Meghan Markle bids adieu to American Riviera Orchard in major rebrand move following disappointing launch
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Meghan Markle is back in business—quite literally.
The Duchess of Sussex just dropped a fresh rebrand for her lifestyle brand, ditching American Riviera Orchard (ARO) in favor of As Ever. The announcement came via a sleek Instagram video, featuring Meghan in her Montecito garden as she spilled the tea on her latest project.
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The relaunch isn’t just about a new name; it comes with a fresh logo featuring a palm tree and two hummingbirds, a brand-new website, and a soft-focus photo of Meghan holding hands with her daughter Lilibet, 3, in the California sunshine.
The timing couldn't be more perfect as it comes just two weeks before the release of her new Netflix show, 'With Love, Meghan'.
Meghan Markle's grand rebranding plans, and maybe a subtle royal dig
American Riviera Orchard was Meghan Markle’s first attempt at a lifestyle brand, which made a splash last year when she sent out limited-edition jars of jam to her A-list friends—hoping they’d show it off on social media. Now, Meghan’s doubling down on the jam game and much more.
“I think we're all clear at this point that jam is my jam,” she quipped in the video. But this time around, As Ever isn’t just about preserves. Trademark filings suggest Meghan is eyeing a full-blown lifestyle empire, with everything from skincare and haircare to homeware, cutlery, gardening tools, and even scented candles.
And there’s another big difference this time: Netflix isn’t just her TV partner anymore—it’s also a business partner. Meghan confirmed in the video that As Ever products will be sold in Netflix’s brand-new brick-and-mortar stores opening in US malls.
That said, she also casually dropped a comment that had some royal watchers raising eyebrows. “As Ever essentially means as it's always been, and if you've followed me since 2014 with The Tig, you know I've always loved cooking and crafting and gardening—this is what I do. And I haven't been able to share it with you in the same way for the past few years, but now I can," she gushed.
Some saw this as a pointed jab at the royal family, hinting that her time as a working royal kept her from expressing her true self. She even doubled down on this sentiment in another part of the video: “Last year, I had thought, ‘American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name. It’s my neighborhood; it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area.”
Social media sleuths were already onto Meghan’s plans before her big reveal—thanks to a little online mishap. Eagle-eyed fans discovered a Shopify website linked to As Ever, featuring an unseen photo of Meghan cooking. The page was briefly live before being pulled down, leading some to speculate that the rebrand was a rushed, last-minute decision.
In fact, another Shopify site under American Riviera Orchard reportedly existed before mysteriously vanishing, the Daily Mail reported.
The Meghan Markle business playbook
Despite the hiccups, the new As Ever website is now fully up and running — and Meghan Markle is wasting no time hyping it up.
“The cat’s out of the bag,” she teased in the video, adding, “I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long.”
Meghan’s leaning hard into the Tig nostalgia, reviving the vibe of her now-defunct lifestyle blog but in a much bigger, more commercial way. She described As Ever as an extension of what she’s always loved.
"'As ever' means 'as it's always been' or some even say 'in the same way as always'. If you've followed along since my days of creating The Tig, you'll know this couldn't be truer for me," she explained. "This new chapter is an extension of what has always been my love language, beautifully weaving together everything I cherish — food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living, and finding joy in the every day."
"I will keep sharing behind-the-scenes tidbits with you here as we ramp up to launch, and I can't wait for you to get your hands on everything we've been creating. Sending lots of love… As ever, Meghan," she added.
And in case anyone thought this was just a passion project, she made sure to clarify that As Ever is a serious business.
“I’ve been waiting for a moment to share a name that I had secured in 2022, and this is the moment,” she explained, before listing off all the aforementioned products fans can expect.
“There are so many more products that I just love, and now it’s time to share them with you. So I just can't wait for you to see it. Thanks guys!" she concluded.
Meanwhile, Meghan is also gearing up for the premiere of her show 'With Love, Meghan', on Netflix on March 4. In the first trailer, she showed off her cooking and gardening skills with appearances from her celebrity friends.
