Digital food traceability in the cloud - the fTRACE barcode solution

Making a real-time consumer connection

Put your products in the palm of your customer’s hand by leveraging a new digital food traceability platform

Would you like to capture the attention of your customers and share your brand story, regardless whether that customer is local or in an overseas market?

Did you know that through the simple action of scanning a barcode using their mobile phone you can provide your customers with dynamic product information? Sharing real-time, accurate information about a product’s origin, ingredients, allergens, sustainability credentials and industry certifications - all of which is increasingly demanded by consumers today - is made possible through the use of new digital traceability platforms.

Several big name international retailers are driving this adoption of next generation, cloud-based traceability platforms and are enabling this engagement with consumers right across Europe.

In addition to satisfying the consumer demand for detailed product information about the products they buy, fTRACE can also help suppliers and retailers to fulfil many of the international regulatory requirements for sharing food information.

fTRACE can be used for a variety of product types with early adopters in the meat, fish and fresh foods sectors. fTRACE is available in Ireland through GS1.

Telling your product story through its traceability history

fTRACE is a next-generation, product information platform that builds a product’s profile based on what are known as “events” - the key moments during the production, storage and transportation of a product. Creating the link between a physical product and its unique footprint is completed by way of an on-pack barcode.

Traceability though is not just about hard cold production data and logistics. It’s a collaborative story told by all supply chain partners who bring a product from raw ingredient stage, to a finished product made available for sale by a retailer. Consumers want accurate up-to-date information at their fingertips. When this traceability information is leveraged for the benefit of the consumer it can be a powerful marketing tool.

Real time production data, complemented by an array of value-added information such as origin, recipes and photographs helps build a more complete and richer picture of your product, reassuring customers that the product they are purchasing is what they expect it to be.

Put your traceability data to work for you

The “Irish” brand is respected across Europe and beyond, so sharing the journey your product takes is of value, not only to your brand, but especially to those consumers seeking quality Irish products.

Data is the new currency. As a food business you generate a vast amount of data everyday about the ingredients you purchase and the products you make. Put that data to work for you. Connect with your consumers through their mobile phones and open up the opportunity to engage with them, building a long term relationship.

To learn more about fTRACE and cloud-based information management solutions please contact us on 01 208 0660.

GS1 standards – transforming the way we work and live

This article first appeared in ShelfLife Magazine, December 2016

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