By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-19 03:15:55 | Updated at 2026-08-20 04:31:48
1 day ago
Blue Apron customers are losing their patience thanks to missing ingredients, late deliveries and damaged food as the meal-kit company grapples with a major supply-chain disruption.
The problems began after FreshRealm, Blue Apron's primary supplier, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year.
Blue Apron partnered with Misfits Market in April to take over distribution, including operations at a fulfillment center in Tracy, California, as the companies raced to transition the business, SFGATE reported.
But the handover has created a nightmare for some customers, with complaints piling up over boxes arriving late, missing key ingredients or containing damaged and spoiled food.
A Misfits Market spokesperson told SFGATE that a transition of this scale would typically take about a year, but the company was attempting to complete it in less than 10 weeks - creating significant inventory and fulfillment challenges.
Blue Apron has acknowledged the problems, attributing them to the rapid transition to its new supplier.
In an August 14 Instagram post, Blue Apron acknowledged the delivery problems, blaming delays and missing ingredients on the transition to its new fulfillment partner.
'To say that it has not gone smoothly would be an understatement,' the company wrote.
Blue Apron customers are being left frustrated by missing ingredients, late deliveries and damaged food as the meal-kit company grapples with a major supply-chain disruption
In an August 14 Instagram post, Blue Apron acknowledged the delivery problems, blaming delays and missing ingredients on the transition to its new fulfillment partner
The company said it would temporarily limit its menu options while it works through the disruption and add additional quality-control checks to prevent faulty shipments from reaching customers.
The fallout has been particularly visible among longtime customers, many of whom have taken to social media to document their experiences.
One customer on Reddit said their box was missing multiple proteins but instead arrived with a collection of unexpected extras, including what they described as 'a giant carrot that looks like it was grown by aliens.'
Other customers have posted photos of damaged products, leaking packages and bags of produce that arrived opened or spoiled.
While many customers say Blue Apron has issued refunds or credits for the botched deliveries, some longtime subscribers say the latest problems are the final straw after what they describe as a gradual decline in service quality.
'What a bizarre way to destroy a company, its reputation, and brand loyalty,' one customer wrote on Reddit. 'We've put up with the occasional missing ingredient because of their (then) excellent customer service. This is different.'
The turmoil marks a dramatic turn for a company that was once one of the biggest names in America's meal-kit boom.
Blue Apron was valued at nearly $2 billion in 2017, when the company went public and helped popularize the idea of having pre-portioned ingredients delivered directly to customers' doors.
Blue Apron will temporarily limit its menu options while it works through the disruption and add additional quality-control checks to prevent faulty shipments from reaching customers
The company was acquired by Wonder Group in 2023 and now operates as a subsidiary of the food-delivery company.
Meanwhile, the bankruptcy proceedings involving FreshRealm have exposed just how dependent Blue Apron's operation was on its supplier.
Court filings show FreshRealm was responsible for fulfilling roughly 60,000 Blue Apron boxes of meal kits and prepared meals each week, with Blue Apron accounting for about 70 percent of FreshRealm's total revenue.
Blue Apron is now working to transition its fulfillment operations away from FreshRealm.
The company has said it is issuing refunds and credits to customers affected by the disruptions while it works through the transition.
