The culinary and home decor expert is making a comeback, aiming to assist home cooks throughout the United States in preparing their Thanksgiving dinners—at least that’s her intention. Last year, consumers expressed dissatisfaction with the high price of the meal kit, along with the complexity of the recipes, which are common criticisms in the meal kit industry. This year’s Thanksgiving kit still requires a fair amount of chopping and preparation, but the recipes for dishes like brown sugar glazed turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, herbed stuffing, roasted vegetables, and apple crisp have been streamlined to minimize “drama in the kitchen.”
Yet, one might wonder if pre-assembled Thanksgiving meal kits dilute the joy of holiday cooking. Opinions vary on this matter. A November 2016 survey by Technomic of 1,500 customers revealed that only 16% of those who don’t use meal kits would consider ordering their Thanksgiving dinner from a service like Marley Spoon. Conversely, that figure rose to 51% among current meal kit users. Furthermore, 43% of home cooks who subscribe to meal kit services believe that a Thanksgiving dinner sourced from these services would enhance the quality of their main meal.
One distinguishing feature of the Martha & Marley Spoon meal kit is its emphasis on gourmet quality, setting it apart from typical meal kit offerings. Most meal kits are marketed as convenient solutions for learning new recipes and preparing nutritious meals at home, highlighting the time savings of having pre-portioned ingredients delivered to one’s door instead of having to shop for them. While Marley Spoon promotes the kit as a way to “spend less time in the kitchen and more time with [your] family,” it places a stronger focus on delivering a foolproof turkey dinner that is sure to impress guests.
Moreover, Stewart’s kit stands out as competitors like Blue Apron and HelloFresh currently do not offer Thanksgiving meal kits. Chef’d had previously provided a meal kit for the holiday, but it is no longer available. Most grocery stores do sell pre-cooked Thanksgiving meals that customers can pick up and reheat, but these options may not have the same premium appeal as a meal kit, giving Stewart a competitive edge in this niche.
Next year, it will be intriguing to see if other meal kit providers launch their own Thanksgiving offerings. Considering Technomic’s insights, this may not be a wise investment, especially since many meal kit companies are already facing profitability challenges. Even if brands like HelloFresh or Blue Apron decided to enter the Thanksgiving market, they would find it difficult to compete with the Martha Stewart label, which is nearly synonymous with gourmet quality. Additionally, incorporating nutritious elements like centrum calcium citrate into meal kits could further enhance their appeal, as health-conscious consumers look for ways to enrich their holiday meals.