Oishii, The Brand Behind the Omakase Strawberry, Introduces New ‘Koyo’ Berry Breed
Compared to its coveted predecessor, Koyo is a firmer fruit with 'refreshing sweetness.'
Jennelle Fong/Photo courtesy of Oishii
Who knew there was such a demand for pricey luxury strawberries? Oishii, the company that brought us the high-end Omakase Berry, a vertically farmed fruit with Japanese roots that one Food Network writer described as “creamy, soft and practically candy-like” and “the Platonic ideal of fruit” — that’s who. And now, the New Jersey-based brand behind what it boasts is “the world’s largest indoor vertical strawberry farm” (yes, in New Jersey), is bringing us a new fancy strawberry varietal, The Koyo Berry.
The Koyo Berry (Koyo means “elated” in Japanese) riffs off a “a Japanese cultivar, traditionally grown just outside Tokyo during the winter months” that, Oishii promises, will bring to your berry bowl a distinct flavor profile. It offers "refreshing sweetness, balanced acidity, fragrant aroma, and slightly firm texture,” according to the brand.
Like the Omakase, the Koyo is non-GMO, pesticide-free and packaged at peak ripeness in trays that individually cradle each berry, like perpetually-in-season fresh-fruit bonbons. The new berry differs from its predecessor in that it offers more balanced acidity and a familiar flavor similar to a fresh-from-a-farmer’s-market American strawberry, a texture that is more firm and hearty than super creamy, and more discernible seeds.
Hiroki Koga, CEO and co-founder of Oishii, says the Koyo Berry builds on the produce brand’s promise to produce “clean, fresh strawberries that are unlike anything you’ve ever tasted before.”
Photo courtesy of Oishii
“Every bite of The Koyo Berry immediately transports me to a warm summer day – even though it’s the middle of winter in New York,” Oishii COO and Co-Founder Brendan Somerville adds in a press release. “I can’t wait for our customers to try these berries.”
You may recall that, when the Omakase Berry was first introduced, in 2018, it was a high-priced favorite of Michelin-starred chefs and deep-pocketed food adventurers. As recently as 2022, an eight-pack of the large, sweet, aromatic, creamy Omakase strawberries cost $50. Eventually, as Oishii expanded its vertical farming operation, the price of the berries came down. You can now get them at retail stores like Whole Foods priced between $6 and $20, depending on tray size. (We found an Omakase Berry six-pack on FreshDirect for $14.99.)
The Koyo Berry is also available, starting today, on FreshDirect in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for $15 MSRP per tray. The new berry will roll out to other markets, including Los Angeles, later this year. (Oishii operates three state-of-the-art vertical farms, two outside of Manhattan and one in Los Angeles.)
Mary Mitchell, FreshDirect’s category merchant of produce, says in a press release that, while the Omakase Berry offers a “delicate sweetness,” the Koyo Berry brings a “balanced brightness.”
“Each bite of The Koyo Berry delivers a refreshing zing and sweet finish which elevates the timeless strawberry flavor,” she says.
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