In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to prepare nutritious, delicious, and at the same time healthy meals can be a challenge. This explains the rising popularity of meal delivery services, also known as meal kit services, which offer the convenience of having pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes delivered right to your doorstep. These services not only cater to a wide range of dietary preferences and needs but also aim to make cooking a more accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Whether you’re a busy professional looking for quick and healthy dining options, a family seeking to simplify mealtime, or a cooking enthusiast eager to explore new recipes, meal delivery services promise you delicious meals that fit your lifestyle and dietary preferences, everything from veggies and entirely plant-based meals steaks to meaty meals and various options in between.
Unlike restaurant food delivery services, which deliver ready-to-eat already prepared meals, meal delivery services offer their clients fresh high-quality ingredients and instructions to quickly prepare the selected meals themselves. The meals of such meal kit delivery service can typically be ordered on a subscription basis and delivered on selected days, every day, and even multiple times a day.
The most popular and best meal delivery services usually offer their clients a variety of features designed to meet the diverse tastes and lifestyles of their customers. The following ranking lists the seven currently most popular meal delivery services with over 100,00 active customers on the market.
The 7 Most Popular Meal Delivery Services 2024
1. HelloFresh
HelloFresh stands out as the absolute leader in the meal delivery service industry. It is the most popular meal delivery service in the US and multiple member states of the EU, with over seven million users in total. The German-based company offers a flexible meal subscription service that allows customers to select their preferred meals from a rotating weekly menu. The company’s focus on sourcing high-quality, fresh ingredients has garnered a loyal following among those who prioritize the taste and nutritional value of its meals. HelloFresh is also known for its highly-rated customer service, with responsive support available to assist with any issues related to delivery or meal selection.
HelloFresh is also known as a leader in sustainability within the meal delivery service industry, with a pronounced effort to reduce food waste and use environmentally friendly packaging, making it a popular choice for eco-conscious consumers as well. The variety of HelloFresh’s culinary options is designed to suit a wide range of dietary preferences, including vegetarian, high-protein, low-carb, low-calorie, and family-friendly recipes. Each meal kit comes with pre-measured ingredients and step-by-step instructions, making it easy for even novice cooks to prepare restaurant-quality meals at home.
HelloFresh owns eight brands of meal kit services. Aside from the HelloFresh main brand, the company also owns the meal delivery services Factor and Youfoodz, the ChefsPlate meal kit brand in Canada, EveryPlate for low-budget customers, Green Chef for meal kits with 100% organic ingredients, Good Chop for specifically meat-based meal kits and even a meal kit service for pets through the company’s The Pets Table brand.
2. Oisix
Oisix comes second among the world’s most popular meal delivery services. The service by Japanese company Oisix Ra Daichi started as an online supermarket in 2000 but has now ventured into the meal delivery industry. Its meal delivery service is known for its focus on organic and locally sourced ingredients, aiming to support local farmers. The meal kits offer a wide range of Japanese and fusion dishes, as well as various other meals for different preferences and diet plans. As the biggest meal delivery service in Asia, Oisix is also at the forefront of making the very concept of meal kit delivery popular in Japan.
One of the distinguishing features of Oisix is its educational approach to meal preparation. Each meal kit comes with detailed instructions and background information about the ingredients and dishes, providing customers with a deeper understanding of the meals they prepare and eat.
Aside from its main Oisix brand for the Japanese home market, the company has also ventured into the global market and offers its meal kits in the USA through the Purple Carrot brand.
3. Mindful Chef
Mindful Chef comes third among the most popular meal delivery services. The UK-based meal delivery service is owned by Swiss company Nestle, one of the world’s biggest food companies. Mindful Chef’s philosophy centers on providing its customers with exclusively healthy foods, leading to a menu that is predominantly gluten-free, dairy-free, and devoid of refined carbohydrates. The meal kit service promises that each recipe is designed to be balanced and wholesome, using only the highest quality ingredients to ensure maximum nutritional value.
