Why Meghan Markle’s wine isn’t making millions, despite instant sell out

As Meghan Markle doubles down on her venture into luxury wines through her lifestyle brand As Ever, a branding expert says she could be leaving millions on the table, unless she sharpens her marketing approach.

The Duchess of Sussex, who turned 44 on August 4, launched her first wine, a 2023 Napa Valley Rosé, earlier this year to instant sell-out success. 

Now, she’s releasing a follow-up, a 2024 Napa Valley Rosé, but branding strategist Nick Ede believes the product’s potential is being undermined by inconsistency.

Speaking to Newsweek, Ede praised the wine’s appeal but criticized As Ever’s erratic rollout strategy. 

“There hadn’t been a newsletter from As Ever for three or four weeks. That’s the biggest problem here,” he said. 

“It feels like there keeps on being these stop-starts. It’s not a consistent brand yet, it doesn’t have a story. I think people forget it quite quickly.”

Despite his reservations, Ede believes the Duchess has tapped into the right market. “The wine direction is absolutely smart,” he said. 

“If she can scale production and meet demand, there’s serious money to be made - millions, potentially.” 

However, he noted that Meghan’s current model restricts sales to the US, missing an opportunity to expand globally.

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