Greer's OC

Project Juice, the esteemed organic cold-pressed juice and clean eating company is on a mission to change public perception surrounding an emerging food category—ugly produce. It’s saving 1000’s of pounds of food each year, and just launched its newest seasonal blend for spring – Ugly and Awesome – made up of 99% ugly produce.

So-called ugly produce is imperfect in only one way—cosmetically. Fruits and vegetables that have unusual shapes, colors, or sizes. Despite having the same nutrient profiles and density as their perfect counterparts, six billion pounds of this edible produce is thrown out each year due to the imperfections.

In order to honor the spring harvest, Project Juice’s newest seasonal blend – Ugly and Awesome – uses 99% ugly produce. The juice – with 100 percent organic apples, strawberries, cucumber, bok choy and ginger – is high in antioxidants, B vitamins, and is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It also is helping keep food waste to a minimum.

Though purchasing imperfect product is not yet widely regarded, Project Juice is enthusiastically taking on so-called ugly produce and preventing it from being discarded as trash.

Project Juice has been adopting practices from this emerging ugly food movement since its inception, advocating on behalf of consumers and farmers alike, but knows there is a long way to go in the effort. The billions of pounds of healthy food that would otherwise go to waste is not just a tragic dietary loss for people worldwide, but an enormous economic loss and complete waste of the water used to grow the product.

The Ugly and Awesome spring seasonal juice is available at Project Juice locations in Costa Mesa and Laguna Beach. There will also be a special Ugly and Awesome smoothie available in Laguna Beach.

Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Project Juice at The CAMP at 2937 Bristol St. in Costa Mesa. 949.354.5581.

Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Project Juice is at 1100 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach. 949.484.0239.