• by Danielle Oster , 5 hours ago

Blue Apron helped popularize the meal kit subscription model following its launch back in 2013. Now the brand is looking to shed the subscription association.

Blue Apron’s extensive revamp moves it beyond the subscription model that had fixed meal plans treating "customers as two or four-person households with set, predictable needs,” to a “modern, à la carte approach that lets customers shop what they want, when they want, with no commitment required,” according to the brand. Blue Apron claims the relaunch also signals a broader evolution for the meal kit category beyond its brand.

“We know families are juggling a lot, especially during the dinnertime rush between 5 and 8 p.m. They need options that are fast, nutritious, and still feel special. That’s exactly what we’ve built -- meals ready in as little as five minutes, no subscription required,” said Whitney Pegden, senior vice president, general manager of Blue Apron at Wonder, in a news release.

The revamp includes “a new visual and verbal identity” created by agency Associates by Design, designed to communicate a “clean, modern and approachable energy” across brand touch points, from user experience on digital channels to physical packaging, Blue Apron Head of Marketing Raina Enand told Marketing Daily. The relaunch will be supported by a full marketing campaign across online and offline channels.

“The rebrand is just the beginning: we’re preparing expanded product lines, bold creative campaigns, and strategic partnerships to make Blue Apron an even bigger part of America’s weekly mealtime routines,” Enand added.

The rebranding follows Blue Apron’s 2023 acquisition by Wonder Group -- the company founded by former Walmart CEO Marc Lore in 2018 -- for a reported $103 million. 

“Since joining Wonder, we’ve been focused on modernizing Blue Apron for today's busy family,” Enand said. “Wonder has been an integral partner in shaping the relaunch -- both strategically and technically -- and we’re leveraging its full tech stack and operational capabilities to deliver a more flexible, elevated experience.”

Wonder Group also acquired delivery service Gruhub from Just Eat Takeaway for a reported $650 million in a deal announced last November. This spring, Wonder relaunched the Seamless brand Grubhub acquired in 2013, with a pizza-slice-focused campaign in  New York City.