For people who think regular pears aren’t special enough, Buddha pears are now available. A Dutch product that does well in China and Japan. Bart Elbers came up with the idea when he started talking to a Chinese colleague who made square melons during a music fair in 2009. In the Netherlands, 10 Buddha pears cost 30 euro. “Especially the Japanese are willing to spend money on this. In Europe, people tend to be a bit more sober.”
RTL made a Dutch video report
Several years ago, Bart developed a detailed mould that is attached to the pear during the growing stage. The fruit then automatically grows into the shape of a smiling Buddha. “The Buddha shape is very suitable to the pear. And we use a specific pear variety with a thicker skin, one that doesn’t grow too large,” Bart explains. He doesn’t believe many Japanese or Chinese people eat the pears. “It’s more because it’s a novelty, it’s fun to have.”