American Riviera Orchard
| Industry | Food preserves and home goods |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2024 |
| Founders | Meghan, Duchess of Sussex |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | United States |
| Owner | Meghan, Duchess of Sussex |
| Website | americanriviera |
American Riviera Orchard, sometimes abbreviated as ARO,[1] is an American lifestyle brand created in 2024 by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, with a planned focus on preserves and homeware.
History
[edit]Creation
[edit]In September 2023, tabloid news site TMZ wrote Meghan was planning on founding a lifestyle brand.[2] Meghan filed for the patent for American Riviera Orchard in March 2024, followed by a soft launch of the company on social media channels the same month.[3] The social media profiles included a link that sent social media users to the company's website, where they could sign up for the announcements waitlist.[2] The New Zealand Herald said the creation of the brand likely coincides with Meghan's upcoming Netflix specials.[4]
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The name American Riviera Orchard derives from a nickname for Santa Barbara, California, where Meghan and her husband Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex reside.[5]
American trademark issues
[edit]In February 2024, the United States Patent and Trademark Office rejected a trademark request for the brand because of "...a number of inconsistencies in her trademarking documents to do with the categorisations of her products."[6] In September the same year, the USPTO again rejected a trademark request for the brand, stating common names for geographic locations cannot be trademarked and the O in Orchard did not match the description in the application documents and it was not apparent it was a letter.[6]
UK domain name cybersquatting
[edit]In April 2024, an anonymous cybersquatter purchased the UK domain name for the brand and directed the URL to a JustGiving fundraiser for The Trussell Trust, a non-profit focusing on alleviating food insecurity. A message on the fundraiser voiced support for Catherine, Princess of Wales. The campaign had a goal of reaching £1,000 and far outpaced that by quickly raising over £8,300 by April 19.[7][8] By April 29, the amount had grown to £21,000.[9] The Trust told The Independent that they "...are grateful to people who put their time and energy into supporting our work to end the need for food banks in the UK. The charity is not connected with this website domain and have no knowledge of who set it up."[10] Due to regulatory guidance in the UK, The Trussell Trust could not decline the donations.[11]
Alleged staff exits and search for CEO
[edit]In August 2024, British tabloid Closer reported 18 staff members had exited the business. According to US Weekly, the claim is untrue.[12][13]
Products
[edit]Strawberry jam
[edit]After the company's soft launch in March 2024, Meghan sent bottles of strawberry jam (marked as limited to 50 bottles overall) to select influencer friends who then posted the jam on their social media channels, including Argentine polo player Nacho Figueras; American actresses Tracee Ellis Ross, Abigail Spencer, Garcelle Beauvais, and Mindy Kaling; American media personality Kris Jenner; and American married couple singer John Legend and model Chrissy Teigen.[14][15][16] Multiple news outlets speculated American Riviera Orchard engaged in purposeful competition with her father-in-law's unrelated strawberry jam, with Marie Claire calling it "the battle of the strawberry jams" and OK! calling it "royal jam rivalries". Conversely, Marie Claire also pointed out Buckingham Palace's decision to promote its own strawberry jam on social media just days after Meghan sent out samples of American Riviera Orchard's jam. [17] [18]
Other products
[edit]Along with strawberry jam, Meghan released announcements the brand would be working on raspberry jam, dog treats, and homeware items, including tableware and drinkware.[19][4] By July 2024, no further announcements or products under the brand had been released.[20] In late June 2024 Marie Claire speculated the next product will likely be a rosé wine.[21]
Sources
[edit]- ^ Switzer, Charles (October 9, 2024). "Penthouse Dreams, Shaky 'Foundation': Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard Brand Called Out for Glossy Facade With No Substance". Royal Observer. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Bailey, Alyssa (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Markle Quietly Launches Her New Brand, American Riviera Orchard". Elle. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ Goldsztajn, Iris (July 11, 2024). "Meghan Markle Is Reportedly "Very Pleased" With American Riviera Orchard's "Strong Start"". MSN. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
- ^ a b "Meghan Markle wraps filming on unnamed Netflix project weeks after American Riviera Orchard release". New Zealand Herald. July 13, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ Bailey, Alyssa (June 16, 2024). "Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard Line: All We Know So Far". Elle. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Crotty, Gemma. "Meghan Markle's brand American Riviera Orchard faces new setback after US Patent and Trademark Office questions logo". Sky News. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ Jankowicz, Mia (April 19, 2024). "Someone bought a UK domain name for Meghan Markle's new brand and redirected it to an anti-poverty charity". Yahoo!. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Matthew (April 18, 2024). "U.K. Domain for Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard Brand Hijacked by Kate Fan". The Daily Beast. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ "The case of the American Riviera Orchard Domain Hijacking Incident Involving Meghan Markle". Start. April 29, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ^ Guinness, Emma (April 19, 2024). "Mystery as Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand website leads to UK foodbank". The Independent. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ Harle, Emily. "Trussell Trust baffled over donations from mysterious website under name of Meghan Markle's new brand". The Third Sector. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ^ "Meghan Markle can't find a CEO for American Riviera Orchard: 18 employees have already resigned!". Marca. August 28, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
- ^ "Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard Lifestyle Brand: What's Going On? (Exclusive)". US Weekly. August 29, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ Burack, Emily (June 17, 2024). "Meghan Markle Reveals New American Riviera Orchard Products". Town & Country. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ Spence, Niamh; Bagdi, Annabal (April 17, 2024). "Meghan Markle fans 'defend cheap mistake from luxury lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard'". Birmingham Live. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ Burack, Emily (April 30, 2024). "A Complete List of Everyone Who Received Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard Jam". Town & Country. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ Burchfield, Rachel (July 19, 2024). "It's Not In King Charles' Nature to Upstage Daughter-in-Law Meghan Markle and Her Lifestyle Brand American Riviera Orchard with Competing Retail Products, Royal Commentator Says". Marie Claire. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
- ^ Burchfield, Rachel (April 25, 2024). "Curiously, Just as Meghan Markle Sends Samples of Her New Strawberry Jam Out, the Buckingham Palace Shop Starts Promoting Its Own Strawberry Jam on Social Media". Marie Claire. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Gray, Delilah (July 7, 2024). "Meghan Markle's Brand's Biggest Competitor May Out-'Savvy' Her for One Reason, PR Expert Claims". She Knows. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ Sykes, Tom (July 3, 2024). "Meghan Markle Has Wrapped Filming on Her New Show. She Needs a Hit". Daily Beast. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ Burchfield, Rachel (June 26, 2024). "Meghan Markle's Lifestyle Brand, American Riviera Orchard, Has Reportedly Decided on What Product Offering the Public Can Buy First—and It Feels Authentic to Meghan Herself". Marie Claire. Retrieved July 3, 2024.