The Reason Sekai Ichi Apples Are So Expensive

The world of luxury fruit is booming in Japan. With produce up into the thousands of dollars for a single piece of fruit, carefully engineered and grown fruit is a luxury with a hefty price tag (via Tokyo Treat). According to CNN, Japanese farmers have meticulously worked out growing techniques for sumptuous fruits such as tennis ball-sized strawberries, rudy red grapes, and cubed watermelons, which are popular, especially for gift-giving.

Fetching hefty price tags like a crate of oranges that went for $9,600 and luxurious strawberries that can be found at Whole Foods, the fruit bowl has been elevated thanks to Japanese farming innovation. With the price of produce going up due to inflation in 2022, even everyday fruits are fetching heftier price tags these days. Although, a trip to the local market to get your everyday Honeycrisp or Gala is unlikely to hit a similar price point as the expensive Sekai Ichi apples.

While apples might be more pricy by the pound this fall, regular apples at the supermarket are unlikely to cost you $20 per bag. According to Market Watch, the Sekai Ichi apple is found in Japan and does cost $20 — per fruit, not per pound. However, you arguably do get your money's worth as the apples can grow up to 2 pounds. The aesthetically pleasing apples have a distinct appearance that looks pretty on shelves, though they are hard to find. Definitely well above average size for the fruit, especially when compared to the average weight of apples, which are typically about 0.33 pounds (via Ryan's Juice). The large size of the Sekai Ichi apple means that only a limited amount can grow on each tree, thus restricting the availability of the hefty fruit in stores.

But what do the Sekai Ichi apples taste like? Well, according to Specialty Produce, the red apple has a generally mild and sweet flavor. Its low acidity means that the flavor is more subdued. Still, however pretty the Sekai Ichi apple is, it probably isn't the best apple for baking fall treats.