VEVEY, SWITZERLAND — Nestle SA is using blockchain to trace the supply chain supporting its Zoegas coffee brand. The brand, which is sold in Sweden, uses Rainforest certified arabica beans from Brazil, Colombia and Rawanda. The technology allows interested consumers to trace the Zoegas coffee they purchase back to where it was sourced.

Nestle has partnered with the Rainforest Alliance on the project. The group provides Nestle with certification information about the producers that qualify to carry the Rainforest Alliance’s certification seal.

By scanning a QR code on a package of a Zoegas product, consumers can trace the coffee from its growing locations to the Zoegas facility in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the beans are roasted, grounded and packed. The data includes information about farmers, time of harvest, transaction certificate for the specific shipments, as well as roasting period, according to Nestle.

The company started using blockchain in 2017 when it joined the IBM Food Trust. Other Nestle brands using blockchain include Mousline and Guigoz, both of which are sold in France.