Chinese retail giant to use blockchain to monitor food supply chain

Chinese e-commerce company JD.com has announced it is using blockchain technology to monitor beef imports from overseas suppliers.

JD.com is partnering with Australian meat producer InterAgri to import Angus beef to the Chinese market and the entire supply chain process will be traceable using blockchain.

According to the retailer, the new system will record all information, from the breeding and raising of livestock, to the processing of goods and transportation methods.

The company hopes to implement the technology in the next few months so that all consumers can observe the process.

“We’re increasingly implementing blockchain-enabled traceability solutions,” said JD.com chief technology officer Chen Zhang.

“Consumers in China don’t just want quality imported products, they want to know that they can trust how and where their food is sourced, and blockchain helps us deliver this peace of mind.”

The retailer aims to implement blockchain as part of a wider effort to increase consumer confidence over the quality of imported products to China.

The Blockchain Food Safety Alliance

JD.com, in collaboration with Walmart, IBM and Tsinghua University, formed the Blockchain Food Safety Alliance in 2017–a pilot project seeking to bring greater transparency to China’s food supply chain.

“Partnering with IBM, Tsinghua University and Walmart, all global leaders in traceability, gives our customers and partner brands unparalleled accountability,” said JD.com supply chain research unit president Yongli Yu on the alliance.

“Throughout the world, and particularly in China, consumers increasingly want to know how their food is sourced, and JD is dedicated to using technology to promote complete transparency.”

IBM vice-president for food safety Brigid McDermott commented on the partnership, noting that China’s specific needs must be fully understood in order for the blockchain technology to work effectively.

“Specifically, Walmart, JD, Tsinghua and IBM will develop standard requirements and engage with the ecosystem to define usage standards for the food safety solution,” she said.

“Tsinghua University will help facilitate the engagement between the China Food Safety Alliance and China regulators and government entities.”

In January of this year, environmental consultant company Bureau Veritas highlighted the benefits of using blockchain for the global food supply chain in a white paper.