Yesterday Certified Origins announced that their blockchain traced olive oil brand, Bellucci, is now stocked at Whole Foods Market stores. Certified Origins was founded in rural Italy in 2009 to protect small scale farmers and distribute their authentic produce. The firm has been using blockchain for traceability since last year.
Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is widely used in food traceability as there are multiple advantages. On the consumer side, people are becoming more aware of the origin, authenticity, and sustainability of food products. Tracking products on a blockchain provides a transparent, trustworthy log of these aspects, giving peace of mind.
Meanwhile, companies can reduce costs by automating processes and benefit from an immutable audit trail. In Certified Origin’s case, the firm can now prove to consumers their claims of supporting small farms and providing authentic Italian products.
Each bottle of Bellucci branded olive oil has a unique lot code which customers can scan with the firm’s traceability app before they decide to buy. The app shows the origin of the bottle right down the olive grove.
Certified Origins’ traceability blockchain is built on Oracle’s enterprise platform following a 2018 proof of concept. Its first DLT tracked shipment was in January this year. The tech firm published details of its success with Certified Origins a month after.
Back then, Andrea Biagianti, the CIO of the olive oil producer, stated of the project: “For shipments of our Bellucci Premium EVOO from Italy to the U.S., the automation provided by Oracle Blockchain Platform simplifies the implementation of smart contract conditions such as matching purchase orders, invoices, and shipping information prior to triggering a payment.”
He added: “It greatly improves collaboration between all parties. It adds a further level of transparency and information that is valuable for consumers looking for quality products and helps us support the excellence of small farms.”
Now, Whole Foods Market stocks the blockchain traced olive oil. Fellow retailers including Walmart U.S. and China, plus French Carrefour have traceability projects on the go. The highest-profile tech initiative is IBM’s Food Trust, competing with the iTradeNetwork which boasts Heinz and Cargill as clients.
