Pairwise introduces first food made with CRISPR technology in the U.S. market
Durham, N.C.-based startup Pairwise has unveiled Conscious Greens, which it says is the first food introduced in the U.S. that was developed with CRISPR technology.
Conscious Greens is the inaugural product under Pairwise’s Conscious Foods brand. Conscious Greens Purple Power Baby Greens Blend is a mix of colorful superfood leafy greens with a unique, fresh flavor and up to double the nutrition of romaine, according to a news release.
CRISPR is a gene-editing technique used to make changes to the DNA of a plant, bush or tree to bring out desired characteristics or to dial down undesired characteristics.
Using CRISPR technologies to improve taste and nutrition in produce, Pairwise says Conscious Greens are field-grown superfood greens that eat like lettuce, offering a versatile new option for chefs and salad lovers alike. Conscious Greens are derived from mustard greens and are part of the same family of vegetables as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale.
“Featuring luxe purple and deep green leaves, Conscious Greens taste great, both in a salad or cooked in an entrée,” Pairwise said in the release, adding that the blend is available in select restaurants and outlets in the PFG operator network, including locations in Springfield, Mass.; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.; and St. Louis.
“We’re proud to be bringing the first CRISPR food product to the U.S. We set out to solve an important problem — that most lettuce isn’t very nutritious, and other types of greens are too bitter or too hard to eat. Using CRISPR, we’ve been able to improve new types of nutritious greens to make them more desirable for consumers, and we did it in a quarter of the time of traditional breeding methods,” Pairwise co-founder and Chief Business Officer Haven Baker said in the release. “Launching Conscious Greens through this exciting partnership with PFG, is a major milestone in achieving our mission to build a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables.”
Pairwise has partnered with Performance Food Group (PFG), which will offer the Purple Power Baby Greens Blend co-branded under its Peak Fresh Produce premium brand.
“We are committed to bringing innovation to our customers and pleased to partner with Pairwise to help take Conscious Greens products to market,” PFG Vice President of Produce Bob Warnock said in the release. “These products are innovative and make a great addition to our existing top-quality line of Peak Fresh Produce products.”
The CRISPR process does what the centuries-old practice of crossbreeding could do, but in a much shorter amount of time, according to the release. All Conscious Foods products are reviewed by the USDA before entering the market and meet or exceed all Food and Drug Administration and state food safety laws and regulations, the release said.
“It is exciting to see the first CRISPR food coming to market to address consumers’ demand for nutritious and fun fruits and vegetables,” said Vonnie Estes, Vice President of Innovation at the International Fresh Produce Association. “If we are to reach the goal of doubling the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, offering consumers a wide diversity of fresh products is a must. It also demonstrates how innovative technology can deliver results for our changing climate. We applaud Conscious Foods’ efforts to bring new and clearly differentiated product to the market.”
Conscious Greens will be shipping to U.S. grocery stores later this year as part of a broader Conscious Foods portfolio of produce developed with CRISPR technology, according to the release. In addition to leafy greens, Pairwise says it is currently developing new types of berries, cherries, and other produce under its Conscious Foods brands.
The company says it has grown to over 150 employees in five years, with additional growth anticipated this year as the company enters the foodservice and retail channels. For more information, visit pairwise.com and consciousfoods.net.
