The fresh food meal-kit is heating up as the pandemic continues in the United States. The meal kit delivery services industry generated $1.5 Billion in sales in 2016[1] but then appeared to lose steam. Forbes published an article in 2018 titled “Meal Kits Are DOA” where Brittain Ladd states, “Consumers already have access to meal kits—they’re called grocery stores… Meal kits aren’t just a dying fad, they’re dead on arrival over the long-term[2].”  Ladd was not alone in this grave sentiment. Blue Apron’s stock, valued at $140 per share in 2017, tumbled to $2.98 per share in February 2020 and news media outlets were calling the industry toast.

Que the global pandemic.

 With shelter in place orders and empty grocery shelves, the meal kit industry skyrocketed. Home cooking has taken a new place as center stage of social media feeds and daily conversations.  550,000 customers bought meal kits from Blue Apron between January and March 2020, while only 351,000 customers were reported in the same period during the prior year. Now, in a report by GroceryDrive, the industry is predicted to hit $20 billion by 2027[3]. New competitors have also joined the fray as local catering companies pivot into the space.

But, which one is the best? I decided to put my money where my mouth is and try out various kits on the market.

The Challenge – Finding the Best Meal Prep Delivery Service

To make things fair, here are my ground rules:

1. Two meals must be ordered from each delivery service

Granted, while sampling around meal kits, it is possible that I might just get unlucky for the meals chosen. I’m going to try giving each kit two shots to see what happens.

2. The meal test kits must be prepared exactly as the instructions state

Unfortunately, my little seasoning tricks need to be put in the back burner

3. One of the meals needs to be Asian (if Asian food is an option)

When I told my roommate about this requirement, he thought this rule was pretty mean. Admittedly, I am an Asian food snob with generations in the restaurant business and a long history in the Chinese culinary space. At the same time, what better way to evaluate a food company than with an area I know best? Get ready for some harsh criticism.  

4. Focus on the quality of food

I’ll leave it to other, more intelligent, bloggers to dish out stats on price/value, user interface, or the packaging design. I’m a cook, so let’s talk cooking. Who has the best food?

5. Use a Spoon Rating System for overall impression

1 Spoon = Please don’t buy this

5 Spoons = This is the most ingenious thing since sliced bread

Let’s get cooking!

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[1]Cole, Nicolas. “The Healthy Meal Kit Service Industry Is Worth $1.5 Billion (Here’s What The Future Of Food Looks Like).” Inc.com, Inc., 17 Feb. 2017, http://www.inc.com/nicolas-cole/the-healthy-meal-kit-service-industry-is-worth-15-billion-heres-what-the-future.html.

[2] Ladd, Brittain. “Meal Kits Are DOA: The Next Big Trends In Food Are Being Driven By Amazon, ICON Meals and Mercatus.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Dec. 2018, http://www.forbes.com/sites/brittainladd/2018/12/03/amazon-icon-meals-and-mercatus-how-these-companies-are-driving-change-in-the-grocery-industry/.

[3] Dumont, Jessica. “Meal Kit Industry Expected to Hit $20B by 2027.” Grocery Dive, 5 June 2020, http://www.grocerydive.com/news/meal-kit-industry-expected-to-hit-20b-by-2027/579265/.