A luxury grocery store in the U.S. is drawing attention for selling a single strawberry for $19.
Elly Amai strawberries, imported from Kyoto, Japan, have been selling at an exorbitant price.
This strawberry, grown in Tochigi Prefecture, known as the “Strawberry Kingdom” near Tokyo, is individually packaged and sold at Erewhon, a premium grocery chain in Los Angeles.
Influencer Alyssa Antoci posted a video on her social media, showcasing the strawberry sold at her family’s store, Erewhon. In the video, Antoci praised the strawberry as “the best strawberry I’ve ever had,” garnering over 17.6 million views and sparking widespread interest.
As the video gained popularity, many people purchased the strawberries and shared their videos on social media, evaluating the price and taste.
Online users reacted with mixed opinions, such as, “It tastes good, but is it worth $19? Definitely not.” “It’s worth trying for the experience,” and “The individual packaging is seriously harmful to the environment.”
As the controversy over the strawberry’s price spread, Elly Amai and Erewhon clarified.
Elly Amai stated, “Transporting high-quality strawberries from Japan to the U.S. while maintaining their freshness incurs significant costs,” and urged consumers not to judge without tasting them first.
Erewhon explained, “The strawberries are picked at their prime and hits the shelves at Erewhon within 24-48 hrs,” adding, “Faster than broccoli growing in CA getting to markets in NY.”
