Avery Dennison and Everledger Bring Authenticated Provenance Tracking on Blockchain to Wine Industry
Avery Dennison Corporate, a global leader in intelligent label solutions and the world’s largest UHF RFID partner, has collaborated with Everledger, a global leader in the application of blockchain technology to realworld practices, in developing end-to-end traceability and provenance solutions for the wine and spirits industry.
This partnership, launching first with Appellation Earth wines from Napa Valley by U.S.-based wine négociant Wine Trade Network, combines Avery Dennison’s intelligent label solutions with Everledger’s blockchain-based platform. It marks the first expansion of Avery Dennison’s JanelaTM Smart Products Platform outside of apparel and footwear, and will be exclusively powered by Everledger in the wine segment.
The platform will reportedly provide embedded proof of provenance to support enhanced trust and consumer interaction with their wine purchases, a product susceptible to counterfeiting. Powered by Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, the highly-secured, non-copy and tamper-resistant inlays are adhered to the specific bottle labels, giving each bottle a unique digital identity and enabling chain-of-custody data to be captured throughout the supply chain through the supporting blockchain technology.
From there, the authenticated provenance of the wines is tracked, enabling consumers to discover the lifetime journey of their wine – from grape to bottle – giving them confidence in its authenticity and creating a connection to the overall brand story.
“Over the past few years, companies have continued to see a rise in counterfeit wine and spirits being sold,” said Mariana Rodriguez, marketing director – intelligent labels Avery Dennison. “According to the International Center for Alcohol Policies, 30 percent of alcohol consumed worldwide is counterfeit, Avery Dennison intelligent label solutions provide an opportunity to bring new technologies together for brands and consumers to feel confident about the product being purchased and consumed.”
“Our pioneering work in digital provenance has advanced industries, notably diamonds and colored gemstones, through greater transparency, efficiencies, collaboration and trust,” said Scott Austin, Everledger senior executive vice president, Americas. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to further establish our work in the wine industry with this innovative joint solution, bringing the full benefits of blockchain directly to the consumers.”
“Combining blockchain with NFC technology to permanently secure the provenance of wines further provides added confidence in the provenance data captured and tracked through our platform. From there, the value and reputation of the wines from producer to consumer is protected, enhancing trust and confidence in the authenticity and value of their purchase,” said Steve Schepman, president Wine Trade Network. ‘“Wine Trade Network is launching our Appellation Earth wine brand with NFC and blockchain technologies and is pleased to be the first in the U.S. wine market to launch on the Janela Smart Products platform, powered by Everledger.”
Avery Dennison and Everledger aim to roll-out this provenance tracking solution industry-wide in 2019.
For more information, visit label.averydennison.com/intelligentlabel.