Welcome to Meghan’s America: The suburban malls where Duchess of Sussex will hawk American Riviera Orchard to the masses at merchandise-filled Netflix ‘pop up’ stores

From little acorns mighty oaks grow, or so the English proverb goes.

And while Meghan Markle may have hoped for somewhere grander to launch her American Riviera Orchard brand, everyone has to start somewhere.

Last night MailOnline revealed that after she returns from the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler, the Duchess of Sussex will unveil her high-end food and homeware brand to coincide with her new TV show.

But rather than being in a well-heeled supermarket like Whole Foods or high-end department store like Macy’s, her wares will first pop up in two American mega-malls on the outskirts of Dallas and Philadelphia.

Her product range has not been revealed – although jam, tea, coffee, wallpaper, pet shampoo, olive oil and much else besides have been rumoured.

But Netflix, who will show her delayed ‘With Love, Meghan’ show from March 4, will set aside space in two of their brand-new brick and mortar stores.

The first of the American Riviera Orchard stands will open in two of America’s biggest retail centres, the King of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia and the giant Dallas Galleria.

Mark Borkowski, arguably Britain’s leading PR guru, told MailOnline that the Netflix deal with two malls suggests that she will not be the next Martha Stewart and American Riviera Orchard will ultimately fail as a brand.

Meghan will be desperately disappointed about how and where it will launch, he said.

‘At this rate, she might as well update the title—Duchess of Defunct Deals has a certain ring to it’, he said.

‘I suspect American Riviera Orchard may end up less Martha Stewart empire and more a boutique stand at a Santa Monica farmers’ market, swiftly abandoned when the next revenue-generating project comes calling.

‘The mall launches proves my original theory: we can, in fact, live a perfectly fulfilling life without a jar of hand-crafted, ethically sourced, mindfulness-infused preserve.

‘If the luxury market was crying out for anything, it certainly wasn’t yet another celebrity lifestyle brand built on vibes rather than viability. This has all the promise of a papier-mâché yacht setting sail in a hurricane.

‘And yet, history has shown us that no amount of elegant calligraphy or Tuscan farmhouse lighting can disguise the fact that, at the end of the day, it’s just a jar of fruit mush with a royal-adjacent price tag’.

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. (Meghan is pictured on her Netflix show). 

The stores are not completed but this is what Netflix’s Stranger Things store in Dallas looked like last year

Two Netflix stores (pictured in Hollywood) will be the destination for the launch of Meghan Markle’s American Riviera Orchard brand

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.

What they will look like has not yet been revealed as they have not been completed – but Netflix did have one for its hit show Stranger Things in Dallas last year that some critics unkindly compared to a cheap store in an airport terminal.

One Google review said of the now closed pop-up: ‘This staff and service are awful. It’s too crowded and everything is overpriced. Would not waste your time’. However, others were more glowing. One five-star review said: ‘This store has done justice to the amazing Stranger Things Netflix series’.

What shoppers think of Meghan’s products will emerge in only a matter of weeks.

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. 

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 Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Whistler Welcome Celebration yesterday. When Invictus is over Meghan will launch her food and home brand at two malls

The first store will be opened in the King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania, a gigantic 2.8 million-square-foot shopping wonderland northwest of Philadelphia

The second store is in the Galleria Dallas, an upscale shopping mall located in the north of the city

The duchess had a significant setback when her $20 million Spotify podcast series was cancelled with Spotify executive Bill Simmons describing Meghan and husband Prince Harry as ‘grifters.’

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.’

Meghan’s new lifestyle show was originally set to air in January but, according to Netflix, was pushed back because of the devastating LA wildfires.

It is understood the show is being edited ‘to include Meghan’s philanthropic work around the fires’ which included visiting victims in Altadena, California.

This week she bragged about how she scored scored Billie Eilish merchandise for one 15-year-old girl who lost her family home.

The source added: ‘Netflix is expanding and growing all the time and Netflix House is a natural progression. Meghan’s products will be in there alongside shirts and merchandise from some of the biggest shows on the planet.

‘It’s a bigger deal for her than it is for Netflix. If her show doesn’t take off, then her merchandise will be quietly taken off the shelves and replaced with products associated with a more popular show.

‘Netflix has a huge arsenal of shows to draw on so this venture into bricks and mortar retailing makes sense.

‘Eventually they are hoping to open stores internationally.’

The couple’s $100 million five-year Netflix deal expires later this year and insiders believe it will not be renewed. (Harry and Meghan are pictured here at the 2024 ESPY Awards). 

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.

Meghan ‘soft launched’ her American Rivera Orchard brand on Instagram last year and sent hand-labeled samples of her strawberry jam to friends including actress Mindy Kaling, model Chrissy Teigen and Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner.

Sources who have seen ‘With Love, Meghan’ told the Mail this week that it is a ‘how to’ guide to entertaining which offers ‘inspiration and ideas’ rather than recipes.

The source said: ‘There is no point at which Meghan says ‘take 200 grams of flour’ or anything like that.

‘It’s a very magical and beautiful guide to hosting and entertaining rather than a how-to cookery show. It’s about inspiration – more like, ‘Why not try and make this kind of pasta or this kind of dessert’. Harry isn’t in it.

‘It’s all her, and all about her. It’s very watchable.’

Netflix said the show ‘blends practical how-to-s and candid conversation with friends, new and old’.

Meghan’s new lifestyle show was originally set to air in January but, according to Netflix, was pushed back because of the devastating LA wildfires. (Harry and Meghan are pictured here meeting with first responders and victims of the Eaton Fire). 

Meghan ‘soft launched’ her American Rivera Orchard brand on Instagram last year and sent hand-labeled samples of her strawberry jam to friends including actress Mindy Kaling, model Chrissy Teigen (pictured) and Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner. 

It added: ‘Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection, and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected.

‘She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same.’

Guests featured in the eight-part series include Argentine socialite Delfina Blaquier, who is married to Harry’s best friend, polo player Nacho Figueras, Tracy Robbins – whose husband Brian runs Paramount studios – and Meghan’s former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer.

A source said: ‘The people featured are mostly close friends.

‘The big question now is whether Meghan can appeal to Netflix’s global audience.

‘If she can, then the sky is the limit as far as her products go. Netflix hopes to expand the stores around the world which would be huge for Meghan’s brand.

‘This could make her a global entrepreneur or, if it fails, then it’s hard to see where she goes from here.’