Meet the iTrade Blockchain, the Food Supply Chain’s No-Nonsense, Homegrown Blockchain


DUBLIN, Calif., March 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iTradeNetwork, the leading global provider of on-demand supply chain management and intelligence solutions for the food and beverage industry, is proud to announce the iTrade Blockchain, the first homegrown blockchain designed for perishables.

“There is no doubt about the criticality of food supply chain transparency, or about the many benefits offered by an immutable record of our food’s journey from its origin all the way to our plates,” comments Rhonda Bassett-Spiers, iTradeNetwork’s President and CEO. “Our blockchain is a cut above others, however, for a simple yet extremely powerful reason: it is built upon iTrade’s own applications and the data they collectively house. For 20 years, we’ve provided over 5,000 retailers, distributors, grower-shippers, food manufacturers, operators, and logistics providers with tools that help manage their supply chains. Unlike other blockchains that are largely mosaics of 3rd party information, we capture food supply chain data right at the source--product catalogs, purchase order data, quality inspection information, logistics data, as well as dozens of distinct product attributes within our traceability suite. As a technology, blockchain done right has the potential to meet a strategic necessity--giving consumers confidence and trust in their food. To add to that, however, iTrade is uniquely positioned to create a story about what we eat that’s unparalleled.”

Using Hyperledger Fabric and GS1 standards as foundational elements, the iTrade Blockchain is also designed around interoperability. “Hyperledger Fabric has emerged as the backbone of blockchain implementations for the supply chain,” notes Guy Hopkins, Head of Development and Enterprise Architecture. “Its ability to secure and control access to data, combined with its high transactional throughput, make it an excellent choice for our initiative. Enhancing the rich feature set of the existing iTrade platform to share food supply chain data across blockchains is another important consideration that opens up a lot of possibilities, and leveraging GS1 standards with our blockchain allows participants to do just that.”

“There are a few reasons why we call ourselves the ‘no-nonsense, homegrown blockchain for the food industry,” comments Rene Cardenas, Head of Marketing and Strategic Planning. “First, we have a long history working with all types of companies involved in the food supply chain. We know the intricacies of how data is captured at different points in the chain, the associated business challenges, and the value this information provides from multiple perspectives beyond food safety and compliance. We thoroughly understand the varying degrees of technology adoption and capabilities across supply chain players as well, so we’re in the position to offer large and small players alike a variety of value-added services out of the box that other blockchains aren’t designed to offer.”

The iTrade Blockchain is the latest in a string of innovations iTrade has brought to the market in the last 12 months, including Transit--a Palletized ASN traceability solution, an SFCA Module that drives compliance for the Safe Food for Canadians Act, and a brand new order management, traceability and quality inspection platform for ambitious mid-market retailers.

iTrade is currently in discussion with several national and international retailers, as well as distributors, wholesalers, and grower/shippers in advance of a launch later this year.

About iTradeNetwork, Inc.
iTradeNetwork, Inc. is the leading global provider of on-demand supply chain management and intelligence solutions to the retail, hospitality and foodservice industries. Built upon deep industry expertise, a rich data foundation and our industries' most extensive trading partner network, ITN's collaborative solutions allow distributors, manufacturers, operators, retailers, suppliers and wholesalers of all sizes to reduce cost, grow revenue and strengthen trading partner relationships. Today, ITN's growing customer list includes over 5,000 global companies. For more information, visit: www.itradenetwork.com

For more information contact:
ITN:  Alex Swart 925-660-1100 inquiries@itradenetwork.com