IBM and the Avril Group, the French player in the vegetable oil and protein industry, as well as the owner of the leading fresh egg and oil brands, Matines and Lesieur, among others, has announced that Avril has joined IBM Food Trust, a blockchain-enabled global ecosystem for the food industry, and which will run on IBM Cloud.
Matines differentiates itself with a new and personalized consumer experience. This is thanks to the enhanced information and traceability of 25 references on its ranges of organic, outdoors, free-range red label, soil and standard eggs.
This initiative is part of an effort that began in 2019 to reposition the Matines brand around several new concrete commitments: hens raised without antibiotic treatment (outdoor and standard range), fed with 100% French cereals, and good breeding practices controlled by an independent body.
Tracing Organic Eggs With Blockchain
Advancing traceability also means contributing directly to the Avril Group’s approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR), particularly in sectors related to quality livestock (French origin, organic) and the consideration of animal welfare. These standards have already been adopted in more than 1000 farms (including 400 laying hen farms). Avril Group also supports the conversion of dozens of laying hen farms to alternative modes of production (soil, outdoor, organic).
Matines is committed to meeting evolving expectations and concerns by listening to market trends and its consumers. In order to provide its consumers with greater transparency, a QR code printed inside the egg box directs them to a dedicated application where they will be able to access a wide range of data related to the eggs they consume. The information available includes, for example, the farming method, the way the hens are fed, the approach to good farming practices, the date of egg laying, the packing center, the date on which the eggs are received, the date of packaging, and the date of dispatch to the warehouses of the various distributors.
If consumers want to know more, a “Questions?” section allows them to obtain additional information on farming methods, the nutritional qualities of the egg, recipes for cooking based on Matines eggs as well as general information on eggs.
The blockchain records immutable information at each step of the process and provides transparency for consumers about claims of quality of the product they consume.
