Blue Apron is an acclaimed company working in the food industry. To be more specific, the domain of Blue Apron is meal-kit. They prepare a box that contains ingredients and recipes that can be prepared from them. The customers get pre-portioned and sometimes partially-prepared food ingredients and recipes to prepare home-cooked meals on a subscription-based model. When discussing such a service, who are there apart from Blue Apron?
I’ll discuss Blue Apron and the competitors of Blue Apron in 2023.
Table Of Contents
Brief Overview Of Blue Apron
Blue Apron is an American company headquartered in New York, United States. It provides a weekly subscription to customers regarding meal preparation boxes. The boxes contain ingredients and partially-prepared food items that you can use to cook the final meal. As a customer, you can choose how many recipes you want to get delivered on a weekly basis. The entire meal planning is done by Blue Apron. You can select their planned recipes from their culinary team. You also have the option to present your dietary preferences and select recipes accordingly.
Pricing Of Blue Apron
Here is a list of the basic pricing model of Blue Apron
2 | 2 | $11.99 | $9.99 | $57.95 |
2 | 3 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $69.93 |
2 | 4 | $9.49 | $9.99 | $85.91 |
4 | 2 | $9.49 | $9.99 | $85.91 |
4 | 3 | $8.49 | $9.99 | $111.87 |
4 | 4 | $7.99 | $9.99 | $137.83 |
Headquarters: New York
Founders: Matt Wadiak, Matt Salzberg, and Ilia Papas
Operating Countries: United States
Revenue (as of Dec 2022): $458 Million
Pros and Cons Of Blue Apron
Before seeing the competitors of Blue Apron, let us first understand the pros and cons of Blue Apron. This will also help us compare what the competitors are providing.
Pros Of Blue Apron
- Easy to prepare meals.
- Uses fresh ingredients and certified products.
- Includes meal options for certain health patients as well.
- Free shipping on large orders.
Cons Of Blue Apron
- More expensive as compared to grocery buying and cooking on your own.
- No vegan or gluten-free meal options as of now.
- Exclusively operating in the United States. Not available in other countries as of now.
- Small orders may cause high shipping charges.
Competitors Of Blue Apron
So, a brief overview of Blue Apron is done. Apart from Blue Apron, many meal-kit services are present in the market. Most people are not aware of all the options they have. Let us jump straight into the competitors of Blue Apron that may be the next option you choose!
We will compare each competitor on the basis of these metrics
- Number of Recipes
- The average cost of a meal for 2 people
- Operating Countries
1. HelloFresh
HelloFresh is based in Berlin, Germany. It has operations in the United States along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Italy, and Scandinavia), and Japan. Most recipes take time around 30-40 minutes. HelloFresh also offers a “RapidBox” that takes around 20 minutes to prepare. However, the RapidBox option is not available in all countries where the company operates. Currently, they contain around 19 recipes to choose from.
Comparison Of HelloFresh and Blue Apron
Pros Of HelloFresh Over Blue Apron
- More meal and recipe options – around 20+
- Frequent discounts available for all meal options
Cons Of HelloFresh Over Blue Apron
- Longer delivery times
- No mention of whether ingredients are organic or non-GMO.
2. Home Chef
Home Chef is based out of Chicago. This is one great company that is doing remarkably well in the meal-kit domain. Each meal kit comes with recyclable packaging, pre-portioned ingredients, and meal instructions. Home Chef does not offer free shipping on any meal option. Moreover, there are fewer options for vegetarian recipes. Apart from meals, they also offer smoothies along with fruit baskets. One positive aspect of this company is that it uses reusable packaging and contributes to environmental protection with each meal.
Comparison Of Home Chef and Blue Apron
Pros Of Home Chef Over Blue Apron
- Customized meal budget as per your selections.
- Offers weight loss meals as per your needs.
- More meal options and recipes
Cons Of Home Chef Over Blue Apron
- Shipping cost is not fixed.
