New JV combines advanced plant breeding technology with global fruit expertise to deliver consumer-desired traits
Sun World International and Pairwise have formed a joint venture to collaborate in specialty fruit, beginning with the development of a pitless cherry. Under the agreement, Sun World will have exclusive commercial rights to these genetics as it seeks a first-to-market position in high-quality pitless cherries.
The partnership leverages Sun World’s fruit breeding and licensing expertise with Pairwise’s Fulcrum platform. As part of the agreement, Sun World will make strategic investments to fund development.
“In addition to maximising yield and mitigating against climate change, one of Sun World’s north stars is providing a demonstrably superior consumer eating experience in every way including optimising convenience,” the breeder said.
Sun World has long been recognised for investing in convenience traits in produce, such as smaller and seedless watermelons, seedless grapes, and more recently gaining the variety rights management business responsible for introducing seedless lemons and many of the mandarin varieties being promoted at retail under such brands as Cuties, Halos, Peelz and Clemengold.
“Our focus has long been on offering truly differentiated genetics to our growers with exceptional new traits, flavours, texture and convenience,” said Bernardo Calvo, Sun World’s CEO.
“Developing a high-quality pitless cherry is a natural innovation evolution for us and in Pairwise, we’ve found an extraordinary partner already well down this quite complex path.”
Sun World said Pairwise, which developed the world’s first seedless blackberry, brings an unmatched platform that accelerates the development of in-demand crop traits, creating a faster path to fruits that consumers will enjoy while providing growers with crops that offer greater sustainability, improved disease resistance, and higher yields.
“This is a segment of agriculture where there’s tremendous opportunity to bring meaningful innovation,” said Pairwise CEO Dr Tom Adams. “Sun World has built one of the most successful commercial pipelines in fruit genetics. Combining that expertise with the precision and efficiency of Pairwise’s Fulcrum platform allows us to address unmet consumer and grower needs in a way that hasn’t been possible before.”
Pairwise will lead the R&D effort, while Sun World contributes its germplasm, breeding infrastructure, and commercial market access. The joint venture is already advancing development work and may explore additional strategic partnerships, the companies said, noting that in addition to its focus on consumer traits, the collaboration “aligns with broader industry efforts to use advanced plant breeding to support sustainable agriculture, reduce waste and create higher-value outcomes for both consumers and producers”.
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