Blue Apron Empowering Consumers with Lifestyle Choices

 

For over a decade, the meal kit model has followed a familiar playbook: lock customers into a subscription, send a weekly box of pre-portioned ingredients, and let them recreate restaurant-quality dishes at home according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  But as consumer dining habits evolve, so too must the companies serving them. Blue Apron, now owned by food hall and delivery innovator Wonder, is breaking from tradition—ditching mandatory subscriptions and reimagining how home cooking can be both flexible and inspiring.

From Subscription Lock-In to Culinary Freedom

The shift isn’t just a marketing pivot; it’s a response to hard consumer truths. According to Blue Apron GM Whitney Pegden, today’s eaters—particularly Gen Z and Gen X—are demanding more than just “easy meals.” They want:

·       Flexibility: No more meal planning a week ahead. No feeling stuck with an unwanted delivery.

·       Speed: Delivery in as little as three days (compared to the old 6–7 days).

·       Variety: Options ranging from full cook-from-scratch kits to quick Assemble & Bake recipes to zero-prep, heat-and-eat dishes.

·       Control: Transparent, tiered pricing that matches the cost of each meal instead of a one-size-fits-all model.

In this new approach, customers can shop meal kits à la carte—like they would groceries—while still having the option to “Autoship and Save” if they crave set-it-and-forget-it convenience.

Gen Z and Gen X: Different Ages, Same Appetite for Comfort & Flavor

Data from Technomic shows that 64% of Gen Z and 57% of Gen X consumers prioritize flavor and comfort when deciding on meals at home, but both groups resist overcomplication. Where they differ is in their cooking mindset:

·       Gen Z thrives on discovery—trying new flavors, testing skills, and sharing the results online—but they’re time-poor and often live in smaller kitchens.

·       Gen X values practical efficiency and family-friendly meal solutions that don’t compromise on quality or nutrition.

Blue Apron’s tiered offering—ranging from scratch cooking to near-instant heat-and-eat—meets both demographics right where they are.

The Grocerant Guru®: 3 Insights on Why This Strategy Wins

Food industry analyst and “Grocerant Guru®” Steven Johnson identifies three reasons why Blue Apron’s pivot is a smart play for driving trial and adoption:

1.       Reducing Commitment Barriers Increases First-Time Purchases
Removing subscriptions eliminates a psychological hurdle. NielsenIQ data shows 48% of consumers avoid subscription food services due to fear of commitment, even if they’re interested in the product. By going à la carte, Blue Apron invites trial without strings attached.

2.       Multiple Entry Points Create Layered Loyalty
By offering cook-from-scratch, semi-prepped, and fully prepared options, Blue Apron can meet consumers in different moments—weekday rush, weekend cooking project, or solo lunch. Johnson notes that “multi-solution” brands have 35% higher repeat purchase rates because they fit more occasions.

3.       Blurring the Lines Between Restaurant and Grocery
The integration with Wonder’s “super app for mealtime” puts Blue Apron in the same consumer consideration set as takeout and groceries. Johnson says this grocerant (grocery + restaurant) positioning taps into the $20 billion hybrid meal solutions market, which is growing at nearly 9% annually.

ring to Personalizing

Founded in 2012, Blue Apron helped define the modern meal kit era. Its IPO in 2017 was a landmark moment for the category—but the brand faced headwinds as competitors and consumer expectations grew. The Wonder acquisition in 2024 wasn’t just a rescue—it was an opportunity for reinvention.

With its new model, Blue Apron isn’t simply selling ingredients in a box. It’s selling lifestyle compatibility: the freedom to cook at home in a way that matches your mood, time, and taste. For Gen Z, that might mean learning to sear scallops for the first time; for Gen X, it could be getting a wholesome dinner on the table in 15 minutes.

In the crowded food landscape, Blue Apron’s bet is clear: give consumers the tools to eat at home the way they want, and they’ll keep coming back—not because they have to, but because they choose to.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Gen Z’s Return to Real: Why Comfort, Clarity, and Control Are Winning the Day

 

Marketers, listen up: Gen Z isn’t the radical, unpredictable force you thought they were according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. The latest insights from Collage Group’s just-released report reveal a profound shift in how today’s youngest adults are approaching life, food, and brand engagement. Spoiler alert: they’re not seeking disruption. They’re seeking stability, simplicity, and substance.