Despite this, Mindful Chef caters to a variety of dietary preferences, including vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian options, making it an inclusive choice for many. Mindful Chef’s approach to meal preparation is straightforward, with each kit containing pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step instructions, making healthy eating accessible to everyone, regardless of their cooking skills.
Mindful Chef is the most popular meal delivery service in the United Kingdom. As of now, it is also exclusively available in the UK.
4. Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon comes fourth among the most popular meal delivery services. The German company offers meal kits with over 40 recipes, catering to various tastes and diets, everything from chicken to rice, salads, bowls, and soups. The company and service promises its customers a combination of convenience and gourmet culinary experiences through their meal kits.
The meal delivery service is available in Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and in the United States. In the USA, Marley Spoon has partnered with TV personality Martha Stewart, whose recipes American customers can order through Marley Spoon.
Aside from the Marley Spoon main brand, the company also owns Dinnerly, a brand for affordable low-budget meal kits.
5. Blue Apron
Blue Apron completes the Top Five of the most popular meal delivery services. Blue Apron is a US-based company and can be credited with pioneering the meal kit delivery trend in the United States. Blue Apron’s meals are designed by professional chefs and feature seasonal ingredients that are sourced from various local suppliers, also placing a strong emphasis on sustainability.
Blue Apron’s focus on culinary innovation is another factor that sets it apart. The company regularly collaborates with renowned chefs and culinary experts to develop new recipes and introduce customers to new ingredients and cooking techniques. The service offers a diverse menu that includes a range of dietary options, catering to the needs of vegetarians, meat lovers, and those in between.
As of right now, Blue Apron offers its meal kit delivery services in the United States exclusively.
6. Home Chef
Home Chef is the sixth most popular meal kit delivery service. The meal kit brand is owned by American company Kroger, which operates the biggest chain of supermarkets in the US and one of the biggest in the world, which has now also ventured into the world of meal delivery services. Home Chef distinguishes itself in the meal delivery service market through its highly customizable meal kits, which cater to a wide range of dietary preferences and culinary skills. The service allows customers to tailor their meals according to their taste preferences as well as dietary restrictions.
Customers can subscribe to, for example, low-carb, vegetarian, or calorie-conscious meals. These flexible dietary menu options, paired with additional options such as meal prep times, make Home Chef among the most individual meal kit services out there.
Home Chef, as of right now, is available exclusively to customers residing in the USA.
7. Goodfood
Goodfood concludes the ranking of the seven most popular meal delivery services. Goodfood is a Canadian meal delivery service owned by the Goodfood Market Corporation. The service offers a wide variety of meal kits and food items that cater to many different dietary needs and preferences. Customers can choose from a wide range of recipes, including vegetarian, keto, and family-friendly options and other meal options. The service emphasizes the importance of offering its customers locally sourced high-quality and fresh ingredients for lower comparable prices than the local grocery store.
Aside from the meals, Goodfood also provides its customers with nutritional information and tips and even automatic meal planning based on the needed nutrition of a customer according to her or his dietary requirements and preferences.
Goodfood is exclusively available in Canada and is the by far most popular meal delivery service in the country.
The 7 Most Popular Meal Delivery Services:
| 1. |  | HELLOFRESH (also owning Factor, Youfoodz, ChefsPlate, EveryPlate, GreenChef, Good Chop & The Pets Table) | Estimated active customers: 7.1 million |
| 2. |  | OISIX (also owning Purple Carrot) | Estimated active customers: 500,000 |
| 3. |  | MINDFUL CHEF | Estimated active customers: 400,00 |
| 4. |  | MARLEY SPOON (also owning Dinnerly) | Estimated active customers: 310,000 |
| 5. |  | BLUE APRON | Estimated active customers: 270,000 |
| 6. |  | HOME CHEF | Estimated active customers: 220,000 |
| 7. |  | GOODFOOD | Estimated active customers: 200,000 |
Most popular meal delivery services in the world based on the most recent estimated number of active customers.
Only meal delivery services with at least 100,000 active customers are included in the ranking. Only meal delivery services/meal kit delivery services are part of the ranking. Restaurant delivery services are not included.
