SACRAMENTO, CA - The competitive retail market has led to a uniformity in the produce aisles that, while making grocery sections aesthetically pleasing, has resulted in chains turning away edible produce because of its appearance.

Raley’s Family of Fine Stores has announced, in an effort to reduce shrink, a new pilot program called Real Good produce.

"In the United States, over 40 percent of food grown is wasted, for many reasons, including aesthetic standards," Chelsea Minor, Spokesperson for the chain, said, according to a Sacramento Business Journal report.

According to the report, the program is a collaborative result of a partnership with Imperfect Produce, which aims to make produce more affordable and minimize food waste.

As we have previously reported, there have been “ugly food” trends adopted by stores in other countries that have turned words of appearance like “unattractive” or "unappealing” to words like “chic” and “unique.” Now Raley’s is looking to see if consumers in Northern California, too, can accept produce imperfections that are purely cosmetic.

While Minor did not specify what locations will be testing Real Good produce, she did say it will be rolling out mid-July at 10 Northern California locations, so stay tuned.