Grocery prices are on the rise, but nothing — not even a carton of eggs — is causing sticker shock like this one curious piece of produce.
On Feb. 22, influencer Alyssa Antoci posted a TikTok review of a strawberry for sale at luxury Los Angeles grocer Erewhon for $19. Yes — one single strawberry for one dollar short of a crisp Andrew Jackson bill.
“OK, this is a $19 strawberry from Erewhon, so we’re gonna eat it,” Antoci — whose aunt and uncle own the chain — says in the now-viral video. “Apparently it’s like the best-tasting strawberry in the entire world.”
Antoci removes the Elly Amai fruit from its clear plastic packaging, marvels at its presentation — it’s affixed to a “little tray” — then takes a bite.
“That’s crazy. Yeah, that is the best strawberry I’ve ever had in my life,” she shouts to anyone in earshot. “I’m gonna eat every last bit of it.”
Antoci’s TikTok has racked up over 15 million views and 12,000 comments — most of which express disbelief at the price.
“This is so dystopian,” commented one TikTok user.
“Who else thinks Erewhon is a social experiment to see what some people will spend on?” asked another.
“I can’t stress how dumb I think this is,” commented someone else, this time on Instagram, to whom another person replied, “Tell that to Japan where this strawberry came from and where they literally have a whole industry built on super expensive fancy fruit.”
The strawberry made such a splash that other influencers created commentary and parody videos about it.
TikTokers mock the $19 strawberry
“I’ve seen a lot of weird things at Erewhon, but this is a new low,” TikToker Samantha Wynn Greenstone says in a video filmed in front of the Elly Amai strawberry display at one location.
“To buy a $20 dollar strawberry is loser behavior,” said Mary Bernthal on the Viall Files podcast on Feb. 25, and Justin Phillips responded, “I kinda wanna do it though.”
Many TikTokers have posted spoofs of Antoci’s review, mocking the the strawberry’s packaging and the boujee vibe of the review. Influencer and YouTube star Daniel Preda posted a now-viral parody of Antoci’s review, donning a blond wig, long nails and a Dodgers hat.
“We’re bringing you luxury, this is something you could never afford as you are. I’m going to taste this for you since you never will,” Preda jokes before taking a bite of the strawberry. “This is like the best strawberry in the world, and I’m not even going to tell you what it tastes like.”
Meanwhile, Antoci seems to be taking it well: She reposted Preda’s parody on TikTok and says they’ve been in touch.
“My family owns Erewhon and my dad is in charge of all the smoothies; he does all of our collaborations with brands,” Antoci tells TODAY.com, adding that she was at lunch with him and his friends when she filmed the review.
“Honestly, I wasn’t even gonna post the video in the first place,” she says — and she realized she didn’t mention what the strawberry tasted like in it. “I had no idea it would have the reach that it did.”
In a follow-up video, Antoci reveals more about the fancy fruit, saying that it tastes “like a strawberry, but times like a thousand,” “sweet” and “like candy.”
Why is the Erewhon strawberry $19?
Elly Amai and Erewhon tell TODAY.com that viral fruit is grown in Tochigi Prefecture, which is nicknamed the “Strawberry Kingdom.” These Tochiaika strawberries are grown from December to June.
Everyone involved — Erewhon, Elly Amai and Antoci — pointed out that the special strawberries are a result of Japanese luxury fruit culture.
And this isn’t even the most expensive fruit one can buy: The " target="_blank">Japanese Miyazaki mango sells for about $260. Stateside, Fresh Del Monte’s Rubyglow pineapple was first sold in California last May for $395.99 — and it quickly sold out.
Erewhon says the viral strawberry was first sold two weeks ago at its Beverly Hills location and will be available in its Santa Monica and Pasadena locations in the future.
“The strawberries are picked at their prime and hit the shelves at Erewhon within 24-48 hrs,” an Erewhon rep tells TODAY.com via email. “Faster than broccoli growing in CA getting to markets in NY.”
The rep also says the fruit's high price “is the same price as what you would pay in Japan or less,” claiming that its airfreight costs just as much as the fruit. “Elly Amai is flying them in due to the short length of peak ripeness.”
Elly Amai says its strawberries have a short shelf life: They’re picked in Japan two days before they’re sold in Los Angeles at Erewhon, and they have to be eaten within three days after that.
“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,” an Elly Amai rep tells TODAY.com. “Don’t hate on it until you try it.”
This article originally appeared on TODAY.com. Read more from TODAY:
