IBM has partnered with a group of food supply chain companies to explore the use of the blockchain technology to strengthen consumer confidence in the food system.
Dole, Driscoll’s, Golden State Foods, Kroger, McCormick, McLane, Nestle, Tyson Foods, Unilever and Walmart will work with IBM to use blockchain to support the growth of global supply chain.
“IBM has deep experience and a commitment to business processing and security needs, which are exactly the skill sets needed to bring blockchain to full maturity for food safety and all associated transactions,” said Guilda Javaheri, chief technology officer at Golden State Foods.
These companies will identify and prioritize areas where blockchain can benefit food ecosystems and inform new IBM solutions. This work will draw on multiple IBM pilots and production networks in related areas that demonstrate ways in which blockchain can positively impact food traceability.
“Unlike any technology before it, blockchain is transforming the way like-minded organizations come together and enabling a new level of trust based on a single view of the truth,” said Marie Wieck, general manager, IBM Blockchain.
Beyond food supply chain applications, blockchains are now being used to transform processes and streamline transactions for everything from flowers, real estate and trade finance, to education, insurance and medical services.
IBM introduced the integrated production blockchain platform, as well as consulting services, that will allow more organizations to activate their own business networks and access the capabilities needed to develop, operate, govern and secure these networks.
The platform builds off of the blockchain work IBM has delivered to more than 400 organizations across industries including financial services, supply chain and logistics, retail, government and health care.
IBM Blockchain Platform offers pricing options, starting at $0.50 per hour, to support rapid adoption for networks. IBM said the cost of the network can be shared across all network members to support blockchain ecosystems among different organizations.
In parallel trials in China and the U.S., IBM and Walmart recently demonstrated that blockchain can be used to track a product from the farm through every stage of the supply chain, right to the retail shelf, in seconds instead of days or weeks.
