GoKawiilI tested Marley Spoon for the first time last year. I loved the prompt shipment, creative dishes and fresh ingredients. Overall, it was one of the most impressive meal kit brands I’ve ever tried. That’s why the box I received this week seemed so jarring.
To start, my most recent Marley Spoon box was delivered on Tuesday instead of its scheduled delivery date of Monday. It was also missing multiple ingredients along with every market item I ordered. The produce was comically small, and a melted ice pack made everything wet and soggy. I’ve tried dozens of meal kits over the past two years, but this type of disappointment was a first.
It appears that, compared to others, I got off relatively easy. Many customers, sharing their grievances on Marley Spoon’s Instagram page, have missed upward of 75% of their ingredients or received entirely incorrect orders.
In a statement to CNET, a spokesperson for Marley Spoon said the issues are tied to an “operational transition.”
“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 statement said. “We expect these issues to improve as we progress with the transition, and we’ll keep our customers updated along the way.”
My pecan-crusted salmon with sweet potato fries was missing five ingredients. Corin Cesaric-Epple/CNET
What’s causing the issues with food delivery boxes?
Earlier this year, FreshRealm, a major US food supplier that acquired Marley Spoon’s US fulfillment operations in 2024, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing came nearly a year after a large recall of ready-to-eat chicken alfredo meals supplied by FreshRealm occurred due to possible listeria contamination.
The size of this sweet potato, meant to be a side portion for two people, was possibly the most shocking item in my box. Corin Cesaric-Epple/CNET
The disruptions have also hit Blue Apron, another meal kit front-runner, with the company providing a similar statement to CNET, stating that the issues arose during a “transition to a new fulfillment partner.”
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