In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Andres Figueira interviews Holly Eagleson, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at Misfits Market. Misfits Market has evolved from an “ugly produce subscription box” in 2018 to a full-service online grocery platform serving all lower 48 states. The company rescues food that doesn’t meet traditional grocery store aesthetic standards – up to 30% of what’s grown never reaches shelves due to size, shape, or cosmetic imperfections. Holly shares how they’ve navigated the challenge of marketing “imperfect” food while building a premium brand, including their 2022 merger with competitor Imperfect Foods and the strategic evolution from mystery boxes to customizable grocery delivery.

Topics Discussed:

• Evolving from mystery box subscriptions to full grocery customization

• Managing brand perception around “imperfect” food quality

• Merging two competing brands with different customer bases and messaging approaches

• Building urgency and seasonal marketing around surplus crops and limited inventory

• Leveraging AI for logistics, personalization, and customer service while maintaining authentic content

• Balancing price competition with holistic value propositions

• Creating educational content around food waste and shelf-life misconceptions

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Reframe Negative Perceptions as Authentic Differentiation

Instead of fighting the “imperfect” positioning, Misfits Market embraced it by redefining what a “misfit” means – positioning themselves as operating differently in the food system rather than selling inferior products. This allowed them to maintain premium pricing while celebrating their unique value proposition of rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste.

Use Flexible Inventory as a Customer Education Tool

Misfits Market trains customers to accept size and variety variations within the same SKU (like mixed stone fruits or different eggplant varieties), which allows them to be an agile partner to farmers while offering better prices. This flexibility becomes a competitive advantage rather than a limitation when properly positioned as discovery and value.

Build Urgency Through Storytelling, Not Just Scarcity

Their “Misfit of the Week” SMS program doesn’t just announce limited quantities – it tells the story of why there’s surplus (weather conditions, market trends, farmer decisions). This context-driven urgency feels educational and mission-aligned rather than manipulative, driving both sales and brand connection.

Scale Personalization Through Hybrid Choice Architecture

Rather than pure customization or pure curation, Misfits Market uses algorithm-suggested pre-filled carts that customers can modify. This reduces decision paralysis while still allowing personalization, and it trains their recommendation engine based on what customers actually choose versus what they’re suggested.

Maintain Authenticity When Integrating Competitor Brands

When merging with Imperfect Foods, Misfits Market had to blend two different brand personalities – one focused on guilt/shame around food waste (googly eyes, playful messaging) versus their more stylized D2C approach. They chose to maintain the more authentic voice while incorporating the competitor’s customer base, showing how brand consistency trumps trying to please everyone.

Use AI for Operations, Humans for Storytelling

While leveraging AI for logistics algorithms (weather-based packaging decisions, personalized recommendations), Holly insists on human-created content featuring real farmers and stories. This hybrid approach maximizes efficiency while maintaining the authentic brand connection that drives conversion and retention.

Transform Regulatory Constraints into Marketing Opportunities

Grocery stores won’t accept products with less than 6 weeks until sell-by dates, but Misfits Market educates customers about what these dates actually mean and turns this “limitation” into a value proposition. They rescue perfectly good products with shorter shelf life at discounted prices while educating consumers about food waste.

Build Community Around Shared Values, Not Just Products

Rather than competing solely on price with Amazon and Walmart, Misfits Market focuses on attracting “conscious consumers” who want to make an impact through their purchases. This creates higher-value, more loyal customers who see shopping as value alignment rather than just convenience.