California’s reputation of extravagant and ostentatious lifestyle choices has been done no favor by a Los Angeles grocery store selling a limited-edition pineapple for almost $400.
The Rubyglow Pineapple, offered exclusively by grocery outlet Melissa’s Produce, is retailing at $395.99 online, though according to the store’s website, stocks have already sold out.
According to Melissa’s, the “extraordinary fruit” has been 15 years in the making and “boasts a unique lineage born from meticulous cultivation and traditional crossbreeding.”
The Rubyglow pineapple is described as having a striking “jewel-toned exterior” with “rich, citrine-yellow” flesh.
Rubyglows originate from Costa Rica and are seasonal year-round. Only a few thousand of the pricey pineapples are produced each year by Fresh Del Monte, which sells a variety of produce.
Described as “the pinnacle of luxury fruit” – each pineapple comes in equally fancy packaging and is suitable for gifting, according to the grocery store.
They were previously only available in Asia, and Melissa’s is the first – and only – US distributor.
The grocery store also boasts other fancy pineapples that are available for purchase online, including the Pinkglow Pineapple, which is listed for a more reasonable price of two for $58.
Luxury fruits have become more popular in recent years, with the advent of items including Sumo Citrus and Honeycrisp apples. A four-pound pack of Honeycrisp apples at Melissa’s is priced at $27.49. The large Sumo Citrus oranges are currently not in season.
The price of one Rubyglow Pineapple is well over the amount spent on groceries per week by the average American family – $270.21 – according to a study by HelpAdvisor that analyzed the US Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, released in January.
The survey found that California topped the list of most expensive places to buy food, with a household average of $297.72 per week, or $27.51 (the price of four pounds of Honeycrisp apples at Melissa’s) more than the average for the 48 continental states.
The Golden State is also home to the infamously pricey grocery outlet, Erewhon, for which paying more is a “point of pride” for its clientele, according to Nasdaq.
Erewhon is known to be frequented by A-listers including the Kardashians, Miley Cyrus, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Hailey Bieber – who has her own strawberry smoothie partnership with the store that retails at $18.
