As the digital world evolves, so must we since we now live in it. Each one of us is directly or indirectly affected by this digital revolution. Even if there is a breakthrough in internet security, it might impact the way we conduct our financial transactions in the future.
Often, technology or system begins by tackling a single issue, but the more it is studied, the greater its potential becomes. Several applications, industries, and procedures are looking at the disruptive potential of blockchain technology. This involves the safe handling and storage of administrative data and digital authentication to reinforce intellectual property rights and patent systems, as well as to increase supply chain transparency, cut down on food fraud, and improve food safety.
There is a growing interest in the food business in using blockchain, which has already shown its worth in the finance sector. Remember that this technology is still in its infancy, and it might be some time before it becomes an integral element of the food supply chain.
When blockchain technology initially began to develop, many industry professionals believed that it was primarily applicable to the banking sector. However, as time progressed, blockchain began to actively promote its use in a variety of areas other than banking. At the present time, it seems that one of the sectors that would benefit the most from blockchain technology is the food business. Over the course of the last several years, numerous firms in the food industry have announced the launch of their very own blockchain initiatives.
In addition to this, in 2019, blockchain began to rapidly impact the sector it was initially designed for. Research indicates that by the year 2025, more than 20% of the world’s most successful corporations will have used blockchain technology. Therefore, what this indicates is that the use of blockchain technology in the food business will become more widespread over the next few years.
In this post, we will cover the significance of blockchain technology for the food sector as well as the ways in which it has the potential to transform the future of food!
Challenges Surrounding the Food Industry
There are a few problems to be observed. Even if this sector of the economy is enormous, the environment might still be destroyed if the challenges that it faces are not effectively addressed and resolved. Now, let’s look at the reasons why this sector needs blockchain technology.
- Lack the Capability to Trace Products
Most businesses don’t seem to be interested in monitoring their goods, so this presents a significant challenge. Consumers have no idea how or in what manner the food was prepared since suitable monitoring measures have been put into place. Customers are showing greater interest than ever before in well-organized and nutritious components.
Therefore, they have an excessively dubious attitude toward each component of the food they consume. The problem is that more expenditure is required to trace the food or the procedure all the way from the suppliers to the customer. Because of this, many businesses are unwilling to spend more money on this than is necessary.
- Shifting Policies
The food and beverage industry are subject to laws imposed by the government. Most of the time, businesses adhere strictly to all the regulations; nevertheless, when certain miscommunications occur, the food sector is left with poor food quality, an excess of raw materials, and wasted food.
Because of the nature of regulations being subject to change, several businesses have been forced to return newly released items because the new rules were not compatible with the newly released products. Therefore, in the end, they wind up squandering both their money and their precious time.
- Problems Associated with the Management of Inventory
Since goods have expiry dates, inventory management in the food sector may be somewhat challenging at times. Therefore, the upkeep of these items is held to a higher standard than it is in other businesses. In addition, to preserve cleanliness, they are required to keep a continual watch on the circumstances that prevail in the storage facilities. Nevertheless, manual monitoring can require a significant amount of time.
To add insult to injury, the businesses do not have the resources necessary to handle the management at times of peak seasonal variations. As a result, the business sector ends up with poorly managed inventories, which results in the loss of both food and supplies. Therefore, shipments often arrive later than expected, or they could deliver the incorrect items that have a lower shelf life.
- The Needs of Future Generations
It’s true that people’s appetites change throughout time, and so does their desire for food. Different generations may not always prefer the same foods and drinks. Because of this, it is going to be quite challenging to stay on top of all the difficulties at the same time.
Businesses need to cater to the preferences of six distinct generations, beginning with infants and ending with senior citizens. Yes, they can create data depending on the preferences of customers; however, there are not a lot of tools available to quickly sort out this data.
- Lack of Openness in the Labelling Process
The fact of the matter is that this is one of the most significant problems facing the food business today, and it has a direct impact on customers. Despite this, some businesses do have a reputation for being forthright regarding the components of their products that they manufacture. However, much of the time, the information on the label is misleading.
- Food Items That Have Been Falsified
The ever-increasing market share held by fake goods is yet another significant obstacle. Almost every sector is forced to deal with problems related to counterfeiting. On the other hand, anything may go wrong at any moment in the food sector. People who begin to consume things that have been tampered with run the risk of becoming very unwell, and in some cases, this may even result in death.
In addition, as time passes, more and more dubious businesses are beginning to sell counterfeit versions of original items alongside the real ones. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to discriminate between the two of them.
- Cycles of Product Innovation Are Slow
In this market, coming up with fresh product ideas is a challenging task. Businesses must do in-depth research on their customer base to determine the kinds of meals that customers want to eat. Additionally, the popularity of any new product is a bet that is time sensitive.
Sometimes the product’s popularity may persist for decades, while other times it may only survive for a few months at a time. As a result, the business must spend more time manufacturing them, which consumes a great deal of time.
