Meghan Markle is using a California-based tea company to produce herbal teas for her As Ever lifestyle brand, which she then sells at three times the original price, according to new claims.
The Duchess of Sussex's hibiscus, lemon ginger and peppermint teas are manufactured by The Republic of Tea, a firm with headquarters in Larkspur, California, and a factory in Nashville, Illinois.
Evidence of the partnership emerged through website metadata on As Ever's product pages, which originally displayed "Brand: 'republic-of-tea'" before being changed to "As Ever store" following press enquiries.
As Ever's shipping policy explicitly states that "products are delivered from the Republic of Tea's fulfillment centers", confirming the partnership between the two companies.
Meghan Markle sparks backlash for selling herbal tea at triple the price of original maker.
PA
The company already produces television-branded merchandise, including teas featuring Netflix's Bridgerton and ITV's Downton Abbey branding.
The Republic of Tea operates from its headquarters in Larkspur, approximately 350 miles from Meghan's Montecito home, with manufacturing facilities located 2,000 miles away in Nashville, Illinois, as reported by the Mail.
The firm, established in 1992 by Mel and Patricia Ziegler alongside Bill Rosenzweig, was purchased by entrepreneur Ron Rubin just 18 months after its founding. His son, Todd Rubin, took over as president in 2015.
The price disparity between the two brands is substantial. The Republic of Tea sells Natural Hibiscus Tea Bags for £8.45 for 36 teabags, working out to 24p per cup, whilst As Ever charges £9 for just 12 teabags, costing 73p per cup.
As Ever's shipping policy explicitly states that 'products are delivered from the Republic of Tea's fulfillment centers', confirming the partnership between the two companies.
As Ever
The metadata discovery came to light when product pages for Meghan's teas and £11 flower sprinkles displayed "Brand: 'republic-of-tea'".
According to the Mail, this reference was swiftly altered after the publication contacted the Duchess's representatives for comment.
The Republic of Tea uses "caffeine-free Nigerian hibiscus", which is particularly noteworthy given Meghan's visit to Nigeria with Prince Harry in May 2024. The Duchess had previously revealed on her Spotify podcast that genealogy testing showed she is "43 per cent Nigerian".
The As Ever website's FAQ section acknowledges partnerships with "best-in-class vendors to bring our product ideas to life", describing how they translate "our founder's recipes and bespoke concepts into beautiful, scalable goods".
Meghan Markle's As Ever Herbal Lemon Ginger Tea is currently sold out on the website.
As Ever
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
The prices on Meghan Markle's As Ever website were finally revealed earlier this year.As EverGB News has contacted the Sussexes' representatives for comment.
Meghan launched her first nine As Ever products in April, which sold out within 45 minutes. The range included raspberry spread in keepsake packaging for £10, wildflower honey with honeycomb for £21, and various baking mixes alongside the three herbal teas.
Last Friday, the Duchess unveiled new additions, including a Napa Valley rosé wine set to launch on July 1, orange blossom honey priced at £21, and apricot spread available in both keepsake packaging and standard jars.
The brand forms part of Meghan's partnership with Netflix, following her show "With Love, Meghan" which premiered in March.
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