MEG MINE A SUPER LATTE!
Oprah gushes about drink ‘gift’ sent by duchess... from new firm she’s invested in
WHEN you’re investing in new products, it helps to have celebrity friends to promote them – even if you’re a royal.
So the Duchess of Sussex must have been delighted yesterday when Oprah Winfrey extolled the virtues of a littleknown range of vegan latte drinks.
The instant oat- milk ‘ super lattes’, described by the chat show host on Instagram as her ‘new drink of choice’, claim to bring all kinds of health benefits and are made by Californian start-up Clevr Blends. It soon emerged that Meghan has invested in the women-led firm based in Montecito, where she, Prince Harry and their 19-month-old son Archie now live in an £11million mansion.
Miss Winfrey, a guest at the royal couple’s wedding, wrote how ‘On the first day of Christmas my neighbour M sent to me... a basket of deliciousness!’ In case her 20million followers had difficulty working it out, she added ‘Yes, that M’ followed by a crown emoji.
Along with a further plug, Miss Winfrey, 66, posted a video of her making a mug of turmeric flavoured latte by adding water, declaring: ‘It’s delicious.’ Fans were left unaware of the duchess’s involvement with Clevr Blends, later revealed by Forbes website.
Meghan, meanwhile, was making her first public appearance since revealing three weeks ago that she suffered a miscarriage in July.
In a video message for US news channel CNN from the gardens of her mansion, she saluted the ‘quiet heroes’ of the coronavirus pandemic, praising key workers and those who volunteer at food banks. Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, have helped several charities to distribute food in Los Angeles.
Forbes said the duchess intends to invest in more women-led firms as she ‘has made gender equality one of her core causes’. Clevr Blends has a British CEO, Hannah Mendoza, who co-founded the firm with Roger Coppola, the only man on the team. In a statement, Meghan,
who did not reveal the size of her stake, said it was to support ‘a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritises building community alongside her business’.
She added: ‘I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and has a holistic approach to wellness.’ Miss Mendoza said: ‘Entrepreneurs need funding, but they also need advisers who care deeply about what they are building. I’m grateful to have found both in the Duchess of Sussex.’
It is understood Meghan contacted the firm, which donates 1 per cent of revenue to ‘food justice’ organisations, after trying its product. It sells the instant lattes in three other flavours – matcha, chai and coffee – at £21 for 14 servings.
The couple will be expected to uphold their promise not to bring the Queen into disrepute through their deals. Buckingham Palace declined to comment but one insider said Meghan’s link-up with Miss Winfrey, without making clear her involvement with the product, was ‘not particularly well advised’.
Harry and Meghan already have a multi-million deal with Netflix.