• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechBlue Apron

Blue Apron Is Laying Off Hundreds of Workers After a Tough Few Months

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 18, 2017, 10:41 PM ET

Blue Apron’s brief life as a public company just got a bit more tumultuous.

The meal-kit-delivery company disclosed Wednesday in a regulatory filing that it would lay off 6% of its workforce. The company said earlier this year that it had a little over 5,000 employees, so a 6% cut would equate to roughly 300 employees.

Blue Apron also said that it expects to incur around $3.5 million in expenses in its fiscal fourth quarter, according to the filing.

The layoffs come after a tough few months after the company went public in late June. The company’s IPO performed poorly in light of Amazon (AMZN) announcing earlier in June that it would buy Whole Foods for a whopping $13.7 billion. A possible Amazon-sanctioned meal-delivery service using Whole Foods could prove to be a powerful competitor for the much smaller Blue Apron.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Blue Apron’s shares were down about half-a-percent in after-hours trading to $5.27. The company’s shares are down nearly 43% since its IPO when shares were trading around $9.34.

Blue Apron CEO Matt Salzberg wrote a letter to employees explaining the rationale behind the layoffs. The letter was disclosed in a corporate filing:

Hi everyone,

Today was a difficult day for our entire organization, but I want to thank you for the leadership and respect you demonstrated throughout the day.

A company-wide realignment, like the one we announced, is always painful, and especially so for a close-knit team like ours. Our leadership and Board did not take this decision lightly, and I want to assure you that we believe it was necessary as we focus the company on future growth and achieving profitability.

The actions that we took today flowed from the roadmapping and reprioritization exercise that we recently undertook. As part of that work, we identified the need to reduce some roles, open others, and streamline decision making for greater accountability. Wherever possible, we sought to fill new roles with existing employees.

What makes this decision especially difficult was that we parted ways with many dedicated and talented colleagues, as well as friends whom we care deeply about. I want to thank them for their numerous contributions over the years, and wish them the best going forward. It was particularly important to us that we show this respect and appreciation with meaningful severance packages and ongoing job placement support, which we are in the process of providing.

As CEO, I promised you that I would be frank and transparent as we invest in and position our company for the future. I will be hosting a Q&A session shortly and hope you can join. I also encourage you to find me during my regular office hours for a conversation, or to email me directly with any questions.

We have accomplished so much together over the past five years, and no words can adequately describe my appreciation for the work you do each day. I’m confident that the changes we made today will make our organization stronger and help us continue to improve the lives of our customers across the country. I believe in where we are going, and I believe in our team’s ability to get there together.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

AIProductivity
AI is everywhere except in the data, suggesting it will enhance labor in some sectors rather than replace workers in all sectors, top economist says
By Jason MaFebruary 14, 2026
1 hour ago
AIData centers
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei explains his spending caution, warning if AI growth forecasts are off by just a year, ‘then you go bankrupt’
By Jason MaFebruary 14, 2026
3 hours ago
LawSurveillance
Amazon’s Ring ends partnership with top operator of license-plate reading systems after Super Bowl ad raises fears of dystopian surveillance society
By The Associated PressFebruary 14, 2026
8 hours ago
PoliticsDrone
Congress let more law enforcement agencies to down rogue drones. Then Customs and Border Protection fired a laser, shutting down an airport
By Josh Funk and The Associated PressFebruary 14, 2026
8 hours ago
hawkinson
CommentaryInfrastructure
Your essential services are one surprise failure away from disruption. Consider how physical AI could tackle the crisis
By Alex HawkinsonFebruary 14, 2026
10 hours ago
sunaina
Commentaryprivate equity
Private equity’s playbook to shake off the zombies: meet the continuation vehicle
By Sunaina Sinha HaldeaFebruary 14, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloFebruary 13, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
MacKenzie Scott says her college roommate loaned her $1,000 so she wouldn't have to drop out—and is now inspiring her to give away billions
By Sydney LakeFebruary 14, 2026
11 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Some folks on Wall Street think yesterday’s U.S. jobs number is ‘implausible’ and thus due for a downward correction
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 12, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Actress Jennifer Garner just took her $724 million organic food empire public. She started her career making just $150 weekly as a ‘broke’ understudy
By Emma BurleighFebruary 13, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
North America
‘I gave another girl to Kimbal’: Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s honey-trap plan targeting Elon Musk through his brother
By Eva Roytburg and Jessica MathewsFebruary 13, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Analog-obsessed Gen Zers are buying $40 app blockers to limit their social media use and take a break from the ‘slot machine in your pocket’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 13, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.