- Inadequate Food Safety
It’s no secret that this is a major problem in the food sector. If even the tiniest of mistakes are made, food may get contaminated. And you don’t need us to tell you what it means. It’s a shame that the food business is still ill-equipped to locate the real cause of contamination in food products. It may even go unnoticed until it is too late in most situations.
How Blockchain Suffice the Food Industry’s Challenges?
In the food processing industry, blockchain can be used in a variety of ways. Here are a few examples of profitable blockchain applications.
- Enhancing the Traceability of Food
The use of blockchain technology to track the origin of food would benefit everyone. The instruments that are required to trace food from its producers to its end consumers are all included in blockchain technology. Because of this skill, companies may utilize it to obtain a competitive advantage in the production process and supply customers with food that has a more pleasing flavor.
- Ensuring the Safety of Food
If blockchain is used to make sure food is safe, customers won’t have to worry about contamination or other problems, so they can buy all their goods without hesitation. Because the food industry still doesn’t have the tools it needs to figure out where the contamination comes from. Most of the time, it won’t be noticed until it’s too late.
This means that businesses can use blockchain to keep track of how they handle raw materials and finished goods. Also, businesses might be more careful with their waste, making sure that the quality and grade of their food don’t drop at any point in the process. Read more: digital asset
- Selection of Food Industry Suppliers
A supplier’s choice is another area where blockchain could be helpful. In the food business, there is a lot of competition, and companies always want to be first in line. But care should be taken when choosing a supplier of raw materials since low-quality raw materials will lead to low-quality finished goods.
Since the food business supply chain needs to know where the food came from, they may be able to find better vendors through using blockchain technology. Using blockchain technology, it may be possible to make a place for providers to meet customers and bid on projects based on their quality.
- Keeping up with Operational Needs
It’s hard to keep up with all the different needs of each generation at the same time. But if companies use blockchain in the food supply chain, they can finally solve the problem. With the help of technology, they can keep track of all the parts of the production line and meet the daily needs of the business.
- Stock Control Improves
“Lead time” is a term used in the supply chain. This is the amount of time between the beginning of a process and its end. So, the shorter that time is, the better the company can manage its stock. But using normal methods to shorten the lead time is hard, and only a small number of tech giants can sometimes do it.
But if blockchain is used in the food supply chain, the process of making food can be automated and mistakes in the production line can be fixed. So, it can shorten the Lead Time by a large amount and improve inventory management.
- Prevents Forcing Prices
Prices in the food industry are very different. Because of this, it is thought to be one of the most unstable industries right now. The cost of making the products can go down if blockchain is used. It can also get rid of all the fees charged by middlemen, which lowers the final price for consumers. This feature can be added to certain blockchain applications in the food industry without any problems.
Blockchain Technology could help get rid of the growing number of fake products. If people start eating fake products, they can get very sick, and it could even kill them. But the mother company doesn’t have many ways to handle the problem. If this problem isn’t fixed soon enough, it will hurt both the company and the customer.
- Getting Rid of Fake Products
But using blockchain to track where food comes from can solve the problem right away. Since blockchain can keep track of all products from the factory to the customer, it can tell if a product is real or not. By finding the source of the problem, it can also cut down on the number of fake products that make it to the market.
- Avoid Wastage
It is possible to reduce the amount of food that is wasted by using blockchain to monitor the origin of food. But with blockchain, businesses now can begin tracking food to maintain compliance with health laws, adhere to all rules, and improve their management system. Because they can monitor everything online, it is simple for them to make things operate more efficiently and waste less food.
- Keeping Track of Supply Chains
Blockchain technology is ideal for this purpose; you can use it to trace the origin of food all the way from the farms to the retail outlets where it is sold. A buyer may learn about the product’s history and verify that it is exactly what they claim it to be by simply scanning the QR code that is located on the product.
- Asserting Label Claims
You are probably aware that businesses tend to utilize labels in a manner that isn’t always apparent. In many instances, they may even utilize substances that are hazardous to your health while giving the impression that they are only working with natural ingredients. Consuming processed foods, which often include chemicals that are hazardous to one’s health, may contribute to a person’s premature death.
Therefore, blockchain technology may be used to help combat issues related to the safety of food. Because blockchain technology retains a record of each component used in the production of a product, you may provide your clients with access to that record to substantiate the claims made on the product label.
To Sum Up
The blockchain is a fascinating technology that offers advantages in a variety of different areas. The food sector is plagued with problems, and in the absence of a workable solution, the safety of the public is put in jeopardy. As a result, the use of blockchain technology within the sector has the potential to assist in resolving most of the problems that have persisted and to make certain that the community will be healthier and happier in the future.
Already, a great number of businesses are conducting tests with this innovative technology. The results of these tests will be used to improve the capabilities of blockchain technology and will also make it economically viable, allowing it to be adopted by most food processors in the years to come. To bring this technology into the mainstream of the processed food industry, food processors, players in the supply chain, government authorities, and IT professionals need to collaborate on the development of an all-encompassing strategy to use Blockchain Technology.
