File this under “Brilliant ideas that the US will never adopt because it would be construed as anti-capitalist.”
From the always-interesting Springwise blog:
“Tada Yasai — whose name means “free vegetables” — is a site that offers just that to registered users. The fresh produce given away is surplus grown by farmers in Japan’s Saitama and Gunma prefectures. It’s often left over simply because it doesn’t meet the aesthetic criteria imposed by many supermarkets — other than visually, the quality of the goods is at least as high as those found in stores. Quantities are typically limited, and consumers must both register and pay shipping to receive the free produce, according to a report in Japan Trends. Meanwhile, farmers get profile pages on the site along with the opportunity to sell their produce as well.”
You can read the full story here.
Julie Schwietert
Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator currently in New York, formerly of Mexico City and San Juan. She is Matador's managing editor and is the lead faculty member of MatadorU's travel writing program.
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