Every time a shopper picks up a pack of chicken or a bag of salad, the journey that food took from farm to shelf is recorded in a patchwork of incompatible digital systems—if it is recorded at all. This project builds a single, interoperable digital platform called Trace Connected that plugs into those existing systems, pulling together data on animal ID, batch codes, and retail pack codes so that any product can be traced from farm to fork in real time. The problem is that current supply chains rely on manual data entry and paper trails, which are slow, error-prone, and vulnerable to fraud. A recall for contaminated food, for example, can take days to trace back to its source. The platform automates that process, alerting users to potential compromises before they escalate. If successful, the system could dramatically reduce food fraud, cut waste from inefficient recalls, and give consumers verifiable information on animal welfare, pesticide use, and food miles. It also lets businesses make faster, evidence-based decisions about what they produce and sell—improving efficiency without adding labour.
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A trusted and transparent food supply chain is an inherent expectation of consumers from all farmers, food manufacturers, food service providers and retailers. The speed at which data from the supply chain can be accessed varies depending on the complexity of the supply chain, the product involved, and the digital maturity of the systems being used across the different supply chain partners. Therefore, we have identified the need for an interoperable platform which integrates with existing systems to capture traceability information in a way in which it can be demonstrated and challenged in real time. By integrating with existing software platforms, the innovative Trace Connected solution has the potential to reduce the requirement for duplication of data entry and removes manual intervention of data wherever possible. By making traceability available in real-time and removing the requirement for manual intervention, the risk of data manipulation for financial gain and food fraud incidents is dramatically reduced. The project will deliver a digital framework which will enable farmers, food manufacturers and retailers to have faster information on the products they are producing, purchasing and selling, enabling them to make faster, evidence based decisions which will result in reduced costs, waste, risk and increased value. The technology solution will have the capability to alert users to potential compromises within their supply chain, mitigating reactionary responses and promoting proactive issue management. Ultimately, taking the labour out of traceability exercises and enhancing control and visibility of the supply chain. The system will deliver traceability and supply chain mapping functionality which will track and trace products and defined product attributes from farm to fork. This will result in a fully interoperable traceability system which operates in real time to present a visualised trace constituting of critical data elements, such as animal identification, batch codes and retail pack codes. Through the supply chain mapping processes and 'walk the trace' exercises stakeholder value propositions will be defined to include but not limited to; rapid product recall, improved efficiency and promotion of a circular economy and proactive validation of sustainability parameters. With increasing consumer awareness and demand for information on a variety of product attribute's on areas such as animal welfare, sustainability, pesticide usage, food miles and antibiotic usage, the technology solution will provide a framework, enabling businesses to digitally link this information to specific product batches, enhancing a consumers ability to be better informed on their food purchases.
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