Ep202 – Josh Ball (Co-founder – Farmers Pick) on using tech to save 7 million kg of food waste
Dec 19, 2024
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Josh Ball, Co-founder of Farmers Pick, shares his journey in transforming food waste into a thriving business. He discusses the importance of a strong mission and the challenges of scaling a startup that rescues imperfect produce. Josh sheds light on their successful shift to equity crowdfunding to foster growth without traditional VC pressures. He also highlights the role of storytelling and social media in building brand loyalty, along with the intricacies of managing a rapidly expanding team while maintaining company values.
Farmers Pick addresses food waste by promoting the value of imperfect produce, significantly impacting sustainability and food insecurity.
Josh Ball's tech background enables agile solutions that balance efficiency and innovation in scaling the food waste reduction business.
Effective storytelling through social media is crucial for reshaping consumer perceptions and fostering a community around sustainable practices.
Deep dives
The Core Purpose of Food and Food Waste
The fundamental purpose of food lies in its nutritional value, freshness, and taste, elements that have not been prioritized for several decades. Farmers have been conditioned to view imperfect produce as waste, leading to a staggering 2.4 billion kilograms of edible food discarded each year in Australia. By recognizing the potential of produce that does not meet supermarket aesthetic standards, the initiative addresses both food waste and food insecurity. This shift in perception emphasizes the need to educate consumers and farmers on the real value of imperfect produce, transforming it from an overlooked commodity to a celebrated contribution to sustainable practices.
The Founder's Journey and Learning from Startups
Josh Ball's background in tech startups equipped him with valuable lessons about agility and product-market fit, crucial for navigating the early stages of Farmers Pick. His experiences at Promise Pay and Xero taught him the importance of understanding customer needs and the dynamics of scaling a business. The transition from tech to agriculture facilitated a tech-enabled service model that prioritized efficiency while focusing on reducing food waste. This unique blend of experience allowed him to set a foundation for innovative solutions in a field often resistant to change.
Validating the Concept Through Ground Realities
The inception of Farmers Pick was grounded in a proactive search for solutions to food waste during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ball and his co-founder engaged directly with farmers to validate alarming waste statistics, discovering firsthand how easily food gets discarded due to aesthetic flaws. Their approach included a visit to a local market where they witnessed imperfect produce being rejected, underscoring the disconnect between food production and consumer expectations. This direct engagement not only validated their business model but also inspired their commitment to changing the narrative around food waste.
Harnessing the Power of Storytelling and Community
Effective storytelling emerged as a key strategy for Farmers Pick, as it reshaped consumer perceptions of food waste and the farmers behind their products. Viral social media campaigns, including engaging videos that demystified imperfect produce, played a pivotal role in fostering community support. Customers began to understand their contributions to sustainability, reinforcing their connection to the brand while countering negative stereotypes about food waste. By cultivating a sense of purpose, the brand empowers its customers to feel like active participants in the mission, transforming consumer behavior at a grassroots level.
Navigating Growth and Frugality
Farmers Pick's growth strategy emphasizes frugality while aiming for annual growth of over 100%. The founders prioritize careful management of costs where possible, such as leveraging existing logistics networks instead of investing in new delivery fleets. This approach allows the company to maintain financial stability while addressing food waste efficiently. By striking a balance between innovative growth and prudent operations, Farmers Pick positions itself to expand sustainably, proving that mission-driven companies can thrive without compromising their core values.
My guest for Ep202 of The Startup Playbook Podcast was the Co-founder of Farmers Pick, Josh Ball.
Farmers Pick helps save food waste by rescuing wonky food that is often discarded by supermarkets and making it available to order by consumers.
Since launching in 2020, they have saved 7 million kilograms of produce and the company now has 120 employees and generated $16M in revenue last year.
In this interview we covered a range of topics including:
The importance of having a strong mission and values to help guide strategic business decisions
balancing frugality with 100% YoY growth
Why they decided to go down the equity crowdfunding path rather than raising from traditional VC funds
Scaling storytelling to both their staff and to their customers
And much more!
Timestamps:
1:45 Josh’s background
7:12 The origin story of Farmers Pick
12:29 How he validated the initial idea
18:27 The operational complexities of growing a physical goods business
27:52 Finding the balance between focussing on new customers vs expansion of existing customers
29:50 Using social media to grow the brand
31:05 The decision to crowdfund vs raise venture capital
35:29 Negotiation advice
37:41 Making sure the vision/mission stays consistent across whole company as you grow
42:43 Thinking about expansion
48:04 How his role has evolved as the business has grown
54:00 Staying out of the weeds and making strategic decisions
55:40 What’s next for Farmers Pick
Our partners:
A big thank you to our partners for the show:
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