This fruit costs $130 a pop — here's why

New York Post

05-07-2025

Look at those melons!
Japanese crown melons are known throughout the agricultural world as 'the king of fruits,' and Asian supermarket HMart's Upper West Side location is running a special on them: $130 apiece, marked down from $160.
Hurry, because on Thursday the store at 210 Amsterdam Ave. had just four left.
The muskmelons — otherwise known as the Shizuoka crown melon, as its grown in the western part of the Shizuoka prefecture — come packaged in a sleek, black gift box with gold lettering. Inside the supermarket, they're kept in lucite.
4 HMart is running a special on the king of all fruits.
Helayne Seidman
The big-money melons are renowned for their unparalleled sweetness, subtle flavor and silky texture. Fans of the rare fruit claim the Japanese crown practically melts in your mouth.
It's some of the priciest produce in the Big Apple.
Each crown boasts a T-shaped stem, which verifies the melon's 'one tree, one fruit' growing method. One melon is allowed to grow on the vine, concentrating all of the plant's nutrients into a single fruit.
They also require almost constant attention. The temperature, the humidity in the air, the amount the melon's watered — all are exacting.
Before they can receive the crown seal of approval, each and every melon must pass specific flavor, sugar content, appearance, and ripeness standards.
4 Loulia Gourari, 35, a doctor, was not convinced enough to leave with one of the melons.
Helayne Seidman
A good source of potassium and vitamins A and C, the luxury fruit begins to ripen once its harvested, and should be kept at room temperature until snack time. And even then, you need to refrigerate the melon for 2 to 3 hours before consuming.
On average, the pale green melons weigh 3.3 pounds, and are larger than a bocce ball, but smaller than a bowling ball.
Butterfield Market on Lexington Ave between 77th and 78th streets usually carries the melons, but are presently sold out. The store is due to receive a fresh delivery this month.
4 The T-shaped stem denotes the 'one tree, one fruit' growing method
Helayne Seidman
The market sells 36 melons a week, when in stock, manager Ken Williams told The Post.
'Paying that much for fruit is a bold decision,' said Dr. Loulia Gourari, 35, who stopped to take a look at HMart's crown melons this week. 'It's a nice gift for someone who has everything.'
The melon is also served at Jōji NY, a sushi restaurant in One Vanderbilt.
4 HMart only had four of the succulent melons on Wednesday.
Helayne Seidman
The HMart price is a bargain compared to some of the websites that'll deliver the penultimate fruit to your door.
They can be ordered online through Ikigai Fruits (each priced at $177 — 'with delivery') and are available for pre-order (with next day delivery) through Melissa's Produce, which charges $159 without delivery.