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Blue Apron and Marley Spoon face major delivery disruptions following supplier bankruptcy

Customers report empty boxes, missing ingredients, and spoiled food after the meal kit companies transitioned to a new fulfillment partner.

The short version

  • Meal delivery services Blue Apron and Marley Spoon are facing widespread customer complaints due to delivery delays, incomplete boxes, and spoiled food.
  • The disruption began after the companies' former supplier, FreshRealm, filed for bankruptcy, forcing a hasty transition to Misfits Market as a fulfillment partner.
  • Both companies have apologized and are offering credits or refunds, with Blue Apron scaling back its menu options to stabilize deliveries.

Key facts

  • Blue Apron and Marley Spoon experienced severe supply chain issues following the bankruptcy of their previous supplier, FreshRealm.[The Hill]
  • Customers reported receiving boxes containing only ice packs, missing major ingredients like proteins, and spoiled food caused by multi-day shipping delays.[The Hill]
  • Misfits Market CEO Abhi Ramesh stated that the transition was complicated because inventory counts provided in the FreshRealm bankruptcy filing were incorrect.[The Hill]
  • Blue Apron is temporarily reducing its menu options and increasing quality control measures to address the issues.[The Hill]
  • Both companies have advised affected customers to contact customer support for credits or refunds, with Blue Apron proactively issuing credits for missing items.[The Hill]

What remains uncertain

  • It is unclear how long it will take for operations to fully stabilize, though a Marley Spoon spokesperson stated they expect issues to improve over the coming weeks.[The Hill]

Sources