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Migros, the largest retail company in Switzerland, has implemented TE-FOOD’s blockchain-based traceability system for its fresh fruits and vegetables supply chains.
Founded in 2016, TE-FOOD is a whole-chain traceability solution, covering all logistics and food safety activities and data management of the supply chain. It serves over 6000 business customers, and handles 400,000 business transactions each day, according to a press release.
Migros has implemented the technology as part of its efforts to gain deeper supply chain insight to optimize its processes. Optimization of supply chain processes can lead to faster distribution and reduce food waste, which is also part of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) initiatives for the coming years.
By using GS1’s Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) format, fresh food suppliers of Migros can already communicate traceability data from their legacy systems to Migros.
EPCIS is an open standard which allows businesses to capture and share supply chain information about the movement and status of goods, both within their enterprise and with their business partners.
With the help of TE-FOOD, this system has now been extended to a B2B mobile app, a web app, with file upload possibility. The traceability data sent by the suppliers is automatically transformed to EPCIS format and sent to Migros’ own EPCIS system. The system is to be used internally and opening it up to consumers is beyond the scope of the current project, the release said.
“The project provides an interesting use case for traceability, and aims to deliver significant value for Migros and their supply chain partners,” TE-FOOD said.
Last December, French supermarket giant Auchan joined TE-FOOD’s FoodChain and announced plans to implement blockchain-based food traceability solution in five countries.
Meanwhile, IBM is also spearheading a blockchain-based food traceability initiative, called the IBM Food Trust. Founding members include Walmart, Unilever, Carrefour, and Nestlé. Leading beverages company ORGANO joined the initiative in June to implement a traceability strategy by sharing key product information with stakeholders.
