The Omakase berry, also known as Oishii strawberries, is one of the most revolutionary fruits invented within the last century. Oishii founders Hiroki Koga and Brendan Somerville claim they've made the best-tasting strawberry in the world. How are their berries more special than the rest? Vertical farming — the newest fruit farming technique that stresses quality over quantity.
These berries might be trending on social media yet only a select few can afford the $50 price tag for a tray of eight. Strawberry production is historically reliant on fossil fuels and possesses the unfortunate title of "America's most pesticide-riddled fruit," according to EWG.com. But Oishii wanted to do things differently by manufacturing a "luxury" fruit prior to releasing an affordable mass-market variety. That's why the Omakase berry is lovingly referred to as the "Tesla of strawberries."
Despite Oishii strawberries grabbing all of the attention, Yubari melons are arguably more interesting than the Omakase berry. Also referred to as the Yubari King, the price alone is extraordinary even for seriously wealthy buyers. One of these melons can easily set you back $13,500 — and that's just for one! Imagine eating $13k worth of fruit in one sitting... We can already feel the buyer's remorse!
However, the exorbitantly wealthy — or extremely lucky — people who have already given the Yubari melon a taste claim it's "delicate, syrupy-sweet," and "honey-like with a soft, juicy texture," as told by ItsFoodtastic.com. But regular-priced melons can taste good, too. What really makes the Yubari King so expensive? It all comes done to limited and careful production. They're bred from Earl's Favorite and Burpee's "Spicy" Cantaloupe in a small greenhouse in Japan. No mass farming there!
Pinkglow pineapples are exactly what they sound like — pink pineapples. But maybe not in the way you think... While you won't find any fuschia fruits on your local grocery market shelves, manufacturers put a unique spin on this tropical fruit by producing pineapples with a pink flesh interior. The difference is subtle, hence the name "pinkglow" instead of "super ultra pink."
From color to pricing, these pineapples are nowhere near ordinary. Sure, they're pink and that's super cute, but are they $50 cute?! Most of us regular folks would shout a collective "NO!" Yet "regular folks" aren't the target audience. Rich people who search far and wide for the best of the best in every realm of life would probably jump at the chance to taste a fruit marketed as "the best" — especially when it lacks any "acidic aftertaste."
According to The Hustle, buyers' newfound attraction to absurdly premium fruits is a result of the pandemic. The fresher and fancier the product, the better the store looks to hesitant buyers living in a world of ever-rising prices. Ruby Roman grapes are like the Yubari melon and Omakase berry in that they're solely grown in Japan. The taste, craftsmanship, and scarcity of these little fruits make them the most expensive grapes in the world.
Typically sold for $500 per bunch, these grapes are the height of luxury. In fact, a single bunch was sold for upwards of $12,000 at a 2020 auction. That boils down to about $400 per grape! One agriculture expert described the taste to Weather.com as "delicious — sweet but fresh at the same time, very well balanced" back in 2008. If a luxury grape doesn't taste good, then what's the point?!
Sumo citrus mandarins don't look that special from the outside because they're really just a cross-breed between a regular mandarin and a California navel orange. This citrus might not be the most special on the list, but it's still celebrated as one of the world's newest fancy fruits setting social media ablaze.
Like we said, Sumo mandarins don't look all that special, yet they do possess one major defining factor separating them from the rest. Years of research and cross-breeding resulted in a nub on the Sumo Citrus peel that The Hustle describes as "resemble[ing] a sumo wrestler's top knot." The price? At least $3 each. Not outrageous, but definitely out of the ordinary.
