Cold items not anywhere near ice. Iām in Minneapolis and ended my subscription in late 2020, sad theyāre still pulling the same stunts.
Tonya
I had the same experience here in Missouri. However, I didn’t give them as many chances. After my boxes showed up 3 times with no insulation, ice packs melted, and completely defrosted meat smashing my produce, I gave it up. Shame, because they have some cool items at pretty good prices.
brenda
Tonya, such a bummer! I agree, they have nice items at good prices, I wish they could get food safety down! Thank yo ufor commenting.
Marnie
Wow. I’ve been getting food (not raw meat) from Imperfect for a while, but you’ve got me rethinking. They have had consistent trouble getting an order correct which has been frustrating, but not so much that their prices and choice of products hasn’t kept me going. These concerns about food safety are more serious, though. Thank you for your thoughtful article.
brenda
Marnie, thank you. I agree, I am concerned about their food safety policies.
Scarlet
I’m getting my first order on Thursday. After reading this post I decided to contact Imperfect Foods support to see if they could put the meat and produce in seperate boxes since the shopping window was still open. This is what someone from the support chat said:
“I see that you are new to our Imperfect family, so first and foremost WELCOME!
I also see that this will be your first order and I am super excited for you! Your meat and dairy items will arrive in an insulated liner with gel packs as to keep the refrigerated items as cold as we can during delivery. Depending on the amount of items that you have ordered, our packing team do their best to pack your items in a way that they will not shift as much during travel and that all cool items are together.
If the items should be packed in the same box, rest assure that the meats will be in a protected liner bag.”
So basically they said no. I’m not sure why my request seemed to have been taken as unreasonable. If my order arrives completely messed up like I keep reading here I am cancelling. I live in Cincinnati by the way.
I will post an update once I get my order.
brenda
Scarlet, I am wondering how this turned out for you? Let me know. I hope your experience was better than mine!
Valerie Wolverton
Sadly, my experience was similar. I am 67, live in Oregon, and home bound due to spine issues and I was thrilled when I found Imperfect in 2018. Random issues with quality. Slimy brown celery or tomatoes with actual mold! Each time I just threw it out. Then I had missing items AND subpar produce. This time I was credited. Then a situation with missing items, nasty produce, broken eggs that turned out to be expired by 8 days! I requested to stop deliveries and emails. Oh, btw, never even knew over 65 get free delivery š I guess that was my fault…lol Any how, sad to give up the convenience, but, not the issues. We both know we cannot possibly be the only ones? They must be over whelmed and under staffed. Take care….Val W. š
Pam Foshee
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ARTICLE!
As a mother I was SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING ordering from them as I live in the country 22 miles from my grocery store & I thought it’d be not only HELPFUL FOR ME but also with the miles I’d be saving ,time, & GAS going weekly 40 miles !
Now however I ABSOLUTELY WILL NEVER EVER ORDER FROM THIS COMPANY!!
Again THANK YOU
Florida mom!
brenda
Pam, I am so glad this article helped you! š