Inventing a Better Apple

The apples you can buy at the grocery store have gotten profoundly better over the past few decades. It’s a kind of everyday, hiding-in-plain sight innovation. Kate Evans is an apple breeder and professor at Washington State University. Kate's problem is this: How do you invent a better apple? With her team, Kate has in fact invented a new kind of apple called the Sunflare. It’s arriving in stores in a few years. She also helped to invent the Cosmic Crisp, which is out already. In this episode, Kate explains: • Why grocery-store apples have gotten so much better • Why some of the most delicious apples never make it into stores • Why it takes decades to invent a new kind of apple • How much more we have to learn about apple genetics • How the apple industry is adapting to climate change Connect with us: • Follow Jacob Goldstein on LinkedIn • , X • and Instagram • Email us at problem@pushkin.fm • • Follow Pushkin on Instagram • , LinkedIn • or X • • Listen to Jacob’s other show, Business History • To listen to the show early and ad free, sign up for Pushkin+ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.