The costs to source, pick and package ingredients for an ever-changing roster of meals were not covered within the product’s pricing structure, and customers did not appear willing to spend more. Blue Apron’s supply chain - labor-intensive, slow and unreliable - emerged as an Achilles’ heel. Customers found the meals took longer-than-promised to cook, while others simply moved on after the novelty wore off. Investors applauded the company’s ability to buy direct from growers, and in 2017 an IPO valued the company at roughly $2 billion.īut soon after its public offering, flaws surfaced. The service appealed to home cooks looking for a convenient way to learn techniques and experiment with new flavors.īehind the scenes, Blue Apron built a vast network of relationships with local farmers. Named for the blue aprons worn in culinary schools, the company created novel recipes each week and delivered boxes of precisely measured ingredients with step-by-step directions to customers.

In 2012, entrepreneurs Matt Salzberg and Ilia Papas partnered to create meal-kit delivery service Blue Apron. What does the meal-kit pioneer need to do to freshen its fortunes and finally turn a profit? The Scenario

But as bigger, more sophisticated competition arrived, Blue Apron’s revenues began to wilt. Blue Apron once seemed to poised to revolutionize meal kits, the farm-to-table supply chain and maybe even American culinary know-how.

Blue apron customer service