Would you pay $89 for a single strawberry? What about $120 for a melon? A Japanese startup thinks you might and it's betting on a growing appetite for ultra-premium fruit far beyond Japan's borders.
Meet Ikigai Fruits, a new online retailer bringing meticulously grown produce from small farms across Japan to the global stage. Launched in 2023 and based in Tokyo, the company offers boxes of rare persimmons for $128 and strawberry gift sets that can cost up to $780. This isn't just about fruit; it's about craftsmanship, cultural pride, and the pursuit of perfection.
The demand for high-end Japanese produce has led to a new crop of startups. Ikigai Fruits is among the most ambitious. But it's not without challenges. Tariffs, unpredictable climates, and the fragility of the product itself make shipping such delicacies a logistical feat.
That's where companies like Oishii have stepped in with a different approach. Based in New Jersey, Oishii recreates Japan's climate in vertical farms using LED lighting, humidity controls, and even robots. Its strawberries are perfectly sweet, juicy, and blemish-free, and have become a hit on Instagram and TikTok. Oishii's CEO, Hiroki Koga, says, "Anyone can taste the difference immediately."
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