As is common, maybe I'm misreading some of the points of the article, but I disagree that the two options are very similar. I used both services for varying amounts of time (~6mo blue apron, ~12mo...
As is common, maybe I'm misreading some of the points of the article, but I disagree that the two options are very similar. I used both services for varying amounts of time (~6mo blue apron, ~12mo hello fresh) and had very different experiences with both. I found that HelloFresh is a very "safe" option: most of their meals are slight twists on very common recipes, you're not very likely to try something new, and the food will usually be somewhere between "meh" and "that was pretty good!". Blue Apron was (for my partner and myself) a lot more hit-or-miss. A lot more foods outside the norms of American culture, slightly more complicated recipes (though not unbearably complex) and meals were a lot more extreme in reaction going between "wow I hate this" to "Wow let's eat this every day". Ultimately, we ended up quitting both services. Blue Apron we quit because my partner is a picky eater and we had a hard time finding enough meals each week. HelloFresh we quit because eventually the recipes got really repetitive and lost their luster, plus we read this article about the company and felt turned off by them. Both are fine if you know what you're looking for, though I would suggest reading the article posted before jumping on the HelloFresh train. Which is not to say if you read that article and use HelloFresh that you're a bad person, just that I think people should be aware of the morals and ethics of a company when they decide to give them money and they can make an informed decision from there.
I've subscribed to Blue Apron and Sun Basket in the past. Blue Apron had a similar experience in that the recipes would have unusual additions or flavor profiles that would take them in unusual...
I've subscribed to Blue Apron and Sun Basket in the past. Blue Apron had a similar experience in that the recipes would have unusual additions or flavor profiles that would take them in unusual directions (pork chops with grapefruit pieces, anyone?). Sun Basket I stuck with longer and found it to be a very helpful "training wheels" exercise in getting used to cooking at home versus ordering in or pre-made meals.
In the course of preparing for a few weeks of limited mobility, I got curious about the mechanics and economics of meal kit subscription services. This article is of interest for the teardown of...
In the course of preparing for a few weeks of limited mobility, I got curious about the mechanics and economics of meal kit subscription services.
This article is of interest for the teardown of the pricing factors in meal subscriptions, and subscription services in general.
The title is somewhat misleading in that the article concludes there's little practical difference between Hello Fresh! and Blue Apron in terms of pricing and value-added services. The real differentiator is how they choose to entertain or appeal to the customer's value system.
Leaving aside the questions of energy consumption, waste, labor exploitation, nutritional quality, etc., I don't see how meal subscriptions will be a long-term valid business model. They're too vulnerable to economic contraction and the subsequent restriction of luxury spending. While there may be a significant time savings, at these price points, ready-to-eat grocery options or takeout are actually cheaper. With meal kits, you're mainly paying for the psychological satisfaction of "home-cooked" food.
[Also, priceintelligently.com is a deeply intriguing site if you've ever wondered about product pricing as a subset of microeconomics. There's all kinds of data and models that may interest anti-capitalists, privacy enthusiasts, entrepreneurs...]
I can vouch for this. My wife and I recently had to take on an unexpected $2,500 car repair and we went through our budget looking for things to cut out. Immediately we decided to pause our Blue...
I don't see how meal subscriptions will be a long-term valid business model. They're too vulnerable to economic contraction and the subsequent restriction of luxury spending.
I can vouch for this. My wife and I recently had to take on an unexpected $2,500 car repair and we went through our budget looking for things to cut out. Immediately we decided to pause our Blue Apron subscription for the next two months.
This was a good article from last month too, if you didn't see it already: Recipe for disaster: The meteoric rise and ongoing demise of Blue Apron (Tildes post)
As is common, maybe I'm misreading some of the points of the article, but I disagree that the two options are very similar. I used both services for varying amounts of time (~6mo blue apron, ~12mo hello fresh) and had very different experiences with both. I found that HelloFresh is a very "safe" option: most of their meals are slight twists on very common recipes, you're not very likely to try something new, and the food will usually be somewhere between "meh" and "that was pretty good!". Blue Apron was (for my partner and myself) a lot more hit-or-miss. A lot more foods outside the norms of American culture, slightly more complicated recipes (though not unbearably complex) and meals were a lot more extreme in reaction going between "wow I hate this" to "Wow let's eat this every day". Ultimately, we ended up quitting both services. Blue Apron we quit because my partner is a picky eater and we had a hard time finding enough meals each week. HelloFresh we quit because eventually the recipes got really repetitive and lost their luster, plus we read this article about the company and felt turned off by them. Both are fine if you know what you're looking for, though I would suggest reading the article posted before jumping on the HelloFresh train. Which is not to say if you read that article and use HelloFresh that you're a bad person, just that I think people should be aware of the morals and ethics of a company when they decide to give them money and they can make an informed decision from there.
I've subscribed to Blue Apron and Sun Basket in the past. Blue Apron had a similar experience in that the recipes would have unusual additions or flavor profiles that would take them in unusual directions (pork chops with grapefruit pieces, anyone?). Sun Basket I stuck with longer and found it to be a very helpful "training wheels" exercise in getting used to cooking at home versus ordering in or pre-made meals.
I'm not going to lie, that sounds amazing. But I would never buy a grapefruit because I wouldn't eat it by itself.
In the course of preparing for a few weeks of limited mobility, I got curious about the mechanics and economics of meal kit subscription services.
This article is of interest for the teardown of the pricing factors in meal subscriptions, and subscription services in general.
The title is somewhat misleading in that the article concludes there's little practical difference between Hello Fresh! and Blue Apron in terms of pricing and value-added services. The real differentiator is how they choose to entertain or appeal to the customer's value system.
Leaving aside the questions of energy consumption, waste, labor exploitation, nutritional quality, etc., I don't see how meal subscriptions will be a long-term valid business model. They're too vulnerable to economic contraction and the subsequent restriction of luxury spending. While there may be a significant time savings, at these price points, ready-to-eat grocery options or takeout are actually cheaper. With meal kits, you're mainly paying for the psychological satisfaction of "home-cooked" food.
[Also, priceintelligently.com is a deeply intriguing site if you've ever wondered about product pricing as a subset of microeconomics. There's all kinds of data and models that may interest anti-capitalists, privacy enthusiasts, entrepreneurs...]
I can vouch for this. My wife and I recently had to take on an unexpected $2,500 car repair and we went through our budget looking for things to cut out. Immediately we decided to pause our Blue Apron subscription for the next two months.
This was a good article from last month too, if you didn't see it already: Recipe for disaster: The meteoric rise and ongoing demise of Blue Apron (Tildes post)