Blue Apron reported a smaller drop in revenue than expected for the fourth quarter on Tuesday. Tonya Garcia, Retail Reporter at MarketWatch and Jason Moser, Analyst at The Motley Fool, join The Long and The Short to discuss where the meal kit delivery company goes from here.
The main focus on Blue Apron has been its customer growth. This quarter it reported a loss of 15% year-over-year in customers, reflecting a cut in marketing spend. Moser says the company's biggest issue is building up that loyal customer base with the little amount of money it has for marketing. It won't make investors feel at ease until they see some solid growth in the user category.
Plus, what sets Blue Apron apart from the others? Garcia says in this type of competitive industry each company needs to have that one thing others don't. Right now, she's not seeing anything unique about Blue Apron. She's hoping if it ramps up market spending it can figure out that key piece to the puzzle.
Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.
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