Fortnum & Mason teas, Burberry raincoats, but also beans and dog food: with the death of Elizabeth II, the queen’s 600 favorite brands lose the royal order and must now await the approval of the new monarch. If they do not obtain the favors of Carlos III, they will have two years to remove the seal that marks them as regular suppliers of the royal family. As a prince, Charles had already bestowed it on more than 150 marks.
First of all, it is a guarantee of quality: “the beneficiaries of a royal certificate receive a magnificent document and the right to put the appropriate royal seal on their products”, the Association of Royal Certificates simply affirms. But for some of these companies, their royal ties are a strong selling point, though it’s hard to measure the real impact on sales.
No preferential rates
Fortnum & Mason, supplier of tea to the royal family, assures in all its communications “to be proud to have been the holder of an order of Her Majesty since 1954, and to have served it with the rest of the royal family throughout his life”. The luxurious shopkeeper, who claims that her “Royal blend” tea was created for King Edward in 1902, will not lose her mandate, as she also holds a mandate from Prince Charles. Another big name in tea, the Twinings brand is also one of the purveyors of the royal family.
Among the other brands that benefit from their association with the queen, the Dubonnet wine-based aperitif, one of the two ingredients of her favorite cocktail, the Dubonnet & Gin, according to the British press. In terms of clothing and accessories, Launer, which sells bags the queen was inseparable with, had prided itself on supplying the queen since 1968, but now risks losing her cherished prestige. On the contrary, Barbour jackets, especially suited to the capricious climate of the United Kingdom, were appreciated by Charles III as they were by his mother.
The brands do not pay royalties for this prestigious mandate, nor do they provide the Crown for free or at preferential prices. For those who are less associated with the queen in the collective imagination, the mandate is “above all the recognition of know-how and tradition,” Christian Porta, deputy general director of Pernod Ricard, owner of Dubonnet, explains to AFP.
The French wine and spirits multinational has two mandates, for Dubonnet but also for Mumm champagne (the royal family, very fond of champagne, also gives its seal to Bollinger, Krug, Lanson, Laurent-Perrier, Louis Roederer, Moet & Chandon , and Veuve Clicquot).
Beans in tomato sauce
Consumer brands also have the royal mandate, such as Heinz, known for its ketchup and especially its white beans in tomato sauce loved by the British, or a variety of dog food. For Kellogg’s cereals, “it’s good that an American brand like ours is establishing itself in the UK,” explains Paul Wheeler, UK brand communications manager.
According to him, Kellogg’s has been supplying the royal family continuously since the end of the reign of George VI, the father of Elizabeth II: “We had a dedicated delivery truck for the royal family, which traveled from our factory to the palace, and that she was nicknamed Geneviève,” he says. From now on, the criteria to obtain the renewal of the mandate every five years are toughened: “it is no longer just about providing an impeccable service but also about demonstrating that we are a good company”, with particular criteria of respect for human rights , he added.
Consequently, the royal seal is, according to him, also a “quality guarantee”, which some Britons can use to choose their products.
Source: BFM TV
