Since 2012, Blue Apron has been a pioneer in approachable at-home cooking with its popular pre-portioned meal kits. Now, the company is shifting away from its signature business model to give customers more flexibility to cook what they want without a subscription.
On Monday, the company that historically was built around subscriptions and fixed meal plans announced exclusively on "Good Morning America" a transformation to its products, including a new high-protein menu, with the ability to order à la carte for the first time.
The signature Meal Kit offering is now more flexible than ever with a permanent menu of best-selling and top-rated recipes. Those who prefer recurring deliveries can still opt in for "Autoship & Save" when ordering to create a custom meal kit program without the subscription.
"Blue Apron has always been about helping people cook and eat well at home but the way families manage mealtime has changed," Whitney Pegden, SVP and GM of Blue Apron, told "GMA."
As such, Pedgen said that more than ever households "don’t want to be locked into rigid plans or forced to subscribe just to get dinner on the table."
"That’s why we made the decision to fully remove the subscription requirement and give customers complete flexibility," she said. "Whether you need a quick-prep dinner one week or a full fridge the next, Blue Apron is now built to fit real life, not the other way around. We’re excited to meet families where they are and become their go-to solution for fast, high-quality meals, whenever they need them."
Just in time for back-to-school, the brand has two new product lines with a menu that's more than doubled in size, now offering more than 100 weekly options, which Blue Apron designed for convenience.
The new Dish by Blue Apron line offers a rotation of 40 meal options, all of which the company said can be ready in as few as five minutes. The pre-made meals are designed to meet nutrition standards, including at least 20 grams of protein, plus fiber and no artificial flavors or colors.
Also new in this launch is an Assemble and Bake line of one-pan, family-friendly meals with 15 rotating options and 10 always-available dishes. The kits come with already prepared ingredients that require just five minutes or less of hands-on cooking time.
The final addition is a new premium membership for Blue Apron+. Costing $9.99 per month, including free shipping, it will give members full access to stream the Tastemade+ suite of food, home and travel shows.
