Meghan Markle is reportedly sourcing herbal teas from a California-based company and reselling them under her own brand, As Ever, at a significantly higher price point.

The Duchess of Sussex’s herbal tea blends—hibiscus, lemon ginger, and peppermint—are produced by The Republic of Tea, a well-established tea company headquartered in Larkspur, California, with a production facility located in Nashville, Illinois.

Initially, product pages on the As Ever website identified The Republic of Tea as the source, listing “Brand: ‘republic-of-tea'” in the metadata. This detail was later changed to “As Ever store” after media inquiries were made.

Further confirmation comes from As Ever‘s own shipping policy, which clearly states that orders are fulfilled from The Republic of Tea’s distribution centers.

Tea Company With a History of Licensing Deals

The Republic of Tea is no stranger to partnerships, having previously created branded teas for popular shows like Netflix’s Bridgerton and ITV’s Downton Abbey.

The company was founded in 1992 by Mel and Patricia Ziegler with Bill Rosenzweig and was acquired by entrepreneur Ron Rubin a year and a half later. His son, Todd Rubin, has served as company president since 2015.

The Larkspur-based firm is located roughly 350 miles from Meghan’s home in Montecito, while its manufacturing plant sits more than 2,000 miles away in Illinois.

The price difference between the original teas and those sold through As Ever is notable. For example, The Republic of Tea sells a tin of 36 Natural Hibiscus Tea Bags for £8.45—roughly 24p per cup. In contrast, As Ever sells a tin of 12 for £9, which comes to around 73p per cup.