- No mention of the ingredients being organic or non-GMO
3. Martha And Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon is the main company for this meal-kit service. It was relaunched and announced a partnership with Martha Stewart, hence, the name. They use reduced plastic packaging as compared to Blue Apron. Many people think Martha Stewart is the owner of this company. However, the owner is Fabian Siegel. Martha Stewart has a separate partnership with the company.
Comparison Of Martha and Marley Spoon and Blue Apron
Pros Of Martha and Marley Spoon Over Blue Apron
- All meals come with detailed instructions. Ideal for beginners.
- It includes vegan options for most meals.
- More meal options and recipes
Cons Of Martha and Marley Spoon Over Blue Apron
- High shipping costs as compared to Blue Apron
4. Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot is a Massachusetts-based meal kit company. One interesting aspect of this meal-kit service is that it is 100% plant-based. The company serves only in the United States. You can choose between two different packages. Either a three-night meal plan which serves two people ($68) or a two-night meal plan that serves four ($74). The costs that I am mentioning here are as of April 2023. The costs may vary.
Comparison Of Purple Carrot and Blue Apron
Pros Of Purple Carrot Over Blue Apron
- All meals are plant-based since the start.
- All ingredients they deliver are organic.
- Variety of meal flavors due to plant proteins used.
Cons Of Purple Carrot Over Blue Apron
- No animal protein. Hence, no options for customers who want an animal protein taste in their meals.
- Little expensive and on the higher end as compared to Blue Apron.
5. Sunbasket
Sunbasket is another great meal-kit service that I am mentioning on our list. This offers a wide variety of meals to its customers with a weekly subscription model. The company is headquartered in San Francisco. For every meal, the ingredients are sourced from California farms. Sunbasket also has a special menu for people who have dietary preferences such as gluten-free, vegan, or paleo. The packaging is done using recyclable PET fiber. Even the ice packs are made using GMO cotton and water.
Comparison Of Sunbasket and Blue Apron
Pros Of Sunbasket Over Blue Apron
- Meal options for vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and diabetic-friendly.
- Breakfast and snack meal options are also available
- Around 30+ meal options available in total
Cons Of Sunbasket Over Blue Apron
- Costlier as compared to an average meal in Blue Apron.
- No fixed shipping. Shipping varies for each order.
Comparison Of All Competitors Of Blue Apron
When we compare the competitors, we need some fixed metrics on which the comparison should be made. For this article, I would be comparing the competitors on the following metrics
- Number Of Recipes
- Dietary Recipes
- Average Cost Per Meal
- Areas Served
- Revenue ( in 2022)
Number Of Recipes
Blue Apron | 15+ |
HelloFresh | 20+ |
Home Chef | 30+ |
Martha And Marley Spoon | 22+ |
Purple Carrot | 25+ |
Sunbasket | 30+ |
Dietary Recipes
Blue Apron | Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Diabetic-Friendly, Weight Loss |
HelloFresh | Vegetarian, Vegan, Mediterranean, Weight Loss |
Home Chef | Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Weight Loss |
Martha And Marley Spoon | Vegetarian, Vegan, Mediterranean, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Weight Loss |
Purple Carrot | Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Weight Loss |
Sunbasket | Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Diabetic-Friendly, Weight Loss |
Average Cost Per Meal
Blue Apron | $70 |
HelloFresh | $65 |
Home Chef | $50 |
Martha And Marley Spoon | $50 |
Purple Carrot | $75 |
Sunbasket | $55 |
The prices may vary on many factors. However, I have taken the average cost per meal for a basic understanding.
Areas Served
Blue Apron | Only United States |
HelloFresh | United States along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Italy, and Scandinavia), and Japan. |
Home Chef | Only United States |
Martha And Marley Spoon | Only United States |
Purple Carrot | Only United States |
Sunbasket | Only United States |
Revenue ( in 2022)
Blue Apron | $458 Million |
HelloFresh | $8179 Million |
Home Chef | $529.4 Million |
Martha And Marley Spoon | $436 Million |
Purple Carrot | $50 Million |
Sunbasket | $300 Million |