Take a Bite Out of a Giant, $8 Japanese Strawberry

Finding the best deals in produce can be tricky—from navigating what’s in season, to staying mindful of organic practices, to bartering with the man at the farmers market stand. And sometimes, all that money-minding goes out the window the second you spot perfectly ripe, oversized berries. Even if a single one costs $8.

Growers in Japan—a country more often associated with tiny food—have created a new jumbo berry that weighs about 1.5 ounces and is roughly the size of a large egg. They’re produced by a company called Ichigo Co. (ichigo means “strawberry” in Japanese) and are so pricey because of what it takes to grow them. The magic behind the berries: temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms and LED lighting. 

Ichigo Co. is selling the fruit online in packs of six so be prepared to shell out $48 (plus shipping) to get the mammoth strawberries. But Ichigo's wares aren't the only instance of the Japanese putting a premium on their fruit. Just last week a bunch of grapes sold at auction for $8,200, and earlier this year, a pair of Yubari melons went for more than $12,000. Nature’s candy, it seems, doesn't come cheap.