Sussex star reveals ‘tears shed’ behind the scenes as she admits first product launch was chaos – but promises NEW items alongside returning £22 honey and £11 jam
Meghan Markle has performed a dramatic U-turn on her lifestyle brand strategy, announcing new products will drop this month – just hours after admitting on her podcast that she’d put everything on “pause” to avoid being “annoying” to customers.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, took to Instagram late Monday night to reveal that As Ever fans can stock up on their favourite products – plus some mysterious new additions – despite previously saying she was halting restocks after her first drop sold out in just 45 minutes.
In a surprise bonus episode of her “Confessions of a Female Founder” podcast with Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles, released Monday morning, Meghan had candidly admitted the chaos behind her seemingly successful launch left her questioning whether instant sellouts were actually frustrating buyers.
Now, in what appears to be a calculated about-face, the former Suits actress is pressing ahead with new releases that could include a return of her £22 honey and £11 jam – which vanished from virtual shelves within an hour during April’s launch.
THE TEARS BEHIND THE TRIUMPH
In an unusually candid moment on her podcast, Meghan revealed the emotional toll of launching her lifestyle empire, telling Ms. Tina Knowles: “People see all the flashy stuff and they see the product. But that end game… those behind-the-scenes moments… how many tears I’ve shed.”
The admission came as she discussed the aftermath of her first product drop in April, which saw shoppers rushing to nab £9 teas in lemon ginger, peppermint and hibiscus flavours, alongside £12 flower sprinkles – all heavily promoted throughout her Netflix show “With Love, Meghan.
“We planned for a year, and then everything sells out in 45 minutes—which, yes, amazing. Great news,” Meghan told Knowles in the May 5 recording, before revealing her doubts: “And then you say, ‘Okay, we planned as best we could. Are we going to replenish and sell out again in an hour? Or is that annoying as a customer?'”
THE ‘PAUSE’ THAT WASN’T
Just hours after the podcast dropped with Meghan declaring “I’m looking at it saying, ‘Just pause.’ That happened. Let’s wait until we are completely stable and we have Everything we need” – the As Ever Instagram account posted a very different message.
“To all who’ve been wondering and waiting, thank you!” read the late-night post. “Your favorites are returning, plus a few NEW things we can’t wait to show you. Coming this month…get excited!”
The whiplash-inducing reversal suggests that while Meghan may have recorded the podcast episode in early May claiming she was pausing operations, behind the scenes the brand never actually stopped production – with PEOPLE magazine confirming that “production itself never paused.
NETFLIX BOOST DRIVES DEMAND
The timing of the announcement is far from coincidental. Meghan’s Netflix series “With Love, Meghan” has been renewed for second and third seasons following its March 4 debut, despite garnering a dismal 35% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The first season saw the Duchess making guest baskets, beeswax candles, and a single skillet spaghetti at a rented farmhouse near her £12million Montecito mansion – with neither Prince Harry nor their children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, making appearances.
A source told MailOnline that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is “a massive, massive fan of Meghan personally,” which may explain the renewal despite lukewarm reviews. The second series has already been filmed and is due to screen in autumn.
THE BUSINESS EMPIRE GROWS
The As Ever brand – previously known as American Riviera Orchard – is just one piece of Meghan’s expanding business portfolio since stepping down as a senior working royal in 2020:
- Netflix Deal – Producing content including “Harry & Meghan” and “With Love, Meghan
- Archetypes Podcast – Former Spotify show on female stereotypes, now with Lemonada Media
- Clevr Blends – Investment in a women-owned wellness latte brand
- Cesta Collective – Minority stake in a handbag brand supporting Rwandan artisans
- ShopMy Page – Online store featuring her curated fashion and beauty items
LEARNING FROM BEYONCÉ’S MOM
The podcast conversation with Tina Knowles, 71, provided insights into Meghan’s business strategy. Knowles, who ran a successful Houston hair salon and launched fashion lines including House of Deréon, shared wisdom about the lengthy process of product development.
“It takes a long time with products. You have to test them, and then you gotta, a lot of times, go all the way and start all over again,” Knowles explained, to which Meghan replied knowingly: “I know, trust me.”
Meghan later reflected: “This episode proves to be a powerful toolkit of truths that I will apply to my own life as I, too, grow my business, care for my family, and look forward to new adventures.”
THE ANTI-SCARCITY STRATEGY
Despite the apparent success of instant sellouts creating buzz and demand, Meghan claimed she wants to avoid “scarcity marketing” tactics.
“I don’t want you to eat that jam once every six months. I want it to be on your shelf all the time,” she said on the podcast, suggesting a desire for steady availability rather than hype-driven drops.
However, with products remaining unavailable since April and now a sudden announcement of limited new items “coming this month,” the strategy appears remarkably similar to the very scarcity marketing she claims to oppose.
WHAT’S NEXT
While Meghan teased that “favorites are returning” alongside new products, she hasn’t revealed exactly what these mysterious additions might be. In April, she hinted at an expansion into “seasonal hospitality and home offerings,” telling Inc magazine: “I hope that people see that reflected in whatever it is that I’m creating and putting out there.
The June product drop comes as Meghan’s podcast “Confessions of a Female Founder” wraps its first season, having launched April 8 on Lemonada Media across Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.
Whether the new As Ever products will sell out in another 45-minute frenzy – or whether Meghan has truly solved her “annoying” availability problem – remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the Duchess knows how to keep her audience waiting, wondering, and ready to click “buy” the moment those products drop.
