As at-home cooking surged during the pandemic, meal-kit subscription sales went through the roof. Though subscription sales have continued to grow this year, that growth has substantially slowed as consumers first returned to in-person dining, then cut costs due to rising prices.
HelloFresh remains the market leader in meal kits, helped by its acquisition of organic brand Green Chef and the launch of budget-friendly EveryPlate. According to Apptopia, Green Chef was the fastest-growing meal-kit app in the second quarter of 2022, growing monthly active users by 275% year over year.
The bottom line: Subscriptions aren’t dead, but the future isn’t guaranteed.
In the past few years, subscriptions seem to have lost sight of what customers are looking for, which generally boils down to one of two things: product discovery or convenience.
Our advice? Choose just one. If discoverability is your claim to fame, then play up your offerings and lean into surprise. But if convenience is what you aim to offer, emphasize a seamless customer journey and customer discounts.
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