New use for ugly produce
Potato chip company Dieffenbach’s isn’t able to use every potato it receives in its line of kettle chips; some are blemished, too large or small, or simply surplus. To prevent these not-quite-perfect and extra potatoes from becoming food waste, the company introduced its Uglies Chips, complete with packaging that explains what’s “wrong” with them.
“Uglies will have brown edges, brown spots, or be darker all over, but their flavor is still delicious,” says Dwight Zimmerman, vice-president of sales and marketing for Dieffenbach’s.
Working with regional farmers, the company sources these rejected potatoes and manufactures them in small batches, using fresh, custom seasonings. They are available in Original Sea Salt, Mesquite BBQ, and Salt & Vinegar.
With a suggested retail price of $1.50–$2 per bag (nearly half the price of the leading chip, says Zimmerman), Uglies pass on the company’s savings from purchasing damaged and surplus potatoes to the consumer.
“What drives us at Munk Pack is doing things that have never been done before … that others say are impossible,” he explains. “There has never been a high-protein, gluten-free, vegan cookie. It is already challenging to create a gluten-free cookie that holds together without eggs, let alone a high-protein and delicious-tasting cookie with less sugar than existing products.”
Although they contain vegan-friendly turbinado sugar, the cookies are the only ones on the market with less sugar than protein that do not use sugar alcohols, which can be hard to digest, says Glienke.
Protein Cookies are available in four flavors—Double Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Coconut White Chocolate Macadamia, and Oatmeal Raisin Spice—for a suggested retail price of $2.49.
The kits are available in three flavors—smooth and simple Classic, tangy lime and garlic Mediterranean, and cumin- and garlic-accented Village. They are shelf stable for up to 18 months, though they do need to be refrigerated after mixing, and the ingredients are non-GM, organic, vegan, and gluten-free. Hummustir can be found on Amazon, Jet, and at Wegmans for a suggested retail price of $14.99 per three-pack.