New, exotic fruits are popping up in grocery stores all over the U.S., giving boring old apples and bananas a run for their money. I ran across the latest debutante, a beautiful pink-fleshed pineapple, and picked one up to see if it was worth its hefty price tag.
Pink pineapples are sold by fruit company Del Monte under the brand name Pinkglow. They get their light blush pink color from lycopene, the same way that tomatoes and watermelon get their hue. They're grown in Costa Rica and shipped to retailers in the U.S. and Canada — or directly to your door.
When you buy one in the store, it comes in a lovely pink and gold box, which does most of the heavy lifting in making it feel more special than just any old yellow pineapple. You'll notice right away that there's no green crown of leaves on it anymore. Not only do they need to remove that in order to fit in the box, but the company plants the crowns to grow more pineapples.
Photo credit: Lacey Muszynski / CheapismHow Much Are Pinkglow Pineapples?
I paid $10 regular price for my pineapple at a local grocery chain in the Midwest. It's a supermarket that's notoriously inexpensive (which is why I love it so much), but it also means that it probably retails for more if you're able to find it in stores near you. According to the store locator on the Pinkglow website, it's available at a number of chains around the country, including Fresh Thyme, Shoprite, Brookshire's, and Pavilion's.
If you can't find it locally, you can also order it through online retailers linked on the Pinkglow website. Depending on which part of the country you live in, one pink pineapple will cost you $30 or $40, plus shipping.
How Do Pinkglow Pineapples Taste?
According to Del Monte, pink pineapples have a "unique" taste that's supposed to be sweeter, less sour, juicier, and more candy-like than its yellow brethren. It sounds like the ultimate pineapple experience, and since pineapple is my favorite fruit, I was excited.
The reality, though, is that my Pinkglow tasted no different than every other pineapple I've ever had. In fact, it was actually more sour than a lot of pineapples I've cut open, disappointingly. The only difference I could spot — besides the lovely color, of course — was that it seemed juicier than typical grocery store pineapples. But just barely, and only because I was searching for something (anything!) to be different with this fancy fruit.
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Are Pinkglow Pineapples Worth the Money?
Pink pineapples are absolutely not worth the $10 retail price if you're looking for a primo pineapple experience. You'd be much better off getting a yellow one for a fraction of the price, then waiting those agonizing few days until it's perfectly ripe before cutting into it. And if you need to pay $30 or more to have it shipped? Hell no.
The only time I could justify buying another pink pineapple is to delight someone with the novelty of its color and packaging alone. It would be a beautiful gift, but only if the recipient really appreciates fancy fruits that no one has seen before, or relishes being spoiled with something pointlessly expensive. As a housewarming or hostess gift, you'd probably get plenty of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' for the sheer novelty of it. Otherwise, it might make a weird centerpiece at your next gender reveal party.
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