Misfits Market
Launching a label for the ugly produce innovators
The CHALLENGE
It began as a renegade idea: to rescue the odd-shaped fruits and vegetables that big-box grocers won't touch and reroute them to conscious consumers at a discount. It grew into Misfits Market, an online grocer dedicated to radically rethinking food systems, reducing waste and reshaping access to sustainable produce by supporting small, local farms and producers.
The company approached us to launch a new private label. The goal was twofold: to make it easier for consumers to purchase smarter, more sustainable groceries in convenient packages, and create more opportunities for suppliers who share their vision.
The SOLUTION
It wasn’t just about packaging shelf staples, it was about translating the company’s mission. We named the brand Odds & Ends to highlight the delightful unpredictability of what fills a pantry. The unconventional name perfectly captures the humble, ragtag rebelliousness of the parent brand.
Most private-label grocery brands “play it safe,” with an understated or generic approach. Not this one. Drawing on the parent brand’s typography, the Odds & Ends wordmark uses reversed letterforms and a bouncy baseline for a playful, inviting look. A sans-serif face provides highly legible product titles and other details.
We celebrated the distinctive features of product sourcing by making them more visible: descriptors such as “Upcycled,” “Rescued,” “Imperfect,” and “Seasonal” are called out through lumpy ovals and not-quite circles that echo the shapes of their imperfect produce.
DESIGN SYSTEM
The visual language we created captures the idea that buying smarter, more sustainable products can also be a whole lot of fun. Each package features flat, minimalist illustrations of the contents, with dimensionality suggested by pointillist shading. Earth tones combine with bright, clashy pastels for a distinctive palette that jumps off the webpage or the shelf.
The design system, charming illustrations and lettering of Odds & Ends refer back to the brand’s roots of finding quality in imperfection, and underscore the importance of ethical, sustainable shopping for the planet’s future. Odds & Ends proves that private-label doesn’t have to be generic. It can build culture, spark delight and make every pantry a statement of values.
IMPACT
Thought Matter has partnered with Misfits Market since 2020—back when operations ran out of a single Philadelphia warehouse and the brand’s mission was still taking form. Over the years, we’ve helped shape how that mission shows up in the world: expressive, imaginative, and driven by values.
The launch of Odds & Ends marked a significant stride in Misfits Market's mission to combat food waste and promote sustainable consumption. In 2023, their private label initiative contributed to quadrupling the amount of food saved in packaged goods compared to the previous year.
On average, each Misfits Market order rescued 5.01 pounds of food from a lesser outcome, conserved 6.94 pounds of CO₂ emissions, and saved 196.79 gallons of water. These metrics underscore the environmental impact of the Odds & Ends line, transforming everyday pantry staples into agents of positive change.
The Odds & Ends brand not only redefined private label aesthetics but also set a new standard for how design and sustainability can intersect to drive meaningful impact.
