Is Blockchain the Future of Food?

It’s been 11 years since the initial mining of blockchain’s first use case, bitcoin. Since then, both sides of the spectrum have argued: what will be the next massive use case that impacts not only a group of people, but also a global audience? 

The original intended use of the blockchain was to power currencies like bitcoin—a way to store and exchange value much like any other currency. Now, it’s broken away from being known as just as “currency technology” to a digital ledger synonymous with transparency. Blockchain records information on a digital ledger that prohibits its data from being removed, duplicated or edited. It’s transparent, time-stamped and decentralized.

So, what will be the next massive blockchain use case that strays away from cryptocurrency? Well, food seems to be the obvious next choice. 

Consumers want to make better food choices and expect both the seller and the product manufacturer to instill that transparency. Apply blockchain and it seems there may be an easy fix, right? For example, consider a consumer purchasing an apple from their go-to grocery store. Before purchasing, a consumer can scan an item’s barcode that would share how that particular apple was grown, where it was grown and where and when it was stored before arriving on the shelf. Although it sounds promising, it’s something that can’t be done overnight. It also raises the question: how much or how little should be shared with the consumer? 

Companies are already jumping on this idea. In fact, 84% of companies are already dabbling in blockchain. For example, IBM’s Food Trust platform has been a major supporter of blockchain technology partnering with companies such as:

Even Nestle is exploring this technology by partnering with blockchain platform OpenSC to give “anyone, anywhere access to independently verifiable substantiality and supply chain data.” 

Time will tell if blockchain will be trusted by everyone who touches the supply chain down to the consumer. As much as businesses will want to explore these advancements, there will surely be some exploration mixed with trial and error.  

Have questions about how you can explore blockchain for your company? Contact us! 

For more blockchain insights, please find previous posts linked here: post #1, post #2 and post #3.

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