Blue Apron cuts 6 percent of its workforce

Dan Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Recipe cards from a Blue Apron Holdings Inc. meal-kit delivery are arranged for a photograph in Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S., on Wednesday, June 14, 2017.

Blue Apron on Wednesday said it cut about 6 percent of its workforce, nearly four months after the meal-kit company went public.

In a letter sent to employees, CEO Matt Salzberg said the decision stemmed from a roadmapping and reprioritization exercise the company recently undertook. Leadership decided it needed to reduce roles, open others and streamline decision-making, he said in the letter.

“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,” Salzberg said in the letter.

The cuts came from both Blue Apron’s corporate offices and fulfillment centers. The company expects to incur about $3.5 million in expenses, mostly from severance payments, in the fourth quarter.

The meal-kit company told CNBC it has no additional comment at this time.

Blue Apron instituted a hiring freeze and laid off 14 members of its recruiting team in August.

The company’s shares have fallen nearly 50 percent since their highly anticipated IPO in June.