Fighting Counterfeit Booze-Using Blockchain

Do you know that a third of alcoholic contents in the world are counterfeit? This is according to the statistics given by the International Center for Alcohol Policies.

In the UK, the market value for alcoholic drinks in 2018 reached 54 million euros. Such a highly profitable industry is vulnerable to counterfeits.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office reported that UK loses over 200 million euros yearly from mock-ups of well-known spirits and wine brands.

Alcohol Industry Is Fighting Back using Blockchain

But the industry won’t give in without a fight. Using Blockchain, the industry can now track sources of wines and spirits.

For instance, in Alberta, Canada, a few companies based there have teamed up with a Blockchain firm named TE-FOOD and come up with a food traceability system for their new product- a beer called Bock chain. This is a pioneer move in boosting transparency in the alcohol industry.

The companies namely Hamill Foods, Red Shed Malting, Canada Malting Co and, Last Best Brewing & Distilling have teamed up to use technology to help consumers in tracking Bock chain ingredients. The beer launched on early February 2019.

Hamill foods grows the barley before harvesting and transporting it to Canada Malting for malting. After malting, it travels to Red Shaw Malting for roasting and special malting. Last best brewing and distilling is the final stop where it’s brewed and packaged.

The Bock Chain Beer

Phil Brian the Director Of Brewing from Last Best Brewing And Distilling says that Bock Chain beer is a malty and traditional lager with origins from Germany. He adds that the beer is a result of a blend of Canadian prairies with small amounts of chocolate and amber malt.

Speaking to CryptoBriefing, the sales manager of Canada malting Kyran Flett says that craft beer consumers have suddenly grown an interest in supporting local businesses and communities.

Flett adds that currently, there is a gap in transparency in the supply chain. Blockchain happens to be the best technology to close this gap. Furthermore, it supports other industries as well where provenance is valued like the American and Scottish whiskey industries.

Tracking Product Origins

Once consumers of the Bock chain scan the QR code on the beer bottle, they are instantly taken to a microsite. The site, which is developed by TE-FOOD shows photos and videos of the various stages of production from barley to the final product-the Bock chain beer itself. The site also displays important information such as time stamps, vessel identification, volume and test results in each of the beer stages.

The technology is also being used in other trades besides the beer industry. Everledger, for example is using Blockchain to track valuables like diamonds. It has even teamed up with Avery Dennison Corporate, a labelling and adhesive specialist for tracking wine origins.

Intelligent label product manager Jay Wittman says transparency in the lifecycle and authenticity of wine is vital in increasing consumer confidence. Blockchain and intelligent labels have made it possible for consumers to interact and learn about the origins of the wine they are buying.

There is no doubt Blockchain is bridging the information gaps in the supply chain.