Oishii, the producer of a seedless premium strawberry grown at a Kearny, N.J.-based commercial-scale indoor vertical farm, has introduced the Rubī tomato, a jewel-like bite-sized tomato with bright red, shiny, delicate skin that encases its juicy center.
Rubī means ruby in Japanese. The company said in a news release that the new variety comes from a Japanese varietal called a fruit tomato, which offers consumers a balance of sweetness, acidity and umami.
“Red is our favorite color at Oishii. The Rubī is the sweetest tomato you will ever taste and builds on what we started with our delicious strawberries: we’re on a mission to redefine how we experience fresh fruit,” Hiroki Koga, CEO and co-founder of Oishii, said in the release.
Rubī will retail for $9.99 for a tray of 11 tomatoes at Whole Foods Market’s Jersey City location with plans to expand availability, according to the release.
The company said this introduction coincides with growth in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic of its Koyo berry. Oishii said it continues to increase its supply of Koyo berries to Whole Foods by 600% and plans to double production again next year. The company introduced the Omakase berry in 2018.
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“We’re huge believers that vertical farming is the answer to the future of agriculture; it allows us to grow great-tasting produce in a way that’s better for people and better for the planet,” Koga said. “But this technology will only take root if we can grow complex fruits and vegetables — like strawberries and tomatoes — efficiently and at scale. With The Rubī and The Koyo Berry, we’re here to show that this future is here today.”
