SAN FRANCISCO–ConsciousTM Foods, a purpose-driven brand launched today by food+tech company Pairwise, announced its entry into produce at the Future Food-Tech show, offering a taste of its first product ConsciousTM Greens. The introduction of Conscious Foods represents a significant next step in the Pairwise mission to build a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables using CRISPR and gene editing to grow nutritious, flavorful new varieties.
The first product from Conscious Foods will be the new nutrient-dense, leafy salad greens called Conscious Greens, slated to hit grocery store shelves in the form of packaged salads in 2023. Conscious Greens were developed with variety-seeking salad lovers in mind–they come in rich green and deep purple colors and were unveiled today at a tasting event led by chefs Sean Regan and Henry Chen of San Francisco-based mise en place. Regan is formerly of Octavia, and Chen previously served as Chef de Cuisine at Momofuku Noodle Bar.
“When my co-founders and I started the company in 2017, we wanted to create a different kind of food+tech company, one that really focused on the end benefits of its products to consumers and customers,” said Haven Baker, Chief Business Officer at Pairwise, Conscious Foods’ parent company. “Now, in 2022, we believe that the best way to realize this vision is by launching a purpose-driven consumer brand–Conscious Foods.”
The brand also is developing seedless blackberries, black raspberries, and pitless cherries. Pairwise will continue to serve as the parent brand for the company. The Durham, North Carolina-based company has raised $115 million in funding through two rounds, and it will continue to lead the way in gene editing technology in row crops and other plant-based applications.
Conscious Foods is focused on lowering the barriers that prevent people from consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, only one in ten American adults eats the recommended amount (CDC, 2019). By making fresh fruits and vegetables more convenient and versatile, Conscious Foods is on a mission to change that figure.
“As a purpose-driven brand, we are supporting access to healthy food in the communities where we operate,” said Megan Thomas, Head of Marketing and Communications at Pairwise. “We know that consumers, especially younger adults, are increasingly interested in mission-focused brands, and we are excited to bring purpose into the produce aisle with Conscious Foods.”
Conscious Foods also announced today the launch of its Nutritionist Advisory Council, with Kristen Gradney, MHA, RDN, LDN, and Luis Gonzalez, MS, RD, serving as inaugural members. The Council will help the brand to develop new fresh produce items that are both convenient and easily integrated into familiar meals and snacks.
Conscious Foods is partnering with the Food Bank for Monterey County to help achieve their shared goal of lowering barriers to access healthy fruits and vegetables. Conscious Greens will be grown in Monterey County—where 34 percent of county residents do not have consistent access to food. A $10,000 donation was made to the Foodbank marking the launch of Conscious Foods.
“Monterey County is one of the most productive agricultural production regions in the world, yet it is also one of the hungriest counties in California,” said Melissa Kendrick, CEO and Executive Director of the Food Bank for Monterey County. An additional $5,000 was donated to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
About ConsciousTM Foods
Driven by the belief that healthy food should be consistently fresh, delicious, and convenient, ConsciousTM Foods is a flagship brand under a mission driven company that is building a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables. Pairwise uses gene editing to accelerate innovations in consumer foods with a focus on produce. The company was founded by Chief Executive Officer Tom Adams and Chief Business Officer Haven Baker, with scientific co-founders J. Keith Joung, Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School; David Liu, Director of the Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare and Vice-Chair of the Faculty at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; and Feng Zhang, McGovern Investigator and professor at MIT. For more information, visit Consciousfoods.net.
