This is going to be an interesting year for the GFSI Conference; with a theme of Emerging Challenges and the Future of Food Safety, there is no doubt that technology will play an integral role in overcoming them. However, if we look back, many foundational issues regarding transparency, traceability and interoperability still exist, whilst new challenges (some of them related to past ones) pile up.

Here, in the first of a series of daily blogs, Mitch Chait, Founder and CEO of Greenfence, talks about some of the central issues affecting the industry.

Everything from climate change to emerging food start-ups present challenges, and each comes at a cost. From where I sit today, brands and retailers are more cautious than ever before. There is a lot at stake and to tackle, so prioritization is key.

That’s said, the safety and health of shoppers is paramount. This is where the competitive gloves (should) come off and for everyone to chip in. If step change improvements in how we approach and implement food safety are to become a reality, we need all stakeholders to recognize that throughout the entire supply chain, there is a need for the widespread adoption of transparency, traceability and interoperability. Certainly, easier said than done, but the mission remains on the table.

With that said, I believe that the GFSI is uniquely positioned to drive this change.

As for this year, I’m interested to see what the last 12 months have delivered.  No doubt the coming days will see fascinating discussions and leaps into the “what ifs” underpinned with true innovation. But for me, there is no doubt that blockchain owns the technology category.

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Follow Greenfence on LinkedIn and Twitter for daily updates during the GFSI Conference including more from Mitch on how technology can be an enabler for scale.

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