Next Stop For Amazon? Meal Kit Segment

Amazon now offers meal kits through third-party sellers like Tyson and Martha Stewart’s “Martha and Marley Spoon”, though speculation that the e-commerce giant would offer its own kits had heated up recently.

On Tuesday, Amazon began selling kits that contain all the ingredients necessary to cook a selection of meals, including options such as stir fry, burgers, and tacos.

Seattle resident Josh Chadd told GeekWire (via Business Insider) about his experience with the service, which involved ordering a pre-portioned Steak Au Poivre box that ships with prepared ingredients and an easy to follow recipe.

The 17 different meal kits have been available to users since late June, judging by reviews. But with Prime already serving 85 million members, the company is set to deliver to a wide following of shoppers that Blue Apron and other meal kit delivery services don’t already have in place. The ecommerce giant often spins up a business in a limited market first, as it has done with grocery pick up and delivery service and AmazonFresh prior to this, as well as its cashier-less retail shopping experience.

When Amazon purchased Whole Foods last month, it became immediately clear that Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos was ready to invest-like seriously invest, to the tune of $13.7 billion-in the food industry. Among them, is Seattle, where Amazon’s headquarters reside.