Martha In the News

Martha has been in the news lately with several new ventures underway and the surprising sale of her company to new owners, Marquee Brands. I thought I would outline some of the developments in this post. First is the news of the sale (or rather, re-sale) of Martha's company; it was purchased by Sequential Brands in 2015 and Sequential has now sold her company to Marquee, which owns and manages global brands across numerous consumer channels and markets. Marquee controls brands such as Body Glove, Ben Sherman and BCBGMAXAZRIA - primarily apparel - and will now add Martha Stewart to its roster. This will be the first house & home brand for Marquee, although Martha's recent forays into apparel via QVC broadens her scope. From the consumer's perspective, little will change. Martha's products will still be accessible through familiar channels, such as Macy's, QVC, Michael's and online through Amazon and the Martha Stewart Shop at marthastewart.com. Martha's magazine, Martha Stewart Living, is still controlled by Meredith Corp. and her publishing partnerships with Clarkson Potter and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt remain intact.

Martha has also recently partnered with two Canadian companies: one which specializes in seafood and the other in cannabis production! In February it was announced that Martha would partner with Canadian seafood giant Cooke's True North to develop a line of seafood entrees, including Atlantic and sockeye salmon, Alaska pollock and a seafood medley, all sold with Martha Stewart spices and recipes. The line was showcased this spring in Boston and will be available on QVC starting this month. You can watch Martha discussing the fish on QVC by clicking here.

Meanwhile, also in Canada, Martha's expertise will be used to help develop products made with cannabis with a company called Canopy Growth. She will act as an advisor to help the company create new products for pets and people alike. Martha came on board when her friend and television co-host, Snoop Dogg, referred Martha to the company. "As soon as you hear the name Martha, you know exactly who we're talking about," said Canopy Growth co-CEO Bruce Linton. "Martha is one of a kind and I am so excited to be able to work alongside this icon to sharpen our CBD product offerings." (CBD is a naturally occurring compound found in the resinous flower of cannabis).

Martha has also recently partnered with MSC Cruises to curate on-board menus and shore excursions tailored to her tastes. Restaurants on board the ships will feature Martha Stewart menu options and activities on board will feature Martha Stewart events, such as crafting classes and cooking lessons. Martha traveled with MSC Cruises to also develop curated shore excursion itineraries: places Martha enjoyed seeing and activities she recommends. Guests on board the ship can tailor their cruise to include one Martha Moment after another!  Click here to watch a short promo clip.

Martha also has a new cookie book on the way! In October, you can purchase Martha Stewart's Cookie Perfection, which features 100+ recipes for the very best cookies. The book is hardcover with 256 pages. It will be published on October 15, but you can preorder it here. Here is the description of the book from the publisher, Clarkson Potter.

The editors of Martha Stewart Living present a new, fun source for anyone looking to make their go-to cookies even better and bolder. These recipes make ordinary cookies absolutely extraordinary--all the familiar favorites you love, but taken up a notch in variety, flavor, and creativity. Classic recipes discover new life with unexpected twists such as Lemony Brown-Butter Crinkle Cookies and Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies. Go over-the-top in super-sized fashion with Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookies; get inspired by cultures around the globe with Brazilian Wedding Cookies and Stroopwaffels; and celebrate with beautifully decorated holiday treats, such as Easter Egg Puzzle Cookies and Snowball Truffles. Whether for a special celebration or a sweet anytime-treat, you'll be sure to find inspiration to trade in your everyday cookies for versions far more special--and especially delicious.