{"id":83256,"date":"2025-08-20T12:43:32","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T12:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cred.ai\/news\/?p=83256"},"modified":"2025-08-21T12:52:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T12:52:16","slug":"mars-pairwise-team-up-to-gene-hack-hardier-cocoa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cred.ai\/news\/2025\/08\/20\/mars-pairwise-team-up-to-gene-hack-hardier-cocoa\/","title":{"rendered":"Mars, Pairwise Team Up to Gene-Hack Hardier Cocoa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mars Inc.\u2014the Virginia-based giant behind M&M\u2019s, Dove, Snickers, and Twix\u2014is turning to biotech to future-proof chocolate. The company has partnered with Durham-based startup Pairwise, tapping into its Fulcrum\u2122 CRISPR platform to fast-track the development of climate-resilient cacao,\u00a0 <\/span>according to Bloomberg<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Through the deal, Mars gains access to Pairwise\u2019s CRISPR<\/a> toolkit\u2014including its proprietary SHARC enzyme and a vast library of plant traits. The goal is to tweak cacao plants with surgical precision, dialing up resistance to disease, heat, and environmental stress. In practice, that means reprogramming plants in seasons instead of waiting years for traditional cross-breeding.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAt Mars, we believe CRISPR has the potential to improve crops in ways that support and strengthen global supply chains,\u201d said Carl Jones, Plant Sciences Director at Mars. \u201cOur focus is to transparently and responsibly conduct CRISPR research in plant science that helps crops better adapt to climate challenges, disease pressures and resource constraints.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The timing is no accident. Cocoa is in crisis. Climate swings, fast-moving plant diseases, and weak harvests have pushed prices to record highs\u2014hitting $10.75 per kilogram in early 2025\u2014and shaken the global chocolate supply chain.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe\u2019re pleased to provide Mars with access to our Fulcrum platform,\u201d said Pairwise COO Ian Miller. \u201cPlant breeding innovation has the potential to help address important agricultural challenges, and we look forward to supporting Mars\u2019 research goals.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

For Mars, this is less a leap than a continuation. Back in 2018, the company committed $1 billion to cocoa sustainability, funding early CRISPR trials at UC Berkeley. The new partnership signals the next phase of that bet: using gene editing not just as an experiment, but as a core tool to keep chocolate on shelves in a warming world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mars Inc.\u2014the Virginia-based giant behind M&M\u2019s, Dove, Snickers, and Twix\u2014is turning to biotech to future-proof chocolate. The company has partnered with Durham-based startup Pairwise, tapping into its Fulcrum\u2122 CRISPR platform to fast-track the development of climate-resilient cacao,\u00a0 according to Bloomberg. Through the deal, Mars gains access to Pairwise\u2019s CRISPR toolkit\u2014including its proprietary SHARC enzyme and …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":83257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[786],"tags":[114,1394,1395,1396,1397],"class_list":["post-83256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-news","tag-chocolate","tag-mars","tag-cocoa","tag-crispr-technology"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMars, Pairwise Team Up to Gene-Hack Hardier Cocoa - crednews<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cred.ai\/news\/2025\/08\/20\/mars-pairwise-team-up-to-gene-hack-hardier-cocoa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mars, Pairwise Team Up to Gene-Hack Hardier Cocoa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mars Inc.\u2014the Virginia-based giant behind M&M\u2019s, Dove, Snickers, and Twix\u2014is turning to biotech to future-proof chocolate. The company has partnered with Durham-based startup Pairwise, tapping into its Fulcrum\u2122 CRISPR platform to fast-track the development of climate-resilient cacao,\u00a0 according to Bloomberg. 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