How “Value-Adding” Unsold Vegetables Solves Two Problems

Rather than discard the 40 percent of his cauliflower crop that doesn’t pass the grocer’s cosmetics test, an Australian farmer figured out a way to turn a loss into profit. In a process known as “value-adding,” he took the slightly damaged part of the crop and turned it into the fast-cooking and nutritious “cauli-rice” that is sold in grocery stores. It’s been a complicated venture, because he decided to handle the processing, packaging, marketing, and distribution himself. But sales have been good and are getting better. And there are a lot fewer tons of unsold cauliflowers in the landfill.