In 2020, the Omakase strawberry grown by the Oishii company drew lots of attention across the Atlantic. Renowned chefs fought for it for its subtle flavour, its exceptional sweetness and melting texture, while the worldwide media got really excited about its price: 50 dollars at the time, for a box of eight (large) strawberries. The Omakase thus became the world's most expensive strawberry.

Four years earlier, Japanese-born Hiroki Koga co-founded Oishii in the USA with Brendan Somerville, and it is now seen as the world's largest vertical and indoor producer of strawberries. In fact, the strawberries grown by Oishii – perfectly ripe and delicious year-round - stand out for their unique method of cultivation, inherited from Japanese farming traditions and backed by artificial intelligence. The "Omakase Berry" thus grows in vertical farms that are meticulously controlled, with no pesticides, and pollinated by bees. A model already applied in Japan and the United States to cultivate green vegetables with leaves, such as lettuce. The Omakase stands out for its gustatory qualities, far superior to ordinary strawberries, enabling it to become the top favourite among star-rated American chefs.

Before being hand-picked, Omakase strawberries are carefully measured: each one must attain a Brix level between 13 and 14 (units of a product's sugar content), whereas an ordinary strawberry usually only attains a Brix score of 5 or 6. Once picked, they are only consumed within the following hours… Not yet available in France, the Omakase is an excellent reason to set off for the USA and yield to temptation!