Blockchain for the food industry—Wishful thinking or disruptive investment?
Blockchain provides a way to digitize every step of the supply chain through a distributed, connected ledger, linking all records from source to shelf.
In the past few months, Walmart, Bentonville, Ark., has shared plans to use blockchain to manage the traceability of mangos, spinach and lettuce. The Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), Kansas City, Mo., announced its own blockchain pilot aimed at connecting farmer-owners with customers. And, Alibaba Group, San Mateo, Calif., confirmed a new partnership with Chinese authorities focused on monitoring rice quality and brand authenticity.
While the hype surrounding blockchain continues to grow in the food and beverage industry, why is the industry only seeing a handful of implementations?