Kroger Gives Blue Apron a Shove by Launching its Own Meal Kit

Kroger isn’t just standing by and letting the likes of meal-delivery services such as Blue Apron and Purple Carrot corner the market. As consumer preferences change, the grocer is going big on its own meal kits, leveraging its size, distribution footprint and supply chain.

The meal-kit market has reached about $1.5 billion. To put a little elbow room between itself and the competition, Kroger’s Prep + Pared subscription meal kits offer several differences. The meals are less expensive than competitors, costing around $14 for a meal for two. Blue Apron, the frontrunner, delivering 8 million+ meals each month, charges about $20 for a two-person meal. The meal kits are available in test stores, making it convenient for consumers to look over the packaging, ingredients and recipes and pick up the meals while they do their regular grocery shopping. And, Kroger does most of the chopping and peeling, unlike competitors like Blue Apron, saying its meals take only about 20 minutes to prepare.

A variety of chef-inspired and designed recipes are available, including the Japanese Inspired Beef Bowl, Chimichurri Steak or Moroccan Inspired Spring Vegetables.

Kroger, which opens its doors to more than 8.5 million people each day, plans to launch Prep + Pared nationwide over the next year, Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of The Kroger Co. said last week in a letter to shareholders. He added that the company closely monitors consumer “megatrends” like meal-delivery services to keep pace with consumer preferences.

“Meal kits are one of many offerings designed to meet our customers’ changing definition of convenience,” he said. “We believe Kroger can really excel in this small but growing segment.” Read the article …

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