In addition to being drawn to Japan to pick unique berries like the Tochi-otome, Beni-hoppe and Ai-berry, locals and tourists alike will now be driven to Chiba, Japan to pick an entirely new strawberry strain created by the local Agriculture and Forestry Research Center.
The characteristics of this new berry include it being "big and beautiful," "sweet and delicious," as well as refreshingly tart. The new strawberry has been in the making for eight years and is now ready to make its formal debut across strawberry farms in the Chiba Prefecture. The berry was originally identified as the 'Chiba S4,' but it now has a new name, which was crowdsourced—the 'CHI-BA+BERRY.' This is a fitting name, considering that it is set to drive tourism to the region.
In recent years, some of the other unique fruit and vegetable hybrids that have been created include the rotund 'Meatball Eggplant,' two-ounce avocados that are ideal for single-serve recipes, as well as grapes that naturally taste like candy floss and strawberries that have a distinct bubblegum flavor.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- New Strawberry Strain
- Opportunity to innovate on strawberry farming and introduce more unique and desirable berry strains.
- Crowdsourcing Product Naming
- Opportunity to engage customers in the product development process and create a more memorable brand.
- Unique Fruit and Vegetable Hybrids
- Opportunity to develop more novel and exciting plant hybrids for agriculture and consumption.
Where This Applies
- Agriculture
- Innovation in strawberry farming and development of new strains can increase demand, boost revenue and generate tourism.
- Tourism
- Crowdsourced product naming and unique food hybrids can lead to an increase in tourism and attract international visitors.
- Food and Beverage
- Development of new and unique fruit and vegetable hybrids can create new and desirable flavors and increase variety in the market.
