Erewhon's viral $19 strawberry has the internet talking: Is the berry worth the price tag?

One integrated strawberry's unsocial packaging and terms tag person piqued the internet's interest.

It each started erstwhile Alyssa Antoci, whose household owns Erewhon, did a sensation trial of the $19 Elly Amai integrated strawberry connected TikTok successful precocious February.

"This is simply a $19 strawberry from Erewhon truthful we're gonna devour it," Antoci says successful the video. "It's from Kyoto successful Japan and apparently, it's like, the best-tasting strawberry successful the full world."

The 17-year-old past removes the strawberry from its packaging and takes a large bite, telling viewers she could get down the hype.

"That's the champion strawberry. That's crazy. That is the champion strawberry I person ever had − successful my life," Antoci says. "It's really the champion strawberry I've ever had and it's from Japan, I request to devour each past spot of it."

Antoci's video has garnered implicit 17 cardinal views and thousands of comments since it was archetypal posted, adjacent migrating disconnected TikTok to different societal media platforms, wherever users and A-listers alike are sharing their ain reviews and thoughts connected the $19 Erewhon strawberry. Even "Confident' vocalist Demi Lovato has tried the viral reddish berry.

In a follow-up video, Antoci said the $19 Erewhon strawberry tastes similar a strawberry "but times a thousand," similar candy.

Here's however the Internet feels astir the $19 Erewhon strawberry.

Why is the Erewhon strawberry $19?

The famed reddish berry is grown successful Tochigi Prefecture, nicknamed the Strawberry Kingdom, from December to June, Japanese supplier Elly Amai and Erewhon told Today.

The strawberries, similar Elly Amai's melons, are considered luxurious due to the fact that they are sourced from "Japan’s astir celebrated farms, ensuring each portion embodies the meticulous attraction and craftsmanship of generations of Japanese farmers."

Erewhon told Today that the viral strawberry was made disposable for acquisition astatine an Erewhon store successful Beverly Hills successful aboriginal February and volition beryllium disposable astatine Erewhon's different Southern California locations successful Santa Monica and Pasadena.

"These strawberries person been flying disconnected the shelves arsenic soon arsenic they arrive," Erewhon said successful a Monday statement. "The effect has been incredible, and we’re struggling to support them successful stock!"

The fruit's terms is equivalent oregon little than what you would wage for the strawberry successful Japan, Erewhon said.

“If you deliberation logistics-wise, getting it present and being capable to effort it caller from Japan, it’s precise understandable wherefore the terms is what it is,” an Elly Amai typical shared with TODAY. “Don’t hatred connected it until you effort it.”

Elly Ami instantly responded to USA TODAY's petition for remark connected Monday afternoon.

Internet mocks, calls $19 Erewhon strawberry 'dystopian'

No one's ecstatic astir the terms of the strawberry, but immoderate person been tempted to effort the effect since it went viral.

Others deliberation Antoci's reappraisal and the virality of the strawberry is simply a small ridiculous and "dystopian," with immoderate going arsenic acold arsenic comparing it to "The Hunger Games" publication and movie.

"Watching from District 12," 1 idiosyncratic wrote.

Another wrote: "If I dropped $20 connected a strawberry, I'd astir apt person myself it was the champion 1 I've ever tasted too."

Here's a fewer reactions, from TikTok to X, astir the $19 Erewhon strawberry.

This nonfiction primitively appeared connected USA TODAY: 'Favorite societal experiment:' Internet reacts to $19 Erewhon strawberry