Japan’s White Jewel strawberries made quite an impact when we first featured them, almost a decade ago, as did Bijin-Hime, aka ‘Beautiful Princess’, Japan’s attempt at making the perfect strawberry. But now it’s China’s turn to disrupt the strawberry market with a dark variety known as “Black Pearl”.
Dubbed “the Hermes of strawberries” due to their high cost compared to most common strawberry varieties, these dark red fruits are said to also be much sweeter than most other varieties. But their high price (about $45 per pound) is also dictated by scarcity. Strawberry growers in Hangzhou and Qingdao claim that Black Pearl strawberries are more difficult to grow and have a much lower yield than conventional strawberries.
Black Pearl strawberries recently went viral in China, and demand for them has skyrocketed. But, despite the high price (up to $6 per fruit), many strawberry growers are reluctant to jump on the black strawberry bandwagon, claiming that the difficulty of cultivation may not justify the economic benefits.
According to Li Bingbing, a professor at the College of Horticulture, part of the China Agricultural University, the dark color of Black Pearl strawberries is caused by their high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins are natural pigments and antioxidants found in many purple and black fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries and purple cabbage.
Although clearly a fad fueled by social media and scarcity, Black Pearl strawberries are reportedly delicious, so if growers can solve the cultivation and low-yield issues, they could become a mainstream variety in China, and maybe beyond.