Pairwise Aims to Launch Seedless, Thornless Blackberries Using CRISPR

North Carolina-based startup Pairwise is applying CRISPR gene-editing to create a “triple-threat” blackberry that is seedless, thornless and higher-yielding. The company says the edited variety would reduce the need for water and chemicals while delivering more berries per acre, addressing consumer convenience and environmental concerns in a single breeding effort.

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Modern genomics promises to accelerate plant breeding that traditionally takes decades. By inserting precise genetic changes, CRISPR can tackle multiple traits simultaneously, offering a faster, more targeted alternative to the incremental, “one-tweak-at-a-time” methods historically used in agriculture.

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Pairwise reports having secured more than 50 regulatory approvals for five edited crops across nine countries. Despite this breadth of clearance, the company’s only product currently for sale is a high-yielding blackberry variety offered in limited quantities in Colombia. Earlier, Pairwise launched a CRISPR-edited mustard green in the United States in 2023 but announced its discontinuation in early 2024 to focus resources on other crops.

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The startup indicates that its seedless, thornless blackberry will not appear in U.S. grocery stores before 2030, acknowledging that even accelerated breeding requires several years of field testing and regulatory review. Pairwise is also pursuing other innovations, including pit-less peaches, disease-resistant row crops, and fruit or nut trees that can produce a harvest within one to two years instead of the typical three-to-eight.

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If successful, the edited blackberry could benefit consumers by eliminating seeds and thorns, lower production costs for farmers through reduced inputs, and lessen environmental footprints via higher yields per water unit. Pairwise’s broader pipeline suggests a push toward a new era of designer crops that aim to align consumer preferences, farmer profitability, and sustainability goals.

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