Blue Apron Co-Founder Steps Down Following IPO

Blue Apron announced this week a change in leadership. CNBC reports Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Matthew Wadiak is out as COO, and will transition to a senior advisory role. "As a co-founder and member of our executive leadership team, Matt Wadiak has played an instrumental role in driving forward Blue Apron's mission to make incredible home cooking accessible to everyone," said Matt Salzberg, CEO of Blue Apron, in a statement.

Total Retail's Take: A few recent developments have put pressure on the meal-delivery startup. The first is Blue Apron's recent IPO filing. Since the company went public earlier this month, its stock price has struggled to meet pre-IPO forecasts. Second, and this is linked to the first, the unexpected merger between Whole Foods and Amazon has put strain on Blue Apron and a magnifying glass on its next move. This pressure has intensified with Amazon's recent announcement that it will be testing meal delivery kits. We'll see if new leadership can help Blue Apron weather this storm and prepare for a prosperous future.