Brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev is set to use blockchain technology to give full transparency and traceability in its supply chain of barley from the farm to the consumer. Beer drinkers will be able to scan a QR code on pack and learn about where the barley in their beer is grown.
AB InBev has launched a new pilot in Europe that connects 80 barley growers across the North East of France with one malthouse in Antwerp, Belgium and the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven, Belgium. It will use one, scalable, blockchain-based technology platform, deployed by SettleMint, a Blockchain As A Service (BaaS) platform.
The journey of the barely from the farm to the consumer is tracked through the supply chain of farmers, grain cooperatives, malting cooperatives, breweries, warehouses and carriers. AB InBev is among the largest buyers of barley globally for their much-loved brands like Budweiser, Stella Artois, Corona, Beck's and Leffe.
The data is gathered from each part of the brewing process from the barley farmer to brewer, including environmental impacts like carbon footprint and water efficiency and recorded on the digital ledger. This data can be retrieved by the consumer by scanning the QR code on the beer pack and the consumers can know if the ingredients used are of the highest-quality and grown sustainably.
According to AB InBev, fans of the Leffe beer brand will be able to scan a QR code on Leffe packs in France to bring up a view of the farm where the barley in their beer was grown, reaped and malted. This will give them more transparency of the provenance of their beer than ever before.
AB InBev works directly with 60 percent of its farming base of around 35,000 growers, spanning across 13 countries and five continents. However, this pilot is designed for the remaining 40 percent of its indirect farmers, a majority of them in European countries such as France, Russia and the UK.
The supply chain transparency becomes increasingly important for ensuring the quality and security of raw ingredients and the efficient use of natural resources. Beer is made of simple, natural ingredients such as barley, water, hops and yeast.
As stated in its 2025 Sustainability Goals, AB InBev has pledged that by 2025, 100 percent of its direct farmers will be skilled, connected and financially empowered.
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