People paying over $20 for Japanese and Korean strawberries. Are they worth it?

There aren’t many things in life that I’m willing to splurge on. That includes groceries, which is contrary to the spending habits of my fellow Gen-Zers. In the wake of soaring egg prices due to an ongoing bird flu outbreak and rising livestock costs due to extreme environmental conditions, I’ve been getting increasingly thrifty with how — and what — I decide to spend my money on.

Recently, in an act of personal betrayal, I broke my frugality during a trip to H Mart. It was a tale as old as time: Girl goes to the store to pick up a few items for dinner. Girl succumbs to her temptations while walking through the aisles. Girl leaves with extra items that weren’t on her original grocery list. In my case, it was actually just one additional item: juicy and ripe Korean strawberries priced at $25 per container. I’ve never paid double digits for a single container of strawberries, but curiosity got the best of me. What’s so special about these strawberries anyway?

Earlier this month, luxury strawberries enjoyed their moment under the spotlight thanks to Erewhon. The upscale Los Angeles-based grocery chain caused an uproar on the Internet over a strawberry sold individually in clear, plastic containers. From fruit supplier Elly Amai, the strawberry is imported from Kyoto, Japan, and is available for a very affordable price of $18.99.

“OK, this is a $19 strawberry from Erewhon, so we’re gonna eat it,” influencer Alyssa Antoci, who is the niece of Erewhon’s owners, Tony and Josephine Antoci, said in a viral video posted on Feb. 22. “Apparently it’s like the best-tasting strawberry in the entire world.”

Antoci raved about the strawberry’s taste, saying it was “the best strawberry I’ve ever had in my life.” In a follow-up video, she said the strawberry tastes “like a strawberry, but times like a thousand” and described it as “sweet” and “like candy.”

The extravagantly-priced strawberry — dubbed the “Erewhon strawberry” — has since been taste-tested by food critics and celebrities alike, including Demi Lovato, Josh Peck and Heidi Klum (who said the opulent fruit simply “tastes like a strawberry” after taking a generous bite into it). Others criticized the strawberry’s high price, saying it’s “dystopian” and “a mind game” (“If I dropped $20 on a strawberry, I’d probably convince myself it was the best one I’ve ever tasted too,” one commenter wrote under Antoci’s review).

Although spending $19 on a single strawberry may seem ludicrous to many, there’s reasoning behind the fruit’s high price point. Elly Amai and Erewhon told TODAY.com that the strawberry is so expensive because it’s grown in Tochigi Prefecture, better known as the “Strawberry Kingdom.” The strawberries are exclusively grown from December to June and are picked two days before they’re sold at Erewhon. They stay fresh for just three days after, according to TODAY.

“The strawberries are picked at their prime and [hit] the shelves at Erewhon within 24-48 hrs,” an Erewhon representative told the outlet via email. “Faster than broccoli growing in CA getting to markets in NY.” The rep added that the strawberry’s high price “is the same price as what you would pay in Japan or less.”

Essentially, the strawberry’s price reflects the labor, time, care and precision required to cultivate the specialty berry. In Asia, notably in Japan, certain varieties of strawberries are known as “jewel-like strawberries” due to their high quality, both aesthetics-wise and taste-wise.

Shipping costs are also a factor in overall fruit price. Because the strawberries have a short period of peak ripeness and freshness, bringing them from Japan to the States is a tricky ordeal.  

“If you think logistics-wise, getting it here and being able to try it fresh from Japan, it’s very understandable why the price is what it is. Don’t hate on it until you try it,” an Elly Amai rep told TODAY.

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In addition to Elly Amai’s strawberry, Japanese fruit retailer Ikigai Fruits sells a myriad of luxury fruits, including strawberries, melons, persimmons, pears and oranges. Per their website, Ikigai Fruits’ Kirameki strawberries — the popular bright red, conical-shaped strawberries from Saitama Prefecture, Japan — are $238 for a pack of 27. There are also the sakura pink Awayuki strawberries from Mie Prefecture, which are available for $128 per pack. And a set of mini Kotoka, Awayuki and Pearl White strawberries are collectively $780.

“Japanese fruits are coveted for their exceptional taste and exquisite appearance. Thanks to the meticulous cultivation methods of the farmers across Japan,” Ikigai Fruits said on its official website. “But few Americans have tasted these treasured fruits due to import and transportation challenges in the US.”

So are luxury strawberries really worth it? It's like any other specialty food item — some folks are into it while others aren't. For some, the strawberries are a one-time indulgence or, even, a seasonal gift enjoyed on special occasions or in special baked goods. For others, they are purely an Internet sensation. 

“What makes anything luxury? There’s going to be more attention. There’s going to be more care and more time,” said Ann Ziata, chef at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus. “And hopefully, the result is a higher quality product and it’s worth it and reflects the price.”

After trying the Korean strawberries, I was pleasantly surprised. The berries were deliciously juicy and just the perfect balance of sweet to tart. Would I spend $25 on another pack though? Probably not. But I’m glad let myself indulge in fancy fruits just this one time.