As the Grocerant Guru®, I’ve long watched the intersection of evolving lifestyles, consumer discontent, and food choice. Gen Z is now pulling the food world—and the rest of the marketplace—back toward familiarity and control. Let’s unpack what this means for grocery stores, restaurants, and C-stores working to stay relevant.

 

Risk-Averse, Routine-Oriented, and Nostalgic? Yes, Really.

According to Collage Group, a full 62% of Gen Z now identifies as risk-averse, up 13 percentage points from last year. Meanwhile, 65% are routine-driven, and 55% report feelings of nostalgia, all showing double-digit year-over-year increases.

Translation? Gen Z is exhausted. From digital chaos and economic instability to climate fear and COVID hangovers, they’ve been hit hard—and it shows. In this context, it’s no wonder they’re turning to the familiar: traditional meals, simple routines, and comforting formats like Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat bundled meals.

As the Grocerant Guru®, I’ve seen this before: When consumers feel out of control, they retreat to food they trust, brands they recognize, and solutions that save time without sacrificing values.

 

The Myth of Gen Z as a Political Monolith

For years, the dominant narrative pegged Gen Z as hyper-progressive and radically political. But Collage Group’s report challenges that head-on. The numbers tell a different story:

• 28% identify as liberal
• 23% as conservative
• A notable 36% remain unsure

What’s going on? Gen Z grew up amid institutional failure—from the Great Recession and college debt traps to broken healthcare systems and pandemic mismanagement. According to the report, they feel deeply disconnected from both political parties and national identity.

In food terms, this means they’re also skeptical of big brand promises. Authenticity matters more than ideology. If your restaurant or grocery brand is pushing performative values but ignoring transparency or price parity, Gen Z will walk away.

 

Five Lifestyle Trends Every Food Marketer Needs to Know

Collage Group’s findings shine a light on the values fueling Gen Z’s purchasing decisions today. Here’s what I see as their implications for the food and retail sectors:

1. Health & Wellness = Personal Responsibility

With institutional distrust running high, Gen Z sees wellness as a DIY project. 58% say they feel confident managing their health independently. This is your moment to offer functional foods, immunity-boosting snacks, and nutrient-packed grab-and-go bundles that support that independence.

2. Food & Beverage = Control Through Clarity

Nearly half (47%) of Gen Z reads snack labels. They crave simple, natural ingredients and want to know what’s in their food and where it came from. Clean-label prepared meals and transparent sourcing will win over this demographic.

3. Personal Care = Minimalism Over Marketing

Beauty overload has backfired. Gen Z now favors minimal ingredients, simplified routines, and less hype. The same is true in food: simple meals with high-quality, few-ingredient components resonate far more than overly processed “innovation.”

4. Fashion & Style = Intentional Simplicity

Whether it’s “quiet luxury,” cottagecore, or trad-core aesthetics, Gen Z wants order, clarity, and intentionality. That craving extends to their food: portioned meal kits, mix-and-match bento boxes, and customizable grocery solutions offer the control they seek.

5. Spirituality & Domesticity Rising

One of the most unexpected trends? A surge in spiritual exploration and fascination with traditional domestic lifestyles. Think: cooking from scratch, creating rituals around meals, and seeking grounding routines. Brands that lean into food as comfort, culture, and family connection will find a loyal Gen Z base.

 Want to Build A Larger

Share of Stomach

Action Steps from the Grocerant Guru®

To tap into this shift, food retailers and restaurants must go beyond demographics and dig into cultural psychographics. Here’s how:

• Build Radical Transparency into Every Touchpoint
  Let customers know where ingredients come from, how meals are made, and why they’re priced the way they are. Trust starts here.
• Curate Simplicity, Not Oversimplification
  Offer fewer, better choices. A customizable 3-item meal bundle (protein, veggie, side) beats 30 chaotic SKUs every time.
• Empower Gen Z’s Self-Reliance
  Add how-to guides, ingredient insights, or prep tips. Show that you’re their partner in building better habits—not a gatekeeper to wellness.
• Celebrate Realness, Not Perfection
  Ditch the filters. Share behind-the-scenes content, showcase your people, and let the food speak for itself.

 

Final Bite from the Grocerant Guru®

What Collage Group’s latest report shows—and what I’ve seen firsthand—is that Gen Z’s quest isn’t for radical reinvention. It’s for control, calm, and connection. Their lives are chaotic, but their choices are increasingly clear: clean ingredients, real brands, and food that feels like home.

