Pairwise may be a nascent startup, but it harbors ambitious plans to enhance the fruits and vegetables currently available, making them more appealing to picky or busy consumers. The company has significant market potential if it can achieve its extensive goals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 1 in 10 adults meet federal guidelines for daily fruit or vegetable intake. Pairwise is initially concentrating on a select few fruits and vegetables before expanding its focus to other products in these categories. Utilizing CRISPR technology, the company aims to alter the DNA of certain foods to eliminate bitterness from nutrient-rich greens, remove seeds from blackberries, and extract pits from cherries.
Last year, the company informed Food Dive that if greens are more palatable or if cherry pits are removed—making them easier to eat in public—adults may be more inclined to prepare salads or consume fruits away from home. Similarly, children who struggle with the texture of seeds might be more likely to enjoy seedless berries in their lunchboxes. However, even with faster methods like CRISPR, scientific advancements require time and substantial funding. Pairwise expressed optimism last year about launching its first leafy green by as early as 2022 due to their quicker growth cycles. In contrast, fruits are more complex, as it takes several years for trees or bushes to mature, followed by additional time to increase production.
Ryan Rapp, the head of product discovery overseeing fruits at the company, indicated that seedless blackberries might not reach the market until 2023, with cherries taking even longer due to the slower development of the trees. The initial phase of gene editing faced substantial backlash, with companies criticized for being overly secretive about their efforts and the potential health impacts. For CRISPR-produced produce, much of its future success will hinge on how transparent companies like Pairwise can be. “As long as we adhere to our values of transparency and openness, I believe consumers will embrace this,” Rapp stated.
With consumers increasingly interested in the origins and production methods of their food, transparent communication about the use of CRISPR technology could foster goodwill among shoppers, even if some individuals remain hesitant. Nonetheless, many believe that gene-edited crops and CRISPR technologies are inevitable. Haven Baker, co-founder and chief business officer of Pairwise, suggested earlier this year that within a decade, gene-edited produce could comprise a similar market share as plant-based milk does today in the dairy sector.
Bayer’s renewed investment in Pairwise illustrates that the young company has strategically positioned itself in a promising market ripe for growth. In 2018, Pairwise secured a deal with Monsanto, now part of Bayer, which involved a $100 million investment to bolster Pairwise’s intellectual property in row crop applications and the development of products emerging from their collaboration. That same year, Pairwise announced $25 million in Series A funding led by Deerfield and Leaps by Bayer to advance its gene editing platform and initial product lineup.
As consumers increasingly seek healthier options and better-for-you offerings—an inclination that has accelerated due to the pandemic—shoppers will be looking for more reasons to enhance their daily intake of fruits and vegetables. By removing barriers to achieving this goal, companies like Pairwise could find themselves at the forefront of this ongoing transformation, especially as they explore the benefits of products like calcium citrate in their offerings.