Case Studies
Supporting the coffee ecosystem
Coffee verification program
FloraTrace provides targeted solutions for the coffee industry. Coffee growers, distributors and retailers seek to protect and demonstrate that their products are authentic and derive from specific locations. Region-of-origin and protection of intellectual property are emerging concerns. As an example, a class action lawsuit between a group of Kona coffee growers who accuse major retailers for selling fraudulent “Kona” coffee. This highlights the need for protecting the origin of a product.
Supporting the cotton ecosystem
Cotton - Mislabeling
A key supply chain risk is mislabeling of raw materials origin to hide materials from regions utilizing forced labor. The problem with the majority of track-and-trace systems is they monitor only the label on the packaging. Paper-based and label-based tracking methods are easily altered. Our technologies monitor the actual material, addressing this fundamental shortcoming. Consider the case of cotton garments produced in China using Xinjiang-grown cotton, transshipped to Vietnam, and then exported to the US labeled as “Made in Vietnam”. Our technologies detect the geographic origin of the raw material (i.e., cotton) and not the label claim.
Supporting the food ecosystem
Tomatoes and Mixing/Commingling
A key risk in supply chains is purposely commingling or mixing raw materials from different geographic origins to launder illicit materials originating from regions utilizing forced labor. An example would be purposeful mixing of Xinjiang tomatoes with tomatoes grown in India to be exported as “Indian Tomatoes” for processing in Italy. Our technologies detect and identify geographic origin of mixture components.
Supporting the Hemp ecosystem
Hemp verification program
Hemp oil and hemp-derived CBD are becoming ubiquitous in consumer-packaged goods. the global hemp market is currently worth $4.6B and is expected to expand to $26.6B by 2025. The legal US cannabis market (adult-use and medical marijuana combined) is worth US$13.6B and is anticipated to grow to US$30.1B by 2025.
Consumers pay higher prices for products grown in well-known regions and produced in specific ways (i.e., sun-grown, indoor grown, etc.). Growers operating within these regions or producing products using specific methods seek to elevate the value of their product and protect their brand identity and integrity.