Forget trying to be flashy. Be consistent. Be real. Offer them a meal that’s simple, soulful, and self-directed—and you won’t just sell food. You’ll earn trust.

That’s the recipe for relevance in 2025.

The Grocerant Guru®
Leading Voice in Ready-2-Eat & Heat-N-Eat Food Trends, Bundling, and Consumer-Centric Innovation

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Why McDonalds Customers Earning Under $45,000 a Year Would Rather Eat at McDonald's Than Cook at Home

 

Regular readers of this blog know that Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® has been proving industry leading insights at the intersection of cooking from home and eating out since 1991.  You also know that McDonald's is one of the most popular fast-food chains in the world, serving millions of customers every day. But not everyone who visits McDonald's is happy with their choice. According to the company's CEO, Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's has seen a decline in traffic from lower-income customers who make less than $45,000 a year. Why is that? And why do some of these customers still prefer McDonald's over cooking at home?

 

One of the main reasons is the price. McDonald's has raised its menu prices by about 10% this year, on top of a 10% increase last year. This is partly due to the rising costs of ingredients, labor, and transportation. But it is also a strategic move to attract more middle- and higher-income customers, who are trading down to McDonald's from more expensive restaurants. These customers are looking for quality, convenience, and variety, and McDonald's has been investing in improving its products, services, and digital platforms to meet their expectations.

However, this strategy has also alienated some of the lower-income customers, who are more sensitive to price changes and have less disposable income. These customers are feeling the pressure of inflation and interest rates, which have reduced their purchasing power and increased their debt. They are also facing more competition for jobs and housing, as well as higher health care and education costs. As a result, they have cut back on their spending, especially on non-essential items like eating out.

But that does not mean they have stopped eating at McDonald's altogether. Some of them still choose McDonald's over cooking at home for various reasons. One of them is convenience. Cooking at home requires time, effort, and skills, which not everyone has or wants to invest. It also requires access to a kitchen, appliances, utensils, and ingredients, which not everyone can afford or find. For some people, going to McDonald's is easier, faster, and more satisfying than preparing their own meals.

Another reason is habit. Some people have grown up eating at McDonald's and have developed a preference and loyalty for its food. They enjoy the taste, the variety, and the familiarity of the menu. They also associate McDonald's with positive memories, emotions, and social interactions. For some people, eating at McDonald's is a way of rewarding themselves, relaxing, or having fun with their friends and family.

A third reason is value. Despite the price increases, McDonald's still offers some of the cheapest and most filling options in the market. It also offers deals and discounts, such as the free fry’s promotion every Friday, to entice customers and maintain its value leadership. For some people, eating at McDonald's is a way of saving money, getting more for less, or indulging in a treat without breaking the bank.

McDonald's customers earning under $45,000 a year have different reasons for choosing McDonald's over cooking at home. Some of them are driven by convenience, habit, or value, while others are deterred by price, inflation, or interest rates. McDonald's faces the challenge of balancing its pricing strategy, product quality, and customer loyalty, while also competing with other fast-food chains, grocery stores, and meal delivery services. The future of McDonald's depends on how well it can adapt to the changing needs and preferences of its customers, especially the lower-income ones who have been its core supporters for decades.

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday than tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Restaurants Take Notice Side Orders Outscore the Turkey on Thanksgiving

 

When you don’t know how to use left over turkey you turn to the side dishes.  According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® ‘side dishes are consumed as snacks or mini-meals, simple, quick, and delicious. The fact is Millennials and Gen Z simply don’t have the skill-set to prepared repurpose turkey into another tasty entrée yet. 

So, while Americans prepare their shopping lists for the biggest holiday meal of the year, Shipt's new survey has uncovered that more than half of Americans (51%) would prefer a Thanksgiving without the turkey than to go without their beloved sides.

Get this, when it comes to side dishes, more is better, as the #MakeSidesTheMain study found that the average American will serve five side dishes at the Thanksgiving table – and 16% intend to serve seven-plus.

Here are some additional findings from the #MakeSidesTheMain study include:

·         Generational Gap: Over half of Gen Z (58%) and Millennials (51%) are far more likely to choose sides over turkey, compared with Boomers (43%).

