Latest news with #Antoci
USA Today
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Erewhon's viral $19 strawberry has the internet talking: Is the berry worth the price tag?
Erewhon's viral $19 strawberry has the internet talking: Is the berry worth the price tag? Reviews of the famous fruit product are mixed, with some saying it's the best strawberry they've ever tasted and others calling its mere existence dystopian Show Caption Hide Caption Erewhon's pricey strawberry goes viral Los Angeles grocery store Erewhon added a pricey single piece of fruit to their shelves, a $19 strawberry from the brand Elly Amai. One organic strawberry's unique packaging and price tag have piqued the internet's interest. It all started when Alyssa Antoci, whose family owns Erewhon, did a taste test of the $19 Elly Amai organic strawberry on TikTok in late February. "This is a $19 strawberry from Erewhon so we're gonna eat it," Antoci says in the video. "It's from Kyoto in Japan and apparently, it's like, the best-tasting strawberry in the entire world." The 17-year-old then removes the strawberry from its packaging and takes a big bite, telling viewers she could get behind the hype. "That's the best strawberry. That's crazy. That is the best strawberry I have ever had − in my life," Antoci says. "It's actually the best strawberry I've ever had and it's from Japan, I need to eat every last bit of it." Antoci's video has garnered over 17 million views and thousands of comments since it was first posted, even migrating off TikTok to other social media platforms, where users and A-listers alike are sharing their own reviews and thoughts on the $19 Erewhon strawberry. Even "Confident' singer Demi Lovato has tried the viral red berry. In a follow-up video, Antoci said the $19 Erewhon strawberry tastes like a strawberry "but times a thousand," like candy. Here's how the Internet feels about the $19 Erewhon strawberry. Why is the Erewhon strawberry $19? The famed red berry is grown in Tochigi Prefecture, nicknamed the Strawberry Kingdom, from December to June, Japanese supplier Elly Amai and Erewhon told Today. The strawberries, like Elly Amai's melons, are considered luxurious because they are sourced from "Japan's most celebrated farms, ensuring each piece embodies the meticulous care and craftsmanship of generations of Japanese farmers." Erewhon told Today that the viral strawberry was made available for purchase at an Erewhon store in Beverly Hills in early February and will be available at Erewhon's other Southern California locations in Santa Monica and Pasadena. "These strawberries have been flying off the shelves as soon as they arrive," Erewhon said in a Monday statement. "The response has been incredible, and we're struggling to keep them in stock!" The fruit's price is equivalent or less than what you would pay for the strawberry in Japan, Erewhon said. 'If you think logistics-wise, getting it here and being able to try it fresh from Japan, it's very understandable why the price is what it is,' an Elly Amai representative shared with TODAY. 'Don't hate on it until you try it.' Elly Ami immediately responded to USA TODAY's request for comment on Monday afternoon. Internet mocks, calls $19 Erewhon strawberry 'dystopian' No one's ecstatic about the price of the strawberry, but some have been tempted to try the fruit since it went viral. Others think Antoci's review and the virality of the strawberry is a little ridiculous and "dystopian," with some going as far as comparing it to "The Hunger Games" book and movie. "Watching from District 12," one user wrote. Another wrote: "If I dropped $20 on a strawberry, I'd probably convince myself it was the best one I've ever tasted too." Here's a few reactions, from TikTok to X, about the $19 Erewhon strawberry.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Erewhon's viral $19 strawberry has the internet talking: Is the berry worth the price tag?
