Creating More Produce in the World for Global Access

Limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables is the biggest reason consumers aren’t getting their recommended daily requirements of produce.

With the help of Tom Adams, CEO at Pairwise, the organization is changing how fruits and veggies are grown, innovating with technological advances in the farming and growing industries. All of these efforts are to help expand and increase access to fresh produce for everyday consumers.

Join us as we discuss:

• Using technology to break down produce access barriers
• Consumer transparency of new growing techniques
• How Pairwise’s innovation will help address climate change

Breaking down the barriers that limit produce access

Those in the agriculture industry are faced with the challenge of producing enough food to feed the population of the future. With an estimated 10 billion hungry people in 2050, leaders in farming and growing often settle on the concept of ramping up corn and soybean production.

While this option would feed people nonetheless, it fails to address the entire issue of nutrition and completely excuses potential satisfaction and optimal health.

Tom Adams and other leaders at Pairwise are thinking differently. Using technology, they aim to break barriers that bar 90% of Americans from getting the fresh produce they need into their diets. Tom says, “It's not just about having enough calories, it's about having the right calories and nutritious calories.”

Throughout previous decades, there have been subtle innovations in produce, according to Tom. Before the release of the easy-peel mandarin, citrus sales were down. Now, the easy-peel mandarin is a popular choice, adding benefits to the diets of millions of adults and children worldwide.

Breeding has been the deliverer of many similar innovations in fruits and vegetables, as breeders aim to make food more accessible, affordable, and plentiful. However, breeding produce for the optimal result can take decades. This is where technological advances come in.

Using gene-editing technology, Pairwise, and other innovators can achieve nutritious results in half the time, making fresh fruits and vegetables more available and accessible for everyday people.

Flavor, convenience, and the importance of transparency

When developing new products, Pairwise focuses on a few things: flavor, convenience, and quality product. While their methods are innovative and offer endless benefits, there are still questions and hesitancy around the technology used in their product development.

This is one of the many reasons why Pairwise highlights the importance of transparency with consumers.

While a vast majority of people are excited about the new technology delivering better-tasting produce in greater numbers to a larger population, there is still some lingering fear for some. Eager to adopt technology in transportation, clothing, and consumer tech, some consumers still hesitate to accept gene editing as a safe, delicious alternative to traditional breeding.

According to Tom, this is widely due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the tech. By offering full transparency, speaking with consumers directly, and educating the public about farming and growing innovations, Pairwise is set to feed the world and change how they think about food.

When it comes to business, Tom says, “We want, as a company, to be really good at the two ends of the supply chain — creating really unique genetics and then differentiating through marketing.” So, while many would partner with existing produce companies already in the market, Pairwise aims to build its own brand, emphasizing transparency to distinctly community value across the supply chain and directly to consumers.

The two sides to climate change and how Pairwise is addressing them

Pairwise isn’t just out to change how the world eats, they are also conscious of climate change and actively working to combat it.

According to Tom, climate change has two sides- the things we are doing to cause climate change right now and the things we need to do to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Pairwise is working to genetically edit crops to be more adapted to warmer climates, more productive with fewer resources, and more easily grown without as much manual input. This means less fuel would be needed to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops, and there would be less waste and more fruitful harvests.

Ultimately, the innovations that create better, more accessible produce also results in an agriculture system that works to slow and combat climate change while adapting to the results of environmental shifts.

Tom highlights this environmental awareness as vital to the identity and brand of Pairwise. He says, “The one most important thing, at the end of the day is — 10 years from now, 15 years from now — we're going to go into produce, and we're going to see branded produce that customers are enjoying.”

Breaking through the static of farming and growing, Pairwise is set to establish innovations that shape the health of future populations by offering produce that is readily available, affordable, and delicious while also retaining full transparency. They aim to educate the public and have a positive impact on the environment, lending to a sustainable future that extends beyond corn and beans production.

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