In an emailed statement, a Blue Apron spokesperson says the new in-store meal kit offering will make its brand “more accessible to homes across the country,” and “will provide the unique and consistent product experience that our customers have come to know and expect from us, including high-quality ingredients and chef-driven recipes.” And many competitors’ kits would cost less and not require ongoing subscription payments. That means Blue Apron, which has already ceded some portion of its users to rival services like HelloFresh, the second-biggest meal kit company in the U.S., is now not only facing threats from competitors with similar offerings, but has to take on a plethora of meal kit alternatives sold in stores and from the two largest retailers, Amazon and Walmart. Plus, Amazon has been testing out meal kits on its site for some time, too. Other grocers, like Albertsons and Kroger, are now selling meal kits, too. Walmart had also said the same, adding that its meal kits would be available via its online grocery service for curbside pickup or delivery. In February, the company reported its subscriber base had fallen to 746,000, down from 856,000 the prior quarter, and down from its peak of one million last year.Įarlier this month, its stock took another hit as Weight Watchers announced its own plans to sell meal kits in stores. In recent months, Blue Apron has also laid off hundreds, lost its CEO, and has continued to post disappointing earnings.
The news arrives at a time when the meal kit subscription company is struggling to grow and retain its users, who are often put off by the expense of the direct-shipped meal kits and the need to commit to an ongoing subscription. Blue Apron announced today it will bring its meal kits to stores.
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