Erewhon’s ‘Dystopian’ $19 Strawberry Has the Internet Outraged

Grocery inflation is nothing new, but a nearly $20 price tag for a single berry is a new level.

A TikTok shared on Feb. 22, which now has 16.4 million views and 1.2 million likes, showcases a $19 strawberry from Los Angeles’s Erewhon.

Influencer Alyssa Antoci posted from the luxury grocer in the clip. “It’s from Kyoto in Japan and apparently it’s, like, the best-tasting strawberry in the entire world,” she explained, showing off the carefully packaged, bright red berry.

She demonstrated how to open up the plastic dome container and took a bite, immediately covering her mouth and rolling her eyes

“Wow, that is the best strawberry,” Antoci, whose family owns Erewhon, said enthusiastically. “That’s crazy.”

While Antoci complimented the pricey fruit, users were quick to critique the product and the taste-tester.

Related: Waffle House Implements 50 Cent Surcharge on Each Egg Due to Supply Issues Caused by Bird Flu

“If I dropped $20 on a strawberry, I’d probably convince myself it was the best one I’ve ever tasted too,” one user quipped. Another wrote, “This is so dystopian,” while other users compared the over-the-top treat to The Hunger Games: “watching from district 12,” a TikToker commented.

Some users pointed out the ridiculous origin of the fruit, like someone who wrote, “Omg?? Im japanese and this is American marketing final boss - kyoto is not known for good strawberries 😂”

Despite the thousands of negative comments, customers caused the viral strawberry to sell out, a Erewhon representative told Today.com. They also said, “The strawberries are picked at their prime and hits the shelves at Erewhon within 24-48 hrs. Faster than broccoli growing in CA getting to markets in NY.” Per the source, the fruit's high price “is the same price as what you would pay in Japan or less

Read the original article on People