Fighting Food Fraud Across the Food Chain, with Natural Trace
Kayla Dreuth
Published on
The food industry is a vital part of our daily lives but it’s facing a pressing issue – food fraud.
This deceptive practice occurs at various points along the food supply chain, from producers to consumers. It involves misrepresentation of products, which leads to severe consequences, such as health risks and damaged trust between consumers and brands.
Natural Trace, a FoodTech Tasmania 2023 startup, recognises this problem as a significant pain point in the food industry and has found a way to combat it.
Backed by food industry veterans, CL Goh and his co-founders Dr Chantal Roth and Prof Lukas Mueller, developed a patented, organic, and food-grade traceability solution tag that traces a product along every stage of the supply chain and conveniently retrieves origination information through bioinformatics.
With their innovative bio-barcode system, Natural Trace is bridging the gap between physical and digital traceability through bioinformatics and is offering sustainable solutions that go beyond conventional packaging labels.
Their target customers are producers and brands. Through customer awareness on food fraud, it is critical to create a push.
Exciting Possibilities in Australia, Especially Tasmania
Natural Trace's journey towards a more transparent food industry has led them to expand from Singapore to Australia, with a special focus on Tasmania.
So, what's so exciting about expanding to this part of the world?
Tasmania offers a rich and diverse food and agriculture sector. From premium honey and olive oil to delectable seafood and world-renowned wine and spirits, they’re in the perfect spot for food innovation. Their cutting-edge traceability solutions can help ensure the authenticity of these premium products, providing consumers with peace of mind.
Australian produce has earned a global reputation for quality and trustworthiness too. Expanding to Australia means Natural Trace can tap into this export market and further boost brand trust worldwide. Consumers across the globe look for the Australian mark as a sign of quality, and Natural Trace aims to strengthen this trust even more.
Tasmania, Australia also has a thriving culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Natural Trace's technology aligns perfectly with this, making it an ideal destination for their international expansion.
Since coming down under, Natural Trace has gained a new team member, Kristy Hall, whose from Launceston, Tasmania and a business developer for Oceania. She's passionate about enhancing and protecting produce, such as honey, wine, and whisky form the region - the team is excited to have her on board.
Next Steps into the Future
As Natural Trace continues to influence the startup ecosystem, their vision is ambitious yet inspiring.
Founder, CL Goh says, they are working "towards a world where every great product comes with a trusted provenance story."
Natural Trace aims to drive the adoption and proliferation of the next generation of traceability solutions, one industry at a time. This means going beyond traditional packaging labels and implementing more advanced and reliable methods to trace a product's journey from farm to fork.
Natural Trace is on a mission to revolutionise the food industry by addressing the critical problem of food fraud and enhancing brand trust.
Their expansion into Australia, particularly Tasmania, presents exciting opportunities to make a significant impact. With their vision and dedication, Natural Trace is paving the way towards a more transparent and trustworthy food supply chain for all of us.
Learn more about Natural Trace here.
Our FoodTech Tasmania 2023 Accelerator Program is in full swing right now. If you’d like to stay connected with Natural Trace and our other outstanding FoodTech startups, we have two Pitch for Beers Events left on the 3rd of November and the 10th of November in Tasmania. Sign up here.
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