A “crafted” jam the Duchess of Sussex has released under her new As Ever brand is actually made 2,000 miles away from her home in Montecito, it has been revealed.
The preserve, which Meghan is selling for £6.50 per jar, is said to have been “inspired by the recipe Meghan crafted in her home kitchen”.
An Instagram video has shown a fruity mixture bubbling in a pot at the Duchess’s Californian home.
However, it has now been revealed that the jam is produced in a factory — The Republic of Tea — in Illinois some 2,000 miles away from Montecito.
The jam is manufactured by the same US giant which sells Meghan’s £9 packs of herbal tea, MailOnline reported.
It also makes her sold-out orange blossom honey, priced at £21 a jar, although it is not known whether it manufactures her new apricot preserve.
Meghan, 43, claimed her new apricot spread sold out very quickly after its recent launch, along with other products like honey and a rose wine.
However, one jam-maker criticised the Duchess’s product, claiming that labelling it as a “spread” rather than a jam indicates a flaw in the production process.
Donna Collins, who owns Jelly Queens said: "It's a real disappointment that Meghan is selling a fruit spread, which is what you make when your jam fails.
"In the jam industry, a spread is what we call something that didn't work."
A source close to the Sussexes said in order to formulate the commercially available product, they “started with the version Meghan makes at home and worked to develop a version of it that could be produced at scale,” MailOnline reported.
The As Ever website described the jam as a “curated collection to bring surprise and delight to your every day.”
Describing the As Ever collection as a whole, the website reads: “As ever is more than a brand - it’s a love language. Created by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, As ever welcomes you to a collection of products, each inspired by her long-lasting love of cooking, entertaining, and hostessing with ease.
“This curated collection has been crafted to elevate your everyday and inspire moments of joy.”
