Imperfect Foods CEO Philip Behn

Imperfect Foods delivers fresh, delicious produce and other groceries to your door for up to 30% less than what those same groceries would cost you at a traditional store. They do it by recovering apples that are too giant, carrots that are too twisty, lentils from a surplus harvest, or olive oil with out-of-style packaging — in other words, food that would otherwise to go waste.  

Philip Behn joined Imperfect Foods as CEO last year, and is carrying forward their mission to reduce food waste and deliver great value to each customer they serve. He brings a long career in food retail, along with a personal passion for serving customers.  

Press play on this episode, and then go find and follow them on social media immediately — you’ll be glad you did. In addition to their excellent mission and product, their brand is exceedingly charming.  

Topics by time stamp:  

0:40 — Philip’s background, and what he brings to his role at Imperfect Foods. What are some practices he uses to keep his teams focused on the customer? (Including examples!) 

6:30 — An agile, experimental approach within large companies: Some examples from Philip’s Walmart and consulting experience.  

10:48 — What’s a digital factory? Philip and his team do what had possibly never been done before in any major retailer, and it changes culture.  

16:07 — Philip previews a potential TED talk on the future of food retail, and why now is the perfect time for Imperfect Foods.  

21:47 — How does a mission-driven company like Imperfect Foods keep an eye on the risk of doing more harm than good?  

24:56 — Imperfect does supply chain differently: ugly foods literally don’t fit in at supermarkets.  

28:30 — Traditional grocery stores: who designed the self-service grocery experience and why? Plus, the ways in which big retailers have mastered tech, and the ways in which they can’t compete.  

34:00 — How Imperfect Foods customizes your shopping cart for you, and balances staples with new foods.  

38:15 — Imperfect Foods as a Silicon Valley startup: What’s typical and what’s unique

41:20 — Once just produce, now many other groceries: What was 2019 about, and where is Imperfect Foods headed next?