Some meal kit customers are opening their deliveries to an unwelcome surprise: missing ingredients, incomplete orders and even spoiled food. Subscribers of Blue Apron and Marley Spoon have taken to social media in recent weeks to share photos and stories of botched deliveries, raising concerns about whether their next box will arrive as expected.
The problems come as both companies transition to new fulfillment partners, a move they say has disrupted some deliveries. Blue Apron and Marley Spoon told USA TODAY they're working to resolve the issues and are offering refunds, credits or replacements to affected customers while operations stabilize.
Blue Apron, Marley Spoon acknowledge delivery problems
Blue Apron acknowledged the issues and said it is taking steps to improve service after customers reported
incomplete boxes and missing ingredients.
"We take full responsibility for this lapse in service," the company said in a statement. "We haven't delivered the reliability our customers count on."
Blue Apron said it has temporarily narrowed its menu to dishes it is confident it can fulfill, added additional quality checks before shipments leave warehouses and is working with partners to address problems caused by the transition.
Marley Spoon told USA TODAY it is also experiencing challenges as it transitions to a new operations partner, Fulfilled by Misfits. The company said the change is intended to improve service in the long run, but some customers have encountered delays, incomplete orders and missing ingredients during the rollout.
"We take this very seriously and are working around the clock to ensure our customers receive their boxes on time, with the correct, high-quality ingredients they expect from Marley Spoon," the company said in a statement. "We are seeing improvements as we progress with the transition."
Can you get a refund?
Both companies say affected customers may be eligible for refunds, credits or replacements.
According to Blue Apron's policy, customers who are dissatisfied with a meal or ingredient can contact the company within seven days of receiving their order. Depending on the circumstances, the company may provide replacement items, credits for future deliveries or full or partial refunds.
Marley Spoon says its products are backed by a freshness and quality guarantee for four days after a subscription box arrives. Customers can contact the company within seven days of delivery to report problems and may receive credits, replacements or refunds. The company may also require photos or other documentation when processing claims.
What are customers saying?
Customer complaints have piled up across social media as the fulfillment issues continue.
One Blue Apron customer said a recent delivery contained nothing but ice packs, later adding they received an $80 credit to compensate for the issue.
Another customer said a box arrived containing little more than a lime, peanuts, ketchup and vinegar, with no meat, recipe cards or most of the ingredients needed to prepare meals.
On Reddit, one Marley Spoon subscriber described the experience as "nightmarish," saying a box arrived a day late during extreme heat and contained only eight of the 14 meals ordered. After receiving credits, the customer said a subsequent box also arrived missing meals, prompting them to cancel their subscription.
"Avoid them at all costs," the customer wrote.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spoiled food, missing items hit meal kit users
