The upscale supermarket chain Erewhon in Los Angeles is selling a single “Elly Amai” strawberry, imported from Kyoto, for $18.99. The berry has attracted attention on social media, with millions of views on TikTok and Instagram, among those who try it and those who criticize the high cost. The trend was started by Alyssa Antoci, influencer and granddaughter of Erewhon’s owners, who posted a video in which she tastes the strawberry, calling it “the best ever.” Reaction has been mixed: some users see it as an exclusive luxury product, others see the price as a sign of excess in a time of economic hardship. The strawberries are sold out in three Los Angeles stores, confirming the success of the trend despite the criticism.
As NBC News reports, an Elly Amai brand representative explained why the cost of these strawberries is so high by pointing out that they are picked in Japan two days before being sold in Los Angeles and must be eaten within three days.
“If you think of that from the logistical commitment point of view, being able to have the product here in Los Angeles and being able to taste it directly from Japan still fresh, it has a challenging cost, then it’s also very understandable that the price is what it is.” “Don’t hate it until you try it,” he added.
However, some curious people who specifically went to Antoci’s supermarket to see the strawberry “live” said on social media that they were not particularly thrilled with the product. “I’ve seen a lot of weird things at Erewhon, but never like this,” said one Instagram user who posted in a video about the experience.
