My problem with blue apron is with all the waste/trash generated by their packaging. I tried their services and the recipes were ok — although for someone that likes to cook or is a more experienced cook, their service is not worth it.
For the model you describe to work, they'd have to charge quite a bit more for the ingredients that one would pay simply buying them yourself (or, again, totally forgo the prepared food high margins). Premium prices for "ingredients + recipe card" would trigger price inflation complaints from mainstream shoppers who aren't comparing the option to blue apron but taking an extra 15 minutes to get the items themselves.
What's that term for the profits an established player has to sacrifice to compete in a new market?
Wegmans, for example, sells pre-chopped, single-portion portions of steaks, vegetables, grains, etc. (even pasta - pre-boiled angel hair at $9.99/lb that you could get for $0.79 in a box!) as well as ready-to-cook meals that you just throw into the oven/pan and follow a few simple directions.
They also offer "personal shopping" services, where they'll pick out groceries and you just pull your car up... and they're testing out an Instacart partnership at the moment for home delivery.
Grocery stores are on it.
More often than not it will bring more people to your grocery store who would otherwise not come. Plus they are coming to the store already so it's incentivizing them to come in and buy other stuff while they are at it.
Sadly most companies wait until it's too late when they are being eaten by competition, while they were busy worrying about 'cannibalism'.
Personally I just look on allrecipes for something that looks good and follow the directions.
Me and my SO ordered on and off for a few months, mostly just to try out new recipes and get ideas. Out of everything we tried we've only gone back to make 4 or 5 of the recipes on our own (without re-ordering that meal).
The waste is the biggest issue for me. The price point is a little high, but if you're not relying on it for every meal it's not terrible. The amount of cardboard and plastic that came in every box was absurd.