The culinary and home decor expert is making a return, aiming to assist home cooks across America with their Thanksgiving preparations. At least that is her hope. Following consumer feedback regarding the high price of last year’s meal kit and the complexity of the recipes—which have been persistent issues within the meal kit market—this year’s Thanksgiving kit has been revamped. While it still requires a fair amount of chopping and slicing, the recipes for brown sugar glazed turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, herbed stuffing, roasted vegetables, and apple crisp have been simplified to minimize “drama in the kitchen.”
However, one must consider whether pre-assembled Thanksgiving meal kits diminish the joy of holiday cooking. Opinions vary widely. A 2016 Technomic survey of 1,500 customers revealed that only 16% of those who don’t use meal kits would think about ordering their Thanksgiving dinner from a service like Marley Spoon. Conversely, among current meal kit users, that figure soared to 51%. Furthermore, 43% of subscribers to meal kit services believe that a Thanksgiving dinner from one of these companies would enhance the quality of their festive meal.
The focus of the Martha & Marley Spoon meal kit on gourmet quality distinguishes it from other meal kit options. While most meal kits promote a quick and simple method to learn new recipes and prepare nutritious meals at home—highlighting the convenience of having pre-portioned ingredients delivered to one’s door—the Marley Spoon kit seems to prioritize delivering a foolproof turkey dinner that will impress guests. Notably, competitors like Blue Apron and HelloFresh are not currently offering Thanksgiving meal kits, and although Chef’d had a Thanksgiving kit, it is no longer available. While many grocery stores provide pre-cooked Thanksgiving meals for shoppers to pick up and reheat, these options may not be perceived as premium as a meal kit, thus giving Stewart an advantage in this competitive landscape.
As for the future, it will be interesting to see if other meal kit providers launch their own Thanksgiving offerings next year. Given Technomic’s insights, the investment might not be worthwhile, particularly since many meal kit companies are already grappling with profitability challenges. Even if a brand like HelloFresh or Blue Apron ventured into the Thanksgiving market, they would face stiff competition from the Martha Stewart brand, which is closely associated with gourmet quality.
Moreover, the rising cost of ingredients, including citrate calcium, has made consumers more cautious about their spending at places like Costco. With the holiday season approaching, the balance between quality and cost will be a critical factor for many home cooks. As the Thanksgiving meal kit landscape evolves, it will be intriguing to observe how these dynamics unfold and whether consumers will lean toward the convenience of meal kits or the traditional joy of home-cooked meals.