A LUXURY supermarket is selling melons for $400 a piece.
The ‘musk melon’ is Farm & Forage Market’s most popular product – despite looking and tasting like a cantaloupe.
Only perfectly symmetrical musk melons go on sale[/caption]
The fruit is known in Japan as “the king of fruits” and is frequently presented as gifts, as is customary in the Land of the Rising Sun.
It is often linked to the more widespread cantaloupe and honeydew varieties, but is far sweeter and juicier.
During the growing process, farmers in Japan are said to monitor the fruit’s temperature, water levels, and sunlight with great care.
Each vine is usually limited to one or two fruits to concentrate sweetness.
They are also hand-pollinated and individually nurtured – and some even get massages.
The ones that finally go on sale are perfectly shaped and symmetrical.
And as the small batches mean the melons are in limited supply, high demand from elite buyers and gourmet markets have driven up the prices.
In a clip shared to TikTok, Farm & Forage Market shared an insight into their amazing melons.
The video showed the carefully packaged fruit being opened up.
Glistening seeds could be seen inside.
The grocery store is located in the Hamptons, New York.
With a luxurious and relaxed vibe, the area is known for its oceanfront mansions, chic farmhouses, and sprawling estates.
The popular store also sells more traditional luxury items, including caviar and truffles.
But the $400 melon has quickly become both the star of the show and a symbol of just deep shoppers’ pockets will go for a taste of luxury.
On the market’s website, it states: “Our specialty market features a curated selection of rare, hard-to-find ingredients sourced from around the world, alongside exceptional products from beloved local Hamptons artisans and vendors.”
Jonathan Bernard, the store’s owner, told The New York Times: “Instead of five or six melons on a vine, they’ll cut off flowers and just grow one.
“All the sweetness and energy go into that item.”Just one of those melons sells for as much as $400. The store also sells more traditional luxury items including caviar and truffles.”
Farm & Forage Market has a rival, the Red Horse Market in East Hampton, which sees a host of famous faces, including the Kardashian clan, browse its shelves.
Last year the posh store would a pound of lobster salad for $120.
Store manager Christian Pineda told the publication that the eyewatering prices were a reflection of the quality.
Farm & Forage is a high-end food store stocking rare items to wealthy customers[/caption]
The melon looks very similar to a honeydew or cantaloupe[/caption]
The grocery store is located in the Hamptons, New York[/caption]