One organic strawberry's unique packaging and price tag have piqued the internet's interest. It all started when Alyssa Antoci, whose family owns Erewhon, did a taste test of the $19 Elly Amai organic strawberry on TikTok in late February. "This is a $19 strawberry from Erewhon so we're gonna eat it," Antoci says in the video. "It's from Kyoto in Japan and apparently, it's like, the best-tasting strawberry in the entire world." The 17-year-old then removes the strawberry from its packaging and takes a big bite, telling viewers she could get behind the hype. "That's the best strawberry. That's crazy. That is the best strawberry I have ever had − in my life," Antoci says. "It's actually the best strawberry I've ever had and it's from Japan, I need to eat every last bit of it." Antoci's video has garnered over 17 million views and thousands of comments since it was first posted, even migrating off TikTok to other social media platforms, where users and A-listers alike are sharing their own reviews and thoughts on the $19 Erewhon strawberry. Even "Confident' singer Demi Lovato has tried the viral red berry. In a follow-up video, Antoci said the $19 Erewhon strawberry tastes like a strawberry "but times a thousand," like candy. Here's how the Internet feels about the $19 Erewhon strawberry. The famed red berry is grown in Tochigi Prefecture, nicknamed the Strawberry Kingdom, from December to June, Japanese supplier Elly Amai and Erewhon told Today. The strawberries, like Elly Amai's melons, are considered luxurious because they are sourced from "Japan's most celebrated farms, ensuring each piece embodies the meticulous care and craftsmanship of generations of Japanese farmers." Erewhon told Today that the viral strawberry was made available for purchase at an Erewhon store in Beverly Hills in early February and will be available at Erewhon's other Southern California locations in Santa Monica and Pasadena. "These strawberries have been flying off the shelves as soon as they arrive," Erewhon said in a Monday statement. "The response has been incredible, and we're struggling to keep them in stock!" The fruit's price is equivalent or less than what you would pay for the strawberry in Japan, Erewhon said. 'If you think logistics-wise, getting it here and being able to try it fresh from Japan, it's very understandable why the price is what it is,' an Elly Amai representative shared with TODAY. 'Don't hate on it until you try it.' Elly Ami immediately responded to USA TODAY's request for comment on Monday afternoon. No one's ecstatic about the price of the strawberry, but some have been tempted to try the fruit since it went viral. Others think Antoci's review and the virality of the strawberry is a little ridiculous and "dystopian," with some going as far as comparing it to "The Hunger Games" book and movie. "Watching from District 12," one user wrote. Another wrote: "If I dropped $20 on a strawberry, I'd probably convince myself it was the best one I've ever tasted too." Here's a few reactions, from TikTok to X, about the $19 Erewhon strawberry. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Favorite social experiment:' Internet reacts to $19 Erewhon strawberry
NBC News
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
A $19 strawberry has caused a stir online. And of course, it's sold at Erewhon.
It's juicy. It's fresh. And just one will cost you $18.99. The Elly Amai strawberry, imported from Kyoto, Japan, has become the latest absurdly priced item sold at the Los Angeles luxury grocery store chain Erewhon, and it has captivated the internet. This week, dozens of people on TikTok and Instagram have posted videos commenting on the strawberry, marveling at the cost while also questioning why anyone would pay so much for a lone fruit. Some who dished out money to get their hands on the berry have described it as delicious — albeit pricey. Others have called out the cost, suggesting it's yet another product for wealthy Angelenos who frequent the chain. In recent years, Erewhon, which has 10 stores in the L.A. area, has become a hotspot for locals and tourists alike thanks to the A-listers who shop there and the influencers who regularly post about it online. Their celebrity-branded smoothies — including Kendall Jenner's 'Peaches and Cream' smoothie and Hailey Bieber's 'Strawberry Glaze Soft Serve' smoothie — have helped propel the store's online fame, turning it into a cultural phenomenon. The market's social media popularity is something influencer Alyssa Antoci, 22, knows intimately. Her uncle and aunt, Tony and Josephine Antoci, own the popular chain. And it was Antoci who began the strawberry trend on TikTok earlier this week, sharing a video of herself unboxing the berry and biting into it while sitting outside an Erewhon store. 'Wow, this is the best strawberry,' she says after the taste-test. 'That's crazy.' The video has amassed 15.6 million views as of Wednesday and has prompted others on the platform to weigh in. While some have mocked Antoci's video, others have filmed themselves going to Erewhon to try the strawberry out. Antoci, who said she used to help run Erewhon's social media, said she knows that the prices can contribute to the general frenzy over the store's products. But she believes the overly priced items have also made the chain a destination for many who want a taste of the idyllic L.A. lifestyle. 'People kind of want to experience that and say it in posts,' she said of the viral craze around the store itself. The smoothies, for example, are 'beautiful' and serve as the ideal 'photo op' for visitors, she said. In Erewhon stores, the shelves in which the berries are put on display showcase them in individually packed clear containers. The bright, large berries sit atop white pads. The description posted next to the product, provided by Elly Amai, says their strawberries 'redefine sweetness and beauty.' Once removed from the container, consumers are instructed to rinse the berry, remove the stem and wait 30 minutes 'to bring out maximum sweetness and aroma' before eating. 'Each berry is cultivated to achieve perfect symmetry, brilliant color, and exceptional size,' according to the description on display. With the berry, Antoci didn't necessarily anticipate such buzz online. But now, it's become a hot commodity: according to Antoci, the berry has sold out at three L.A. locations as of Wednesday. A spokesperson for Erewhon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Elly Amai also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. 'I honestly think this is probably one of the biggest things that have taken off, besides the smoothies,' Antoci said. Still, some who went to check out the berry in person were not as enthusiastic as Antoci. 'I've seen a lot of weird things at Erewhon, but this is a new low,' said one creator in a video shared to their Instagram. Many social media users have also commented how they think a price tag so high for such a small item feels dystopian, given that people are struggling with high grocery costs as it is. But Antoci isn't deterred by any sort of backlash. "That's just how social media works," she said. "It's like, you know, you're gonna get people who hate on you, but it's like, it doesn't really matter at the end of the day, because they don't understand the opportunity it brings."
