This is probably going to happen every time the Duchess of Sussex has an As Ever product drop. The people over there are going to cry and scream about every little thing, they’re going to pay people to lie about the products, they’re going to examine the metadata of every single little thing they can get their hands on. That’s what has happened now – the British press has found one of Meghan’s manufacturers/suppliers. Instead of just saying “hey, we found the company which supplies Meghan with her As Ever teas,” we’re getting hysterical screaming about how Meghan is marking up the tea. Congrats, Daily Mail, you just figured out how businesses work?
A dupe of Meghan Markle’s herbal tea seems to be available direct from the company that appears to manufacture it for almost a quarter of the price Meghan charges, it was claimed Wednesday. The practice of purchasing “white label” goods and repackaging them for a brand is common. However, the revelation that Meghan’s herbal tea might actually be being made in Illinois by a firm called The Republic of Tea could arguably be damaging to Meghan’s authenticity.
Meghan, who recently launched a rosé wine, has often sought to give her wares a homespun feel. She has emphasized the fact that her jam, for example, was first made in her home.
However, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday that Meghan’s commerce team made a grade-school error by leaving telltale metadata on product pages for the tea reading: “Brand: republic-of-tea.” The same metadata reportedly appeared on product pages for Meghan’s signature flower sprinkles. The Mail claimed that after they approached Meghan’s team for comment, the metadata was changed to say “As Ever store.”
The Mail says that Meghan’s own website says tea orders are fulfilled by The Republic of Tea, whose own website sells hibiscus tea for as little as 28 cents per tea bag. On the As Ever website, hibiscus teabags are $1 a pop with the As Ever branding, almost four times the price on Republic of Tea. The As Ever product is currently sold out.
The Mail notes that Meghan’s tea bags are triangular, with a string, as opposed to the round tea bags on The Republic of Tea website.
The Sun also had an exclusive about this, where they claim that “sources close to Meghan confirm Republic of Tea is her supplier but insist her blend is ‘different’ to what they offer.” The Sun also got “royal expert Margaret Holder” to say: “Customers are paying a considerable increase for Meghan’s label. She is taking advantage of celebrity branding. But it’s a case of Meghan Mark-up not Meghan Markle.” I’m so tired – it’s beyond clear that Meghan’s tea is being supplied by this Republic of Tea business. Meghan probably has proprietary blends, so no, it’s not the exact same tea offered under Republic of Tea’s own label. Every month or so, we’re going to have to do this, right? We’ll have to calmly explain completely normal business operations to a whole-ass national media. “Meghan is being SUPPLIED by a tea company, HOW DARE SHE.”
Photos courtesy of Netflix, As Ever’s site & IG.
