Los Angeles is known as a place filled with celebrities who don't shy away from triple-digit grocery bills, but regular residents are mocking the exorbitant prices some are willing to pay.
A man who goes by the name of Antonio posted a video on TikTok revealing his shock at the astronomical prices he paid at the “most expensive” grocery store in the county.
In the video, shoppers claim they were at Erewhon, which has locations in Calabasas, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Boulevard, Venice and Silver Lake. Antonio later said he shot the video at the Venice store.
“I'm in the most expensive grocery store in Los Angeles and what the hell is this? It's on sale, it's on sale and it's $17,” he says, photographing a bottle of coconut milk kefir that normally retails for $18.79.
At the drinks counter, he zoomed in on a drink with a label that said it “gives humans a feeling of euphoria.”
Antonio continues, “There's this drink called Kin, I don't know if it's tea or not, but it's like $40 a bottle. I'm in the water section, O'Fola, it's $12.49 a bottle. Is this magic water that makes your pee smell like rose water?”
Because the county has some extremely prosperous areas, it may not be surprising that the prices at the stores in the area are targeted to wealthy residents.
The video, posted earlier this month, has garnered hundreds of thousands of views and proved so popular that Antonio uploaded part two on Tuesday.
Confused shoppers wander the aisles, picking up produce that seems overpriced.
He said, “$2.99 for vinegar is a pretty average price, but right below that is a bag of rose farting vinegar for $50. A regular steak that fits in the palm of your hand is $22. A bag of cashew butter is $38, and it's not even that big. And look at this: A peanut butter cookie is $4.79.”
Many people commented on the video, calling the price “ridiculous.”
“Even if I were rich, I couldn't spend that amount on a single non-alcoholic drink,” Lorinfer admitted.
Georgia thought, “This is giving me so many Gwyneth Paltrow Goop vibes.”
“This is something for people with money to burn,” Universovas reasoned.
“It's just sad that people are buying these ridiculously expensive things,” TikTok user Courtney Stroud said.
Kenblack349 argued that “LA is a joke,” while Matthew agreed, adding, “This represents LA.”
The store has its fans, with Holistic Chef Niki writing: “If you don't want to buy all your groceries there, but just want specialty items and smoothies, Erewhon is great.”
And Sssss pointed out: “I know how ridiculous the price is, but it's there because people are willing to pay it.”
The store's website says it supports local homeless efforts.
The post read: “Erewhon and Midnight Mission. We are excited to partner with Midnight Mission to provide meals to the homeless community in Los Angeles.”
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, seeking common ground and finding connections.