While there’s a lot of attention on the Duchess of Sussex right now because of her presence at the Invictus Games, let’s not forget that we will hopefully see much more of her next month too. Right after the Oscars, With Love, Meghan will drop on Netflix. I’m hopeful that she does some press around the show, and I’m also hopeful that we get a product launch for American Riviera Orchard. If I’m being honest, I’m not worried about the show at all – I know people will watch it and enjoy it. But I have concerns about ARO and the product launch. The British media has been spreading negativity around all of this as well, and now they’re claiming that ARO products will be sold in brick-and-mortar stores, and that Netflix is basically facilitating/distributing the product line.

We’ve been expecting jars of jam, tea, coffee, wallpaper, pet shampoo and much else besides. First unveiled amid great fanfare one year ago, Meghan Markle’s range of lifestyle products – sold under the beguiling name of American Riviera Orchard – has so far failed to appear. But Daily Mail can reveal that the Duchess of Sussex will finally launch her brand in just a few weeks time at brand-new brick and mortar stores owned by one her employers, streaming giant Netflix. And, say sources, the success or failure of her products in the Netflix House superstores will ‘make or break’ Meghan’s entrepreneurial ambitions.

The first of the American Riviera Orchard stands will open in early March in two of America’s biggest retail centers, the King of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia and the giant Dallas Galleria. The duchess will offer a range of products under American Riviera Orchard brand and, according to a Netflix source, will include jam, honey, and olive oil.

The timing might well be significant as her delayed Netflix lifestyle show ‘With Love, Meghan’ begins streaming on March 4.

‘This is make or break for Meghan,’ said the source. ‘Her new show is rolling out the same time as the Netflix stores open. The Netflix stores will offer products and merchandise from all their biggest shows like Squid Game and Stranger Things. This is a big move for Netflix. The first stores are in repurposed department stores inside two of America’s largest malls. They will contain an onsite cafe so Meghan’s products like her strawberry jam will be featured on the menu too. This will determine the future for Meghan as a businesswoman. Let’s face it, she hasn’t been that successful so far.’

The couple’s $100 million five-year Netflix deal expires later this year and insiders believe it will not be renewed.

The source said: ‘If Meghan’s show is a massive hit and she sells tons of products off the back of it then maybe Netflix will reconsider but at this stage it’s all about them supporting her show and then quietly letting the contract run its course.’

The streaming giant hopes to eventually open Netflix House stores coast-to-coast. On their website they say: ‘Netflix House is a year-round home for fans to live the stories they love. Enjoy rotating immersive experiences, exclusive merchandise, food, drinks and much more.’

[From The Daily Mail]

This is keeping in the years-long vein of the British media not understanding how American businesses operate, right? What they’re describing isn’t a “make or break moment” for Meghan – this is a description of Netflix fully supporting Meghan and her vision, to the point where Netflix will operate a chain of “Netflix stores” around Meghan’s ARO product line. They’re using Meghan and ARO as the foundation of this plan. That doesn’t say “the Sussexes are on their way out.” That says Netflix sees Meghan (especially) as the golden goose. Anyway, I will be disappointed if ARO products are only on sale in brick-and-mortar stores. They better sell these products online, damn it.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.