Dolly Parton wine? Made in Chelsea sweets? Snoop Dogg cereal? No, not a mad game of word association, but all very real celebrity food and drink partnerships.
In recent years, you may have noticed an uptick in the number of smiling familiar faces beaming back at you from the shelves in Tesco – no longer is your choice only between “the foot wine” and “The kangaroo wine”. Now, you can choose between the Kylie Minogue prosecco, or the Kylie Minogue rosé! (£8.50 and £7 respectively, Sainsbury’s).
But are these Celebrity Culinary Adventures actually any good? Can Jamie Laing really transfer his skills of being a) on TV, and b) from Chelsea, into a genuine business with commendable products to boot? Honestly, yes.
Conversely, it may be that you have to look beyond the celebrity branding to enjoy the drink and foodstuffs underneath. There really is something faintly (greatly) off putting about the notion of Ed Sheeran Brand Hot Sauce (Tingly Ted’s); Gary Barlow’s wine received greater PR for a video of him appearing like a serial killer in a vineyard, than for any taste-based merits; and Kylie Minogue’s drinks collection has become more known as part of the Hun Culture meme ecosystem, than for its elegant aroma and fruity undertones.
But this does not mean they are not enjoyable gastronomic experiences, worth your time! Put your preconceived notions about the hollowness of a celebrity sponsorship aside: a lot of these products are genuinely worthwhile and show a greater commitment to culinary creations than is necessary.
Take Spencer Matthews’ (of Made in Chelsea fame) alcohol-free spirit collection – a zero-ABV range created in light of the TV personality’s struggles with alcoholism, wanting to be “as inclusive as possible”.
Though many of these ventures are easy to discard as cynical cash-grabs, it can’t be ignored that sometimes there is real passion and heart underneath. And even if there isn’t, it’s a bit of fun. Who can claim it’s not a novelty to find a frozen pizza in Iceland with Lewis Capaldi’s face on it – that is, the Big Sexy Meaty One, £5 each?
But then again, the less said about Prime by Logan Paul and KSI, the better.
Illustration via Ruby Gordon.