·         More Sides, Please: When going in for seconds, two-thirds of Americans are getting sides (66%) rather than the turkey, including an overwhelming majority of Gen Z (76%) and women (73%).

·         Don't Be THAT Guest: More than half of Americans (57%) would rather you show up empty-handed, than with a side dish that nobody likes.

·         The Dish is Worth the Drama: Family gatherings are notorious for dining room table debates, but a staggering 81% of Americans agree that the right food at Thanksgiving makes dealing with family drama worth it.

·         Peace and Stuffing: Almost half of Americans (43%) reported that they have had family arguments surrounding which side dish should be at the table. America's most beloved side dishes in ranking order are stuffing, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese.

Yes, there is more, to put an elevated twist on America's favorite Thanksgiving side, Shipt has teamed up with renowned Michelin Star Chef Charlie Mitchell, of Clover Hill, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to craft a series of innovative stuffing recipes. Shipt is also hosting an exclusive pop-up restaurant in the East Village serving Chef Mitchell's stuffing on Nov. 10-11. A reservation can be made via Resy.

Shipt’s survey also revealed where it can lend consumers a helping hand: cutting down on trips to the store.

Alia Kemet, CMO at the retail tech company, stated, "We learned through our survey that over half of Americans make three or more trips to the grocery store to prepare for Thanksgiving," ... "Shipt is every Thanksgiving host's hero, offering same-day delivery of the finest side dish essentials directly to your door, giving you time back to spend with loved ones."

In case you did not know, available in more than 5,000 U.S. cities, Birmingham, Ala.-based Shipt is an independently operated subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Target Corp. Target is No. 6 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, with nearly 2,000 locations. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation, and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Target Thanksgiving Dinner for 4 less than $25

 

Cash strapped, time starved, and college loans are just some of the problems driving Gen Z and Millennial consumers to the dinner table at home this year.  However, if you are not going out for Thanksgiving to a restaurant or relatives Target has a deal for you.

According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® with a complete understanding of the state of the consumer and a focus on building long term customers Target has come out with a Thanksgiving meal serving four people that it said costs less than $25, including turkey at under $1 per pound, as well as an array of sides and desserts for less than $5. The items are available both in stores and via Target.com. Let’s take a look:

Target’s $25 Thanksgiving meal deal is composed primarily of items from the retailer’s Good & Gather private brand. Those hosting a larger Thanksgiving party, the retailer noted, can double the list to serve eight guests.

The meal includes the following products:

• Good & Gather Premium Basted Young Turkey (frozen, 10 lbs.)
• Good & Gather Russet Potatoes (5 lbs.)
• Good & Gather Cut Green Beans (14.5 oz.)
• Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup (22 oz.)
• Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce (14 oz.)
• Stove Top Turkey Stuffing Mix (6 oz.)
• Heinz HomeStyle Roasted Turkey Gravy (12 oz.)

 

Understand the growth of within the grocerant Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food niche this mix and match bundled meal Thanksgiving dinner also edifies Target’s efforts to serve up more customer focused solutions for convenient meals.

The fact is Target has had a lot of success with their meal bag business, which is a grab-and-go meal in a bag for less than $15. It’s at the intersection of Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat where consumers are migrating from one brand to another according Johnson.  Target wants to be located in the center of that intersection.

Now consider this, Targets Thanksgiving meal, is offering a selection of other “must-have fixings." They include side dishes for less than $5, such as Caesar salad, seasoned sweet potatoes, vegetables, lemon-basil rice and mac-and-cheese, plus desserts for under $5, like the retailer’s Favorite Day-brand apple crisp ice cream, pumpkin spice soft sandwich cookies and mini pecan pies. Also available are adult beverages for $5, such as California Roots cabernet sauvignon wine and chardonnay white wine, and for the first time, Bellante prosecco and Bellante prosecco rosé from U.K. retailer Marks & Spencer.

Digital Mobile Marketing works and Target also is touting the convenience of ordering online. Customers can order everything for the $25 Thanksgiving meal deal at Target.com and pick up items in-store or have a Target associate bring the items to their vehicle through the free Drive-Up service (click-and-collect orders ready within two hours).

They can have items delivered to their doorstep in as soon as one hour via Target’s same-day Shipt service ($35 order minimum, with deliveries free for Shipt members or $9.99 per order non-members). Participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can use their benefits to pay for eligible grocery items in- store or via Target.com, the Target app or mobile payment options.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869