Pineberry

A near-extinct wild strawberry, revived

Pineberries are a re-bred version of the wild Chilean white strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) — one of the two parent species of the modern cultivated strawberry. The wild Chilean strawberry was almost extinct in cultivation by the 1990s, surviving only in a few European collections.

Dutch breeders revived the variety in the 2000s by crossing surviving Chilean white strawberries with modern garden strawberries, producing a small farm-able pineberry with stable cultivation traits.

The pineapple connection

The name “pineberry” reflects the fruit’s distinct pineapple-vanilla flavor — significantly different from a regular strawberry. Eating one fresh, the impression is more tropical than berry-like, with floral notes that linger.

The flavor difference comes from genetic differences from the dominant garden strawberry — the white-fruit gene and the aroma profile both trace back to F. chiloensis heritage.

Why white?

Pineberries are white because they lack the protein that allows red anthocyanin pigments to develop in ripe strawberries. The seeds turn red but the surrounding flesh stays white-cream.

When fully ripe, the fruit may develop a slight pink blush, but a properly grown pineberry is white at picking time. Growers send out planting guides to avoid letting pineberries over-ripen and turn red — which would defeat the purpose of the variety.

A 2010s social media star

When pineberries first reached UK supermarkets in 2010, they became a brief sensation — featured in newspapers, food blogs, and social media as “novel” or “exotic” fruit. The fruit has subsequently been sold in seasonal supplies at premium specialty markets in Europe and North America.

Production remains low-volume and the price is typically 4-5x normal strawberries. Most pineberry consumption is by curiosity-driven shoppers and fine-dining chefs, not mainstream supermarket buyers.