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Meghan Markle Is Under ‘Pressure’ to Find a ‘Profitable’ Product for Her American Riviera Business
She got herself into a, well, jam. One month after launching lifestyle label American Riviera Orchard, Meghan Markle sent out jars of branded strawberry preserves to 50 friends — but fans weren’t impressed as her pals posted about it online. “Tastes of desperation,” wrote one online commenter, while another deemed the venture “tacky” and several others declared: “Hard pass.”
When confidant Nacho Figueras revealed in June that there was a second, raspberry jam and also dog biscuits from the line, they were met with a similar cold reception. So, now, Meghan’s reportedly trading glass food jars for wine bottles, hoping to find more success by releasing a rosé as American Riviera Orchard’s first publicly available item.
“There’s a lot of pressure on Meghan to find something profitable,” an insider exclusively tells Life & Style, noting that her and husband Prince Harry’s $20 million Spotify deal fizzled out last year, their $100 million contract with Netflix hasn’t produced any more major hits and the couple’s Archewell Foundation suffered an $11 million decline in contributions following its first year of operation. “She’s been casting a wide net, but some people think it just shows how desperate Meghan is. Her products are all over the place.”
Cheers & Jeers for Meghan Markle’s Business
While the pivot to alcohol might seem out of nowhere for someone whose main causes in recent years have been speaking out about women’s issues, supporting refugees, and highlighting the importance of mental health, Meghan, 42, does have history as an oenophile. The blog she ran prior to marrying Harry, 39, in 2018, The Tig, got its name from her fave bottle of red vino: Tignanello.
“She knows the wine market is lucrative,” says the insider of Meghan’s latest project. “It’s looking like a total cash grab.”
Other stars who’ve already entered the rosé biz include Jon Bon Jovi, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Legend, Cameron Diaz, Post Malone, Brad Pitt and Snoop Dogg. “Meghan is stepping on some toes,” spills the insider, explaining that the duchess and Cam, 51, specifically, are neighbors in Montecito, California. “It’s pretty brazen that she’s moving in on her territory. Meghan doesn’t seem to care that she’s competing with a friend.”
Instead, Meghan’s focus is on bringing home the bacon, shares the insider: “She and Harry aren’t steadily making the kind of money they need to continue their lavish lifestyle. Their future depends on her success. Meghan absolutely feels like it’s sink or swim time.”
