Mars Inc., the maker of popular candies M&M’s and Skittles, has seen its first-quarter profits jump 21% as the company strengthens its financial position. To further secure its cocoa supply, Mars is exploring gene-editing technology.
According to a licensing agreement with Pairwise, an agricultural gene editing firm, Mars will gain access to Pairwise’s CRISPR tools. This allows scientists to modify DNA sequences in organisms. The move aims to speed up the development of harder cocoa crops, which could help mitigate supply chain risks and ensure a stable source of raw materials.
Mars has not disclosed further details on its plans, but the agreement signals the company’s commitment to using innovative technologies to drive growth and improve its operations.
Source: https://in.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/mms-maker-licenses-gene-editing-crispr-tools-to-develop-hardier-cocoa-report-4946994