Recently, there has been criticism about Blue Apron’s home-delivered pre-portioned dishes. In response to this criticism, Blue Apron still necessitates excessive prep work and clean-up afterward. This struggling meal kit startup has introduced a new line of ready-to-make meals.
However, unlike its renowned signature meal kits, which involve chopping and cleaning up, the new ready-to-cook meals require basic assembly. Instead, all you need is to unpack the pre-portioned proteins, vegetables, etc., place everything in the (recyclable) aluminum tray that is given, and bake the dish.
Blue Apron's annual income hasn't kept up with its early triumphs due to greater competition and a growing antipathy to subscription services among consumers. The corporation was formerly valued at $2 billion, but its value has since decreased. Its market value at the moment is $99.33 million.
Recently, Blue Apron has had trouble competing in the market it effectively founded, despite a slight increase caused by the pandemic. In addition, the attractiveness of maintaining a monthly membership when you could have a meal kit delivered along with your regular shopping has diminished as grocery behemoths like Kroger, Walmart, and Amazon grasp the idea of meal kits and fresh, ready-to-cook meals.
However, Blue Apron promotes its premium ingredients as a key selling feature. As faster to prepare, delivered-to-your-door meals that don't taste as if they came out of a cardboard box, the new Ready to Cook meals join a Heat & Eat option (microwave meals) and Fast & Easy recipes (sheet pan and one-pot recipes).
Nevertheless, they emerge from a box of cardboard or ten. Another common criticism of this service and others like it is the amount of packing used.
The new menu items, based on Blue Apron's most well-liked recipes, are cheesy tomato gnocchi with spinach and Calabrian chile, sweet chili udon with vegetables and coconut chips, and pesto chicken and orzo with spinach, tomatoes, and ricotta.
Instead of the company's meals that require you to chop, subscribers can add Ready to Cook dishes. Beginning on July 29th, they will be available as a meal box option on the two- and four-serving menus.
Why Blue Apron is Pivoting to a More Flexible Distribution Model
Besides giving consumers who might be inclined to cancel more options, Blue Apron is concentrating on keeping its most valuable clients satisfied.
Blue Apron has experienced problems with both client retention and losing market share to rivals. They think it makes sense to go from a low-price approach to a premium product strategy for these reasons.
Even while this will reduce their reach and clientele, they will still be able to make money. They will locate a devoted client base, reduce unnecessary spending on marketing and customer acquisition, and concentrate on customer retention if they can identify a group to target and treat them properly. They can achieve this by changing their service from what it is now to an in-home cooking class setting.
The value of the cooking experience is higher than any convenience Blue Apron can provide, and the new strategy takes advantage of this consumer choice.
The customer's options for recipes would initially be straightforward, and as they advanced through the program, they would get more challenging.
They could learn what they need to accomplish by watching chefs prepare meals in online courses. This tactical shift now capitalizes on the demand for cooking instruction; rather than trying to persuade customers that having goods delivered to their door makes cooking more convenient, they can simply convey the value of a learning experience.
Meals to be Expected from Blue Apron’s New Vertical
Blue Apron's ready-to-cook meals are made with ingredients that don't require chopping or knife work. This makes it simple for consumers to assemble the meal in a recyclable aluminum tray, bake it, and add the final touches while minimizing cleaning.
The product is the newest addition to Blue Apron's collection of recipes in its "fast prep" category, which saves customers time in the kitchen. Along with Ready to Cook, the business also provides:
Prepared, single-serving meals called "Heat & Eat" are meant to be microwaved and ready in five minutes or less. The recipe collection includes versions of several foods the business is most well-known for.
One-pot and sheet pan dinners that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less are featured in the recipe collection Fast & Easy, created with simplicity for cooking and cleaning.
To offer a variety of alternatives and cuisines, including Italian, Mediterranean, and Mexican, the ready-to-cook recipes were designed by testing a mix of grains, starches, and sauces from the Blue Apron pantry with a cooking vessel that produced the most consistent results.
For instance, their meaty tacos combine chorizo, and black beans served on a soft tortilla. Their oven-baked gnocchi comes with a blend of juicy tomatoes, spinach, and spicy Calabrian chilli sauce topped with mozzarella.
The original recipes consist of:
Food for Thought on Blue Apron's New Approach
Better Living Through Better FoodTM is Blue Apron's mission statement. Blue Apron, established in 2012, provides new, chef-designed recipes that encourage home chefs to explore their culinary interests, test their culinary skills, and discover the impact that good cuisine can have on their lives.
Blue Apron is a carbon-neutral meal-kit business that strives to offer its clients amazing dishes while encouraging planetary and dietary wellness for all.