Nestlé introduces blockchain to its Zoégas coffee brand

Nestlé has partnered with The Rainforest Alliance to expand the use of the IBM Food Trust blockchain technology platform to its Zoégas coffee brand in Sweden.

QR codes have been introduced on the packaging of a new range of 100% Rainforest Alliance certified Zoégas whole bean, roast and ground coffee products, called the Summer 2020 range.

By scanning the QR codes, consumers can trace their coffee product back to its point of origin, as Nestlé has utilised The Rainforest Alliance’s data to ensure transparency.

The Rainforest Alliance provides its own certification information, guaranteeing the traceability of the coffee.

According to Nestlé, the data includes information about farmers, time of harvest, transaction certificate for the specific shipments, as well as the roasting period.

Nestlé started using blockchain in 2017 when it joined the IBM Food Trust as a founding member. Since 2017, the company has implemented blockchain with several partners to ensure transparency in the food supply chain.

This included a partnership with French retailer Carrefour, which allowed consumers to trace the origin of Mousline mashed potato products, and a further partnership with OpenSC to monitor products such as milk and palm oil.

A statement from the company said: “Nestlé continues to leverage technologies to create better visibility of the whole value chain of its products and lead in making supply chain more transparent.”