Gene Edited ”Sicilian Rouge HighGaba” Tomato
Marketing Approach & Consumer Panel Reception in Japan

2021.09.09
Tatsuo Takeshita, CEOPioneer EcoScience Ltd.

/ Sanatech Seed

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From Seed to Consumer
Traditional Value (Supply) Chain
A systematic, conservative approach from Seed to Plate.

Seed CompanyFarmer

SupermarketConsumer

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Case Study: Super Sweet Corn “MIRAI”“MIRAI” Traits• Poor germination (70%)• Small size (350gram per piece)• Bicolor (outdated yellow color)

Issue
Not acceptable for farmers’
needs and auction marketpeople3Success Case: Leverage Sample Product“MIRAI” Advantage• Very sweet & tender kernel

Sales of MIRAI hit record
breaking in the Japanese
seed history in short time

Success• Distributed free samples of fresh
corn to several supermarkets• TV spot where older ladies without
teeth eat MIRAI raw (fresh)(without boiling)4

Bypass the Gatekeepers
Trying a New Approach• Directly deliver product to consumer & bypass the gatekeepers.
• Have a bidirectional connection & communication with customers• Make it easier for customers to access our products

Seed CompanyFarmerSupermarketConsumer

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Directly Contact Home Gardeners
Monitoring Program• Approach ”Prosumers” (Farmers & Consumers) – invested in theprocess from growing to consumption

ProducerConsumer

Prosumer
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Buyers vs End Users: Different Needs
Who is the REAL customer?
• Understanding the end user of the product is key to marketing Gene
Edited products

Farmers andSupermarkets
have needs andconcerns which are notalways aligned withconsumers’.

Consumers
have their own personal concerns
and needs.
Listening carefully is the key.
If we can understand them, we cantake on the challenge to support theuser and see great returns.
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Provide Samples to “Prosumers”• Share free samples to home gardeners throughout Japan• Have these individuals grow plants from seedling to fruit• Receive their unfiltered and authentic feedback directly via
Social channels

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4,000 Samples Sent Across JapanFree sample growing kits distributed to 4,000 Homegardeners
throughout Japan for monitoring

Each Sample Contained:• 4 Seedlings• Fertilizers andBiological products(minerals and bacterial)

Consultation via “LINE”• Most popularmessenger app inJapan

Growing Guidebook• On/offline instructions
for how to grow• Prescription, recipe(photo/video)
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The Power of “LINE”
Potential Health Impact

Positive Reception

Several people reported
lowered blood pressure after
eating this tomato

NO negative reaction toour GE High GABA
tomato from growers

Bidirectional
Communication
Every Day via LINE• 1,166 people• More than 100
questions andreplies

LINE Open Chat

Proactive Sharing• Home gardeners
actively discuss theHigh GABA tomato• Give each othertips andencouragement• Participants shared
information about
their experience via
personal socialchannels(Instagram etc)
10D2C Marketing (BtoC)
Grow all ourtomatoes only with
contracted farmers
and purchase all
the produce

Produce not only fresh
tomatoes but also
processed products(puree/powder/etc)
through our website.

Sell directly toconsumers, especiallythose who areconcerned about highblood pressure andlack of sleep

11Advantage of D2C

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3

Consumers canaccess our website
to buy Sicilian
Rough High Gaba
tomatoes directly
anytime, anywhere.
(Supermarkets
cannot do this)Engage in bidirectional
communication withconsumer even after
initial sale
> We can learn how we
can develop further ourproducts by GE byengaging with customer
and understanding theirwants/needs

We can consistently
show the traceabilityof our products fromseed to product all
through the value
chain.
(GE labeling/growers
data-soil/sap/etc.)

12No big gatekeepers.
(Farmers + Supermarket)
GE seed is the most differentiatedfactor for D2C

Business Model

Contracted
Farmers

PIONEER ECOSCIENCE CO.,LTD.

Juice

D2C

Puree

atom
To

Story ofgrowers

Handicapped
ChildrenCare ServiceSa
lesWebDirect
MarketingConsumers

toPowder Toma

Differentiated Tomato by GEPromoti

Business
Public Acceptance

Story ofexperience
SNS/UGC

FreshTomato

SNS/UGC

on

Home Gardener’sPlatform
Online Cultivation Community(How to grow,How to eat)
Free samples(seedlings + fertilizer)
to 5,000 home gardeners (2021〜)

SANATECH SEED CO.,LTD.
Differentiated traits by several tactical genes

Public Acceptancefrom end users

Free samples(seedlings + fertilizer)
to day care facilities (2022〜)
To elementary schools（2023〜）＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊（20**〜）Thank you!
Interested to learn more or collaborate with us?
Please be in touch:sinpei@aaaphj.co.jp
Shimpei Takeshita, CIO
Pioneer EcoScience, Ltd.
Pioneer EcoScience Home

Sanatech Seed Home

https://www.p-e-s.jp/

https://sanatech-seed.com/en/

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