Meghan Markle's 'Homemade' Jam Reportedly Mass-Produced 2,000 Miles Away From Her Montecito Home

Meghan Markle's popular raspberry jam from her As Ever brand sold out quickly upon release, but it has now raised eyebrows over its mass production in Illinois.

The Duchess of Sussex's jam has also come under heavy scrutiny due to its texture, with award-winning jam maker Donna Collins recently culling it "too runny" and questioning the use of pectin.

However, others, like local producer Maureen Foley, defended the branding, suggesting Meghan Markle is strategically targeting a versatile niche market.

Meghan's apricot jam is attracting attention due to the location where it's being made.

Although promoted as being "inspired by the recipe Meghan crafted in her home kitchen," the highly sought-after preserve is reportedly manufactured nearly 2,000 miles away from her Montecito home, in a factory located in Illinois.

The jam is believed to be made by The Republic of Tea, a large-scale U.S. company that also produces Meghan's herbal tea packs and her sold-out orange blossom honey, which retails at £21 [$29] per jar.

While it hasn't been officially confirmed that the same factory handles the apricot preserve, many assume so based on the brand's current supply chain.

A source close to the duchess confirmed to the Daily Mail that The Republic of Tea indeed produces her raspberry jam under the As Ever label.

However, the source added that a new supplier will be brought on board for future batches. While The Republic of Tea is headquartered in Larkspur, California, approximately 350 miles from Meghan's home, actual manufacturing is reportedly located in Illinois.

Meghan's industrial-scale production setup has sparked criticism, as it contrasts sharply with the handcrafted, homegrown narrative portrayed in her marketing.

In the duchess's Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan," she is seen harvesting berries and making jam in her kitchen, revealing that she made just 50 jars, one of which she saved for her mother.

A source defended the brand, explaining that the original recipe was indeed developed in Meghan's home, but that the team "worked to develop a version of it that could be produced at scale."

Her official website echoes this message, stating the jam is "inspired by the recipe she made in her home kitchen" and was intentionally crafted with a loose, pourable consistency.

Amid growing scrutiny, Netflix, which partnered with Meghan on her lifestyle venture, issued a statement in defense of the brand.

"Netflix and As Ever take pride in working with best-in-class vendors that meet our high standards for exceptional products," it read, per The Mirror. "It's been exciting to see how much fans have embraced the As Ever product line, with the first two launches selling out so quickly."

The statement continued, "We're looking forward to continued success as we expand and release more As Ever products throughout the year and beyond."

Despite selling out within hours, Meghan's latest As Ever product launch has stirred controversy, particularly among seasoned jam experts.

While many fans across the U.S. rushed to purchase the sought-after jars, not everyone was impressed, most notably Donna Collins, a decorated jam-maker and founder of Jelly Queens. With over 40 global championship titles to her name, Collins didn't hold back in her critique.

Calling the apricot spread "a real disappointment," Collins argued that labeling the product a spread rather than jam reveals a production misstep.

"It's a real disappointment that Meghan is selling a fruit spread, which is what you make when your jam fails," she said, per the Daily Mail. "In the jam industry, a spread is what we call something that didn't work."

She added, "It can have the best ingredients, but if I had a jam that was too runny, I'd slap a label on it and call it a spread."

Collins also questioned the use of pectin, a common gelling agent.

"And why is she using pectin, which is a gelling agent?" she asked. "Unless it's because her spread was too runny? Most spreads don't use pectin."

Collins added bluntly: "There's no excuse for this. It should be perfect. I don't know who's making her spread, but we all know it's not Meghan. It sounds like they really don't know what they are doing."

However, not everyone shared her critical view. Maureen Foley, who runs Red Hen Cannery near Montecito, took a more optimistic stance.

"She may be smart, trying to fill a niche," Foley said. "Spreads can be sweet or savoury, and used on dishes for all meals, so perhaps it's just clever marketing."