Nestlé using blockchain to enhance coffee traceability

Nestlé has announced its plans to expand the use of the IBM Food Trust blockchain technology platform to its Zoégas coffee brand, enabling coffee lovers to trace their coffee back to its origins. The company has launched a ‘Summer 2020’ range of Zoégas whole beans and roast and ground coffee beans. The beans are a 100% Rainforest Alliance certified blend of arabica coffee beans from Brazil, Rwanda and Colombia.

Nestlé has partnered with the Rainforest Alliance to independently provide reliable data beyond what is usually disclosed by the company. The Rainforest Alliance provides its own certification information, thus enabling the traceability of the coffee. This information is accessible to everyone with the IBM Food Trust blockchain platform.

By scanning the QR code on the packaging, consumers can trace their coffee from the growing locations to the Zoégas factory in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the beans are roasted, grounded and packed. The data includes information about farmers, time of harvest, transaction certificate for the specific shipments and roasting period.

Nestlé began using blockchain in 2017, when it joined the IBM Food Trust as a founding member. Since then, the company has diversified the use of blockchain platforms to strengthen its transparency and sustainability efforts for consumers. Nestlé has given consumers access to blockchain with IBM on products such as Mousline purée and Guigoz infant formula in France. With OpenSC, Nestlé is also piloting open blockchain to monitor and communicate data related to the sustainability of milk and palm oil.

Nestlé continues to leverage technologies to improve the visibility of the whole value chain of its products, making supply chains more transparent.

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