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Blue Apron Files for IPO

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Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#21

Post by seibelj »

paulcole wrote: post #16
seibelj wrote: post #5

There is a lot of hate for this company on HN. They are trying to help people cook healthy food, they are doing a good thing, and have an actual product. Good for them! And I hope the engineers / common workers get some money too :)

>They are trying to help people cook healthy food, they are doing a good thing I don't think the idea that they're "doing a good thing" is so cut and dry. Aren't they producing an astounding amount of waste? And aren't the working conditions uncomfortable at best? https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolineodonovan/the-not-so-wholeso...

I think going into a dirty sewer is uncomfortable, but there are sewer inspectors, and paving a hot road in the summer is uncomfortable, but there are road pavers.

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#22

Post by giobox »

jmeyers44 wrote: post #8
teen wrote: post #3

The amount of pollution / trash this company produces seems pretty counter to their mission statement.

Do you have evidence that a meal kit produces more "trash" than the packaging required to ship all of the included products to a store? Additionally, your argument is incomplete without addressing the efficiencies that meal kit companies gain by limiting food waste. The real question is what provides a more efficient food system, a grocery store or a meal kit?

I'd love to see a proper study as well. Every argument I've ever seen against these meals in a box services regarding trash, including the ones I've read in this thread, are entirely based on individual personal anecdotes.

Superficially I can see the appeal of arguing based on the packaging you receive, but this fails to account for recycling options, and ignores aspects like the avoidance of food wastage given the precisely measured amounts. There's clearly more to this problem than 'wow that's more cardboard and plastic than I expected'.

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#23

Post by jonaf »

I'm shocked to see an IPO for one of these delivery companies. Not because there doesn't seem to be a value proposition, but because I don't understand what sets them apart from the competition. They seem to be in a flooded market: Plated, HelloFresh, I think I've seen commercials for a few more, and they seem to barely add value on top of another flooded market, grocery delivery: instacart, uber has a service like this, probably Lyft does, and most grocers are getting in on it, too. HEB, Walmart, et al. And HEB isn't even a nationwide company. Why would the public invest in this company compared to others? Is it a strategy to put fear in the biggest competitors' minds as a setup for an acquisition?

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#24

Post by swsieber »

resolaibohp wrote: post #20
leftnode wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We canceled after a week precisely for this reason. I couldn't believe how much trash a single shipment generated.

I hear this a lot from people. When I go grocery shopping I have bags and boxes for nearly everything I purchase. When I order items on Amazon I get boxes and tons of packing materials. What is a better alternative that does not generate tons of trash? Blue Apron also does a good job at allowing you to send back the materials so they can recycle them. I just point this out as I think they get a lot of criticism for a…

Right - but I don't have daily trash for spices. Or for eggs. It's not the fact that they generate trash. It's the frequency and quantity.

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#25

Post by dragonwriter »

sp332 wrote: post #6
teen wrote: post #3

The amount of pollution / trash this company produces seems pretty counter to their mission statement.

From what I recall when we had it, it was a lot less trash than going to the store and getting everything packaged individually. And I'm sure the shipping is less polluting than having all the customers drive around too.

Huh? The trash is a lot more than grocery shopping, because everything (except certain produce items) is still packages individually, and in much smaller containers for "pantry basics" that are used in small amounts in each recipe (vinegars, etc.), Plus there's the insulation and cold packs.

> And I'm sure the shipping is less polluting than having all the customers drive around too.

Grocery delivery is a thing, though.

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#26

Post by ceejayoz »

resolaibohp wrote: post #20
leftnode wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We canceled after a week precisely for this reason. I couldn't believe how much trash a single shipment generated.

I hear this a lot from people. When I go grocery shopping I have bags and boxes for nearly everything I purchase. When I order items on Amazon I get boxes and tons of packing materials. What is a better alternative that does not generate tons of trash? Blue Apron also does a good job at allowing you to send back the materials so they can recycle them. I just point this out as I think they get a lot of criticism for a…

> When I go grocery shopping I have bags and boxes for nearly everything I purchase.

You don't get enough cold packs and insulation for it to stay cold for a couple of days in a hot shipping distribution center / truck, though.

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#27

Post by downrightmike »

ceejayoz wrote: post #2

> Blue Apron, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware on December 5, 2011 under the name Petridish Media, Inc. and changed its name to Blue Apron, Inc. on August 29, 2012. That's going to be a fun tidbit if they ever have an E. coli outbreak.

That's going to be a fun tidbit when they ever have an E. coli outbreak. FTFY

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#28

Post by Terribledactyl »

bpodgursky wrote: post #13
teen wrote: post #3

The amount of pollution / trash this company produces seems pretty counter to their mission statement.

Plus, a lot of the additional cost is literally the cost of the gas spent delivering individual meal boxes to your door (which is pointless individual pollution).

That's a little disingenuous, they have a minimum order size, and consolidate delivery dates in an area to maximize route efficiency.

A fully packed delivery truck in a densely subscribed area would be more efficient in terms of fuel than all of those individuals driving to the store. But yes, minimal customers, in a big area, buying few meals consecutively would be worse.

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#29

Post by teen »

jmeyers44 wrote: post #8
teen wrote: post #3

The amount of pollution / trash this company produces seems pretty counter to their mission statement.

Do you have evidence that a meal kit produces more "trash" than the packaging required to ship all of the included products to a store? Additionally, your argument is incomplete without addressing the efficiencies that meal kit companies gain by limiting food waste. The real question is what provides a more efficient food system, a grocery store or a meal kit?

https://www.jennettefulda.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ing...

I mean just look at this photo... A resealable plastic bag for 1 green onion?

Re: Blue Apron Files for IPO

#30

Post by paulcole »

seibelj wrote: post #21
paulcole wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>They are trying to help people cook healthy food, they are doing a good thing I don't think the idea that they're "doing a good thing" is so cut and dry. Aren't they producing an astounding amount of waste? And aren't the working conditions uncomfortable at best? https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolineodonovan/the-not-so-wholeso...

I think going into a dirty sewer is uncomfortable, but there are sewer inspectors, and paving a hot road in the summer is uncomfortable, but there are road pavers.

uh ok? And I think sewers and roads are slightly more essential than tiny packaged bags of basil shipped to my house.
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