Does a luxury fruit taste sweeter?

Several examples of rare and expensive fruits at Melissa’s Produce in Los Angeles. Luxury fruits, which have a long history in parts of Asia, especially as gifts, are catching on in the US with Americans who desire the flawless berries and melons they may have tried overseas. — ©2024 The New York Times Company

A US$396 pineapple comes tucked into an ornate red box that unfurls like origami and is punched with breathing holes. A US$156 melon, swaddled in foam netting, grew alone on a vine from which every other fruit was pruned, with the aim of making it extra sweet.

Luxury fruits, which have a long history in parts of Asia, are gaining popularity in the United States, as new varieties are being grown and imported, including those developed over several years by companies aiming to market unique-looking and unique-tasting produce.