genXtraits and Norfolk Healthy Produce to collaborate on breeding of nutritionally enhanced tomatoes

ALAMEDA ISLAND, Calif., March 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — genXtraits Inc. (genXtraits) and Norfolk Healthy Produce Inc. (NHP) today announced that they have entered into an agreement under which the companies will collaborate to breed nutritionally enhanced tomatoes.

genXtraits and NHP are both privately held, Californian biotech start-ups, which are developing new varieties of vegetables and row crops that contain elevated levels of nutrients, vitamins and other protective compounds. The firms share a common goal of providing consumers with more delicious, healthy and sustainable foods. NHP has recently enjoyed unprecedented success with the launch of its high-anthocyanin tomato variety, The Purple Tomato™. Under the newly signed agreement, genXtraits will work with NHP to develop new tomato varieties that combine the purple trait with additional nutrient, flavor and shape profiles in the fruits.

Oliver Ratcliffe, CEO of genXtraits, Inc, said, “The founders of our companies have known each other for many years and we have certain shareholders and scientific advisors in common. It therefore made perfect sense to work together on this project. When we first sampled NHP’s purple tomato, it is fair to say that we were blown away by its beauty and flavor, so we are thrilled to be working with their team on this exciting new project.”

Dr Nathan Pumplin, CEO at NHP, commented, “genXtraits has some of world’s foremost experts in plant biology on its scientific leadership and advisory teams and has brought to the table a unique technology platform that offers a completely new approach for creating crop traits. We look forward to working with them to combine our skills and expertise and bring further benefits to consumers.”

About genXtraits: genXtraits is a California-based crop genomics company, which was founded in late 2022 by plant biotechnology industry veterans. The firm’s unique selling point is its STRM platform for the delivery of dominant genetic traits, which stem from simple gene edits that elevate the cellular levels of important regulatory proteins. The company is focused on developing the next generation of crop traits, which will both protect crop yield in the face of climate change and provide consumers with more delicious and healthy food choices. For more information, please visit: https://genxtraits.com/

Contact: contact@genxtraits.com

About NHP: Norfolk Healthy Produce is dedicated to developing and marketing crop products that meet consumer needs, using the latest cutting-edge and safe innovations in genetic technology. NHP is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norfolk Plant Sciences, Ltd. Backed by an experienced group of investors and advisors, the company is bringing to market a portfolio of health-benefitting traits in tasty and appealing fruits & vegetables. Norfolk’s first product line is The Purple Tomato™, which is being developed into several consumer appealing products. The company is led by CEO Nathan Pumplin, an entrepreneur with a background in biotechnology commercialization and research. For more information, please visit: https://www.norfolkhealthyproduce.com/

Contact: info@norfolkhealthyproduce.com