'Netflix were not happy with As Ever': Meghan Markle's jam brand 'didn't fit', insiders say as they respond to claims she's cut ties with streaming giant because she's being 'held back'.
Netflix were 'not happy' with Meghan Markle's As Ever brand before their split.
The Duchess of Sussex's jam and flower sprinkles business just 'didn't fit' and their customers showed 'no appetite' for it, a Los Angeles insider claimed.
The Netflix source told the Daily Mail that there has been some consternation at their HQ in Sunset Boulevard over claims Meghan felt they had been 'too cautious' with her As Ever brand – and had held her back.
It came as another expert claimed that the end of the As Ever-Netflix partnership is the 'kiss of death' for her future brand deals with big business.
'Netflix were not happy', the Daily Mail's insider said today.
The source claimed that Netflix had considered how they could sell As Ever products in their two new bricks and mortar stores in Philadelphia and Dallas in the US – off the back of her TV show With Love, Meghan.
But it never happened.
'They were not happy with the fact that no one really cared about the brand – so when they were looking to create As Ever areas in Netflix House there was no appetite for it', the source claimed.
'It just didn't fit with Squid Game or Stranger Things or Bridgerton like they had hoped.'
Netflix has been asked to comment. But on Friday it released a statement that suggested it never planned to be a long-term backer of Meghan's lifestyle company.
Previously sources close to Meghan insisted her brand was 'always intended' to be sold exclusively through the official As Ever website, rather than in physical retail stores like Netflix House.
But reports from inside Netflix claimed store space had been on the table, but it never happened because Meghan's TV show failed to be a 'smash hit'.
The Duchess of Sussex was asked to comment.
Meghan has decided to take complete control of As Ever – just months after Netflix dropped her TV show and Harry and Meghan's $100million contract was downgraded to a 'first look' deal.
A source close to her claimed she felt Netflix was too 'cautious' and she was happy to take 'complete control' of her jam empire.
The Duchess of Sussex apparently felt that ending their partnership after less than a year would allow her jams and candles to 'go global'.
But an insider at the streaming giant in California has said that the tie-up was another in a long list of failures between the two parties.
Cookie Queens, a documentary executive produced by Harry and Meghan about the Girl Scout Cookie season, has not been picked up by Netflix despite their 'first-look deal'. The film Meet Me at the Lake, another Archewell Productions project, remains in development more than two years after its announcement despite their previous $100million contract.
Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants in the US, told Page Six: 'Losing Netflix on As Ever is a brutal backlash because the halo just got ripped off, and what's left looks like another failed Montecito money grab.
'The pattern starts looking like lethally unwise brand management. For Meghan, losing Netflix is the kiss of death to the pitch that prestige partners still see unlimited upside'.
Netflix has been asked to comment.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, announced the As Ever partnership with Netflix a year ago when it commissioned a new season of her show, With Love, Meghan.
The deal gave Netflix a stake in her As Ever brand, which includes her jam, wine, flower sprinkles and candles.
Insiders claim Meghan thought Netflix was being too 'cautious' and wants to 'go global', believing her brand can 'stand on its own'.
But the abrupt split came just two months after the streaming giant axed With Love, Meghan, which ran for two series.
The Christmas special attracted scathing reviews from critics, who accused Meghan of being 'out of touch' in the 'tectonically tacky' show.
Meghan is still said to get on well with Netflix boss Ted Sarandos.
A spokesman for As Ever confirmed to the Daily Mail last week: 'As Ever is grateful for Netflix's partnership through launch and our first year.
'We have experienced meaningful and rapid growth and As Ever is now ready to stand on its own.
'We have an exciting year ahead and can't wait to share more.'
Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet
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