One of my minor fears about the Duchess of Sussex’s American Riviera Orchard is that Meghan is actually underestimating the interest in her products. I could totally see a scenario where Meghan thinks she’s doing some small, boutique-like brand with limited edition everything, sort of dipping her toe in lifestyle branding before fully wading in. If this current ruckus is any indication, Meghan needs to get back into the kitchen and start making more jam! We’re seeing the first ARO products and they are basically small-batch jams. She sent them to her friends, Delfina Blaquier (Nacho Figueras’ wife) and Tracy Robbins (wife of Paramount’s CEO). Both women put photos on their IG Stories.
The Duchess of Sussex has launched the debut product from her new business American Riviera Orchard – strawberry jam. Tracy Robbins, a Los Angeles based fashion designer, and Delfina Balquier, an Argentine socialite and photographer, promoted the product on their social media accounts on Monday. Mrs Robbins and her husband Brian Robbins, the president and CEO of Paramount Pictures, are friends with the Sussexes. The Duke and Duchess were invited to the premier screening of Bob Marley: One Love by the couple in Jamaica in January.
Mrs Robbins posted a picture of the jam artfully placed inside a bowl of lemons to Instagram.
The glass jar featured an American Riviera Orchard logo with Montecito written underneath it. According to the label, the spread is number 17 of 50 jars produced by the brand.
Mrs Robbins wrote: “Breakfast, lunch and dinner just got a little sweeter.” In another post, she said: “I absolutely love this jam so I’m not sure I’m sharing it with anyone. Thank you M.”
Ms Balquier, who is a friend of the couple and married to Prince Harry’s friend Nacho Figueras, posted a similar image with the caption: “Strawberry jam makes me happy. And I love your jam.” Her pot, which was labelled as number 10 of 50, was pictured alongside a piece of bread and some fresh strawberries.
Y’all did Meghan only make 50 pots of strawberry jam?? While I think small-batch products are cute and cool and artisan or whatever, Meghan needs to make more! More of this particular jam and more products in general. I’m sure we’ll get a diverse array of products eventually, but she better not do a line of, like, limited-edition cookware.
Photos courtesy of Archewell, Backgrid, IG Stories.