Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand is yet to put a single product on sale five months on from its glitzy Instagram launch – sparking concerns from experts over its future.
American Riviera Orchard, which plans to sell kitchenware, jams and jellies, has so far only shared a few of its products with celebrity friends.
The brand’s Instagram page and website also remain bare with no option yet for customers to buy products.
Visitors are instead greeted by a logo and brand name that appear in gold in front of a faded background.
‘I would have major concerns if I was an investor ,’ PR and brand marketing expert Matt Yanofsky told The Times.
‘If I’m an investor, I’m saying to her, “you need to find a CEO with a direct business plan that’s going to show profitability, or at least a revenue plan within the next 60 to 90 days”.
‘Otherwise I’m taking my money out.’
The fresh concerns come after the Duchess of Sussex’s brand suffered a trademark set back earlier this month.
Meghan had planned to trademark the name of her service for international use ahead of a full-scale launch next year.
But records show that in July – some four months after requesting to register it – there were a number of ‘irregularities’ which needed to be ‘corrected’.
The US Patents and Trademarks Office notified the Sussexes’ lawyers of various issues, including incorrect classification of yoga blankets, picnic baskets and recipe books.
And the agency said that fees are due to various bodies around the world to register the trademark – totalling $11,382 (nearly £9,000).
There are also reports that Meghan has so far been unable to hire a permanent chief executive for American Riviera Orchard.
Potential candidates were said to have been deterred from the role due to the high turnover of staff at Archewell – an organisation Meghan and Prince Harry set up in 2020 to look after their commercial and charity work.
Earlier this month, Josh Kettler became the ninth member of staff to leave the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s office in three years after he stepped down from his role as Harry’s chief of staff. Mr Kettler had been in the position for just three months.
Sources close to Meghan, however, have dismissed rumours that there are concerns about the brand.
People Magazine, which is a publication viewed as close to Prince Harry and Meghan reported on August 28 the Duchess was ‘gearing up for the launch of her new lifestyle brand’.
The insider said that Meghan was ‘excited about her latest personal venture’ and that this was something she had been ‘wanting to do for a while’.
Meghan launched American Riviera Orchard in March with a teasing showing her arranging blousy flowers and stirring a bowl of something while being filmed in soft focus in her creamy-toned kitchen.
The video was posted on the brand’s Instagram account which experts initially predicted could make her six-figure sales in a matter of weeks.
An insider told US entertainment website Page Six that the brand would focus on ‘things that are close to her heart’ and would be an extension of her former lifestyle blog, The Tig.
It is expected she will sell items such as spices, seasonings, nut butters, jams, marmalades, and jellies, ‘edible oils and fats,’ and spreads made of legumes, garlic and sesame as well as tisanes, honey dippers and bird feeders.