CP Foods targets blockchain integration for all products after success with pork and chicken
CP Foods announced its internal CPF Digital Traceability system back in 2015, and has also actively integrated the use of blockchain technology into its system for several product categories in recent years.
“The quality and safety of food products is our highest priority [and we realized that] blockchain traceability technology was one [vital step to] accelerate our traceability system”CP Foods Assistant Vice President of Global Standards System, Oraparn Mungmisri told us.
“Blockchain has facilitated consumers’ quick access to product information by scanning a QR code on the packaging, [providing them with information on] the origin of the products as well as the certifications for quality and food safety standards and information related to sustainability including greenhouse gas emissions. ?
“This [can contribute] to the company that consistently delivers better product value.”?
Currently, CP Foods has already implemented blockchain traceability technology for the traceability of fresh chicken and pork products, extending this throughout the supply chains for these from the procurement of raw materials and all the way to the shipment of these products.
“In 2023, we will also do this for our fresh shrimp and prepared food portfolios,”said Mungmisri.
“The next step will be to establish blockchain-based traceability for all the products we have in all categories in our portfolio.”?
In addition to its large animal protein portfolio, CP Foods is well known for its packaged ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat product ranges in supermarkets and convenience stores regionally; and especially for its shrimp-based packaged foods in markets such as the United States.
By integrating blockchain into its shrimp business, the plan is to increase consumer confidence in product hygiene and quality for not only Thai consumers or Asian consumers, but all consumers in all markets.
“Using blockchain technology increases consumer confidence in the quality and safety of ingredients, raw resources [used] and goods”she added.
“[Today, it is an added demand that] none of these come much from deforested areas, in an effort to pave the way for global food security.”?
Although no markets or regions were specifically named, Mungmisri was likely referring to the EU’s recent adoption of its controversial deforestation regulation last year, which would result in additional costs for manufacturers exporting food products containing ingredients from countries with an alleged “high risk of deforestation .
Most of these “high risk” countries are expected to be producer nations such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. It has been speculated that this law is likely to lead to food price increases in the future.
Concerns about climate change?
With animal protein coming under fire in almost every way in recent times for being linked to environmental sustainability concerns, including being a potential causative factor in climate change due to methane production, CP Foods is also trying to tackle this issue from a higher position up the supply chain by converting suppliers to the sustainability cause.
“We recently held the CPF Capacity Building for Partnership 2022 [with an] emphasis on sustainable partnerships [to] motivate our value chain suppliers to address environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) principles in their businesses”CP Foods COO of Livestock Business Siripong Arunrattana said via a formal statement.
“”CP Foods expects [our] suppliers to prioritize smarter and greener operations in line with today’s global trend. ?
“This will [not only] ensure that the company meets worldwide customer needs for products made in an ethical manner, [but also] provide suppliers with new business opportunities for long-term growth.”?
