5@5: Blue Apron to move into retail | A platform for women’s issues in food

Amid declines in customer count, Blue Apron seeks to sell its kits in grocery stores

Is it time for Blue Apron to pivot? The meal kit delivery company revealed that it will diversify its model and start selling pre-portioned meal kits in retail stores by the end of the year to make the brand “more accessible to homes across the country,” a spokeswoman said. Amid struggle with customer retention—customer count was down 15 percent in 2017—Blue Apron has recently tried to appeal to consumers through a partnership with Whole30 and new Mediterranean-inspired kits. Read more at Forbes…

Women in hospitality come together over shared passion for food business

"There's a hunger for community around food, especially as it relates to women and our collective identity," says Atara Bernstein, co-founder of Pineapple Collaborative, which organizes events and publishes content online for women entrepreneurs, chefs and activists. The collective started in D.C. and is expanding to New York and San Francisco. Bernstein and co-founder Ariel Pasternak say they want to use the platform to address sexism in the food industry, the wage gap and unequal access to funding. Read more at NPR…

Millennials’ eating habits are wildly different from their parents’—and the food industry has to face urgent consequences

The spending power of the millennial generation will surpass that of baby boomers this year, according to analysts at investment research and management firm Bernstein. They’re more likely to eat out at restaurants and purchase prepared meals, and less willing to spend time cooking, according to recently released data from USDA. Read more at Business Insider…

Most vegans, vegetarians in Canada are under 35: poll

Plant-based food companies, take note. Canadians under 35 may be a sweet spot for vegan offerings. According to a new survey, more than half of Canadians who are vegetarian or vegan are under the age of 35, and 16 percent of them live in British Columbia. Read more at Coast Mountain News…

Publix adds another location for natural foods format

A new location of Publix’s revamped natural and organic concept, GreenWise, is set to come to Lakeland, Florida. Two other locations—Tallahassee, Florida, and Mount Pleasant, South Carolina—are already under construction. Three other GreenWise stores already exist, but Publix ha not opened a new one since 2008. Read more at Chain Store Age…