Forget theoretical pipelines. Okanagan Specialty Fruits shows how to turn gene-edited innovation into products that people actually want — and buy.
The Arctic Apple is no ordinary apple. Developed using RNAi technology to silence the gene for polyphenol oxidase (PPO)—the enzyme that causes browning—it remains crisp and white long after it’s been sliced.
But the innovation didn’t stop at aesthetics. Suppressing PPO turned out to have side effects no one anticipated: richer flavour profiles, longer shelf life, better texture, and improved phytochemical retention. In other words, a healthier, tastier, longer-lasting apple—without the off-putting aftertaste of chemical preservatives common in other fresh-cut fruit.
And consumers are noticing. Over 100 million servings of Arctic Apple have been sold. In an industry where GMO skepticism is common, this success is proof: if you give people a better product, they’ll buy it.
“The proof is in the pudding, or in our case, the apples,” says Sarah Evanega, vice-president of business development at the British Columbia-based Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF).
From Boutique Biotech to Integrated Powerhouse
Based in Summerland, British Columbia, with R&D labs in Saskatoon and orchards in Washington State, OSF isn’t just a developer of traits — it controls the entire production cycle. From genetic engineering and orchard management to controlled-atmosphere storage and a premium fresh-cut processing line, OSF’s vertically integrated model ensures control, consistency, and traceability.
Its newest venture? Hard cider. Arctic Apple’s crisp, oxidant-rich juice makes for a clean, elegant beverage. The brand Endless Orchard recently won Best New Cidery of the Year at the Northwest Cider Cup, with offerings ranging from Arctic Fuji blends to bold mango and blueberry-basil fusions.
With Arctic Apple’s success as its foundation, OSF is pushing into a second chapter — precision genome editing. Gone are the days of simple trait insertion. Today, OSF is using CRISPR and other advanced techniques to tackle four strategic fronts in fruit breeding:
- Food Waste Reduction: PPO suppression is being tested in sweet cherries, with results showing up to 50% less bruising and significantly less skin pitting.
- Disease Resistance: Field trials of fire blight-resistant Cripps Pink apples have already yielded promising results, with future targets including scab and powdery mildew.
- Automation-Ready Orchards: OSF is developing dwarf apple trees with a concentrated fruiting zone, optimized for future robotic harvesting. Their “Orchard of the Future” initiative integrates genetic design with automation hardware — because, as Evanega puts it, “policy alone isn’t going to fix the labour crisis.”
- Nutritional Innovation: New projects are introducing red-flesh apples with stabilized anthocyanins, and adding nutrition-enhancing traits to commercial cultivars from partners like New Zealand’s Prevar. The goal? Not just to make apples more convenient — but more powerful as functional food.
What This Means for Seed Science Professionals
- Engineering Traits ≠ Engineering Plants Alone. OSF’s success is not just about biotech—it’s about systems thinking. The apple itself is only one piece. Packaging, processing, branding, distribution, and consumer education are all part of the value chain. Takeaway: Don’t just develop traits—design ecosystems. Trait success depends on supply chain integration and user experience.
- Consumer Desirability Can Trump Skepticism. It turns out that if you make a snackable, great-tasting apple that solves a real pain point—like lunchtime browning—most consumers don’t care how it was developed. They care about taste, convenience, and health. Takeaway: Build products, not platforms. Traits need to resonate at the grocery store, not just the genome browser.
- Genome Editing is Ready for Prime Time. From disease resistance to enhanced flavour, genome editing is becoming the next frontier for fruit tree crops. And the regulatory momentum—particularly in the U.S. and Canada—is increasingly favourable. Takeaway: If you’re not already investing in genome-edited trait pipelines, you’re falling behind.
- Fresh Cut is the Future. Despite inflation, demand for fresh-cut produce continues to rise. Apple consumption overall is declining—except in value-added forms. Arctic Apple slices are now regulars in school lunches, vending machines, salad bars, and charcuterie kits. Takeaway: Don’t ignore processing traits. Products that fit changing consumer lifestyles will outperform raw commodity traits.
- Labour-Saving Traits Will Define the Next Decade. With labour costs making up 60–70% of apple production, breeding for automation isn’t optional—it’s existential. OSF’s architectural redesign of apple trees for robotic harvest could become the new norm in high-value perennial crops. Takeaway: Collaborate across sectors. The future of breeding lies in convergence with engineering, AI, and automation.
Biotech Isn’t Coming—it’s Here
OSF’s story is a blueprint for the next generation of fruit science. It’s a reminder that innovation doesn’t just come from the lab bench—it comes from rethinking what fruit is, how it’s delivered, and what it can become. Evanega, who spoke last week at the National Association for Plant Breeding (NAPB) conference in Kona, Hawai’i, leaves seed scientists with a challenge: “We’re not just editing genomes. We’re editing expectations.”
For those in plant breeding and seed science, the message was clear: the fruit aisle is ground zero for biotech’s next act. And those who embrace complexity—trait design, value-added processing, supply chain agility, and consumer insight—will lead the charge.
