Netflix staff helping Meghan Markle launch her As Ever brand claim they are already ‘over it’ before sales even begin, an insider told MailOnline today.
The Duchess of Sussex is said to be lining up her most famous friends to ‘plaster social media’ with her products as part of a ‘good vibes’ launch in the coming hours.
But MailOnline’s insider claims that the Montecito start-up has proved to be a ‘logistical nightmare’ after the 11th hour name change from American Riviera Orchard and because they have no idea how well her products will sell.
Meghan’s As Ever wares, including her factory-made jam, honey, herbal tea and readymade crepe mix, launch today in what she admits is a ‘pivotal moment’ for her brand.
But people working on the retail project are said to be tired of the ‘drama’ surrounding the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, who has now been engulfed by scandal surrounding his Sentebale charity.
They have even been asked to sign NDAs to keep secret where the products, including her ‘fruit spread’, are being made, MailOnline’s source said.
Netflix, the maker of her series With Love, Meghan, is her business partner and will begin selling her lifestyle range inside two of America’s mega-malls later this year.
‘There is so much drama surrounding them once again that internally the team are over it before it’s even launched’, MailOnline’s source has claimed. ‘It’s been a logistical nightmare and the buying team are having an issue as they can’t work out what the demand will be, if any’.
MailOnline’s source said that away from the social media buzz, there are still fears internally about whether Meghan’s new brand will fly.
Team Sussex is believed to have lined up famous faces and influencers to help boost sales on Wednesday. ‘People will be posting their jars of jam – they’ve seeded it to lots of influencers to get it out there and to plaster social media with “good vibes” on launch’, they said.
Speaking to the New York Times ahead of the launch of her As Ever collection today, Meghan insisted her freezer was ‘stuffed with’ convenience foods – and revealed her jams would be sold for $12-$15.
The Duchess of Sussex admits the launch of her lifestyle brand is a ‘pivotal moment’ but hopes it will inspire others
Meghan’s As Ever products will launch on Wednesday – but a Netflix insider has claimed there are concerns about how much it will sell
Meghan shared footage of her ‘fruit spread’ being made. A Netflix source claims that staff were asked to sign NDAs to ensure the location of the factory remains secret
Meghan today gave her Instagram followers a glimpse into her Montecito mansion in a new video where she makes banana pudding at home with her mother Doria
MailOnline has asked Netflix to comment.
The Duchess of Sussex has told potential buyers that she hopes the items can ‘mimic the magic of Montecito in a way you can recreate at home’.
She has suggested her crepe mix will transform breakfasts into a ‘chance to reminisce’ because they remind her of ‘backpacking through France as a student’.
Her raspberry jam – which is made in a factory – will be ‘presented in keepsake packaging,’ and she advised fans to ‘repurpose’ the jars ‘to tuck away love notes or special treasures, and to remember this pivotal moment with me’, adding: ‘Think of it as our time capsule’.
Meghan, 43, continued: ‘And by the way, once you’ve enjoyed every spoonful of this fruit spread, you may want to do what I do: rinse the jar and use it as a small bud vase for flowers on your nightstand, or to hold your pens on your desk.’
The advice came in the newsletter which excitedly announced the roll out of her collection, with other products including a lemon ginger tea blend.
At the bottom of the email, Meghan provided links for fans so they could ‘follow the As Ever story’. But fans noticed that the link to the As Ever Instagram account contained a spelling error – reading @aseveroffical, instead of @aseverofficial.
When the link was clicked, it still took fans to the correct page – as did the accompanying link to the Duchess’s Instagram account, @meghan, but fans were surprised by the lack of attention to detail.
Yesterday, Meghan greeted her subscribers with the latest iteration of her newsletter, as she raved about her line of products and the joy of the simple things in life.
The As Ever Raspberry Spread will soon be available for the public to purchase, and mega Meghan fans can get their jar in a keepsake packaging
‘Ever since I can remember, I’ve been dreaming up easy ways to elevate the everyday into the exceptional,’ the banner read.
She then wrote: ‘I always knew that I wanted to turn these ideas into something real, and to make beautiful items that spark connection and celebrate quiet, meaningful moments. Maybe mimic the magic of Montecito in a way you can recreate at home.’
She explained that her lemon ginger tea and crepe products were prime examples of this.
‘I’m so excited to introduce the As Ever collection to you this week. Every item is inspired by the ways I show care to the people in my life, like the lemon ginger tea blend which is a fuss-free spin on the warm drink I make at home using fresh lemons from the garden,’ Meghan typed.
‘Or the crepe mix that transforms a typical weekend breakfast into a chance to reminisce. Crepes remind me of my time backpacking through France as a student.
‘Biting into these streetside thin pancakes – filled with chocolate, fruit, fresh lemon and powdered sugar, or made savory with ham and cheese – they truly are a canvas for flavor. I wanted to bring that memory and experience to you at home. (Also, they’re so easy to make!)’
The Duchess then gave a shoutout to her raspberry jam, which she debuted to her famous friends last year when she was still under the name American Riviera Orchard.
Meghan only made 50 jars of the product, and sent it to Kris Jenner, Mindy Kaling and Chrissy Teigen, among others.
She said: ‘Of course, you’ll find the Raspberry Spread that started it all, presented in keepsake packaging that you can repurpose to tuck away love notes or special treasures, and to remember this pivotal moment with me. Think of it as our time capsule.
‘And by the way, once you’ve enjoyed every spoonful of this fruit spread, you may want to do what I do: rinse the jar and use it as a small bud vase for flowers on your nightstand, or to hold your pens on your desk,’ the message continued.
‘I hope when you see what I’ve worked so hard to create, you’re encouraged to know that whatever life brings, you can do it too. Your value, your creativity, your joy – that is you, as it’s always been and always will be. You are you – As ever, and forever.’
Meghan concluded the message by teasing viewers that the launch would be here before they knew it – along with an inspirational quote.
‘Someone once told me the biggest risk you can take is deciding not to take one at all,’ she explained.
‘Now, after careful planning and preparing (while also parenting!), it’s time to bring As ever from my home to your so you can make the everyday exceptional in an easy yet meaningful way.’
But fans noticed the typo at the bottom of the email relating to the link, with one writing: ‘Her freakish attention to detail is amazing. Truly. Astonishing. SMH’.
Another added: ‘This can’t be real.’ And a third added: ‘I still don’t understand the capitalization choices.’ A fourth wrote: ‘Her capitalization and fonts are wonky.’
Last year, sources claimed Meghan has a ‘freakish attention to detail’ in the wake of the Princess of Wales’s Mother’s Day photo controversy, alleging the Duchess would never make such a mistake.
Meghan has faced a series of hurdles while seeking to launch her lifestyle brand.
Due to trademarking issues, she made a decision at the 11th hour to rebrand her business from its original name, American Riviera Orchard.
Her trademark for As Ever is still pending, while the Instagram handles @asever and @asevermeghan were quickly snapped up following her rebranding announcement.
Following her announcement, it was revealed her business awkwardly had the same name as a New York-based clothing brand, as well as a photography business.
Meanwhile her Netflix cookery show, With Love, Meghan, was postponed from January to March due to the devastating impact of the LA wildfires .
