A brief lesson in traceability by HarvestStack co-founder Sascha Rust
I recall the frustration of dealing with daily seafood deliveries where the exact same product, just a day older, would have a different, usually higher price each day. It was bewildering.
With an early childhood on a small hobby farm in Townsville in North Queensland, I was immersed in a world where food and nature were central themes. My grandad ran a bakery, my grandma advised on health and nutrition, and my mum was a microbiologist involved with native animals and the Great Barrier Reef. With this backdrop and my European heritage, it was almost inevitable that food would play a significant role in my life.
However, midway through my first career as a chef, I began to see that just cooking with ingredients raised more questions than it answered. I often found myself in conversations with wholesalers and suppliers, trying to get to the bottom of where our food came from and how it was produced. More often than not, these conversations were unfruitful, with vague responses or clear diversions. I recall the frustration of dealing with daily seafood deliveries where the exact same product, just a day older, would have a different, usually higher price each day. It was bewildering.
This frustration led me to working on initiatives like the Australian Marine Conservation Society’s GoodFish project. Here, it became clear that both restaurants and fishers desired transparency, yet something was consistently going awry in the middle.
“I sat there with the entire board of [a major wholesaler] ... I showed them through [a digital technology] platform ... And [one of them] said, ‘This is great, completely trans-parent, but we don’t want our consumers to know that information’”
Alongside Dr. Benjamin Thompson, I had the opportunity to support and co-author a paper focussed on traceability systems in the seafood supply chain (which you can read here if you like). A striking result of this research came from a quote provided from a key actor in the supply chain.
…“I sat there with the entire board of [a major wholesaler] ... I showed them through [a digital technology] platform ... And [one of them] said, ‘This is great, completely trans-parent, but we don’t want our consumers to know that information’"…
Truly wild.
This experience cemented at least for me, that something needs to change. But why should traceability matter for you? It's not just about ensuring food safety and quality but fundamentally about redefining the integrity of our food systems, and just being honest and proud about what you are serving or eating.
The Significance of Traceability
In today’s global food ecosystem, traceability is more than a technical tool; it's a cornerstone of sustainability. As consumer demand for transparency grows, the food industry is under increasing pressure to reveal more about food origins, especially in sectors like seafood where mislabeling and unsustainable practices are rampant. A Guardian Seascape analysis found a staggering 36% of 9000 seafood samples from restaurants and foo retail businesses were mislabeled globally, underscoring the urgent need for robust traceability systems.
“A striking example is highlighted by a Guardian Seascape analysis, which found that 36% of over 9,000 seafood samples from more than 30 countries were mislabeled”
Mechanisms Facilitating Traceability
While blockchain remains the gold standard for its transparency and security, due to the fact that it is very difficult to falsify, it is also difficult to implement at scale, and many attemps have failed. its high costs make it inaccessible for many. A more immediate and simple solution lies in simply direct sourcing— purchasing directly from producers. This can satisfy the fundamental traceability needs of knowing when something was produced, and where based on having trust between the harvester and yourself, who both want the same outcome. Platforms that facilitate these direct connections can vastly improve the transparency of the food supply chain while platforms that build more robust solutions become more accessible.
Environmental, Economic, and Community Impacts
The absence of traceability poses risks not just to the environment but also directly impacts businesses. This isn't just for big corporations, because as we have learned, this impacts even small restaurants and today, consumers expect a basic standard of sustainability. Companies failing to meet these expectations are more regularly finding themselves at risk of losing credibility, and customers are seeking people to trust. To help you understand the real risks behind a lack of traceability systems. A recent University of Queensland study looked at global seafood supply chains and found evidence of 92 endangered species and 11 critically endangered species being actively fished and sold to consumers all around the world. This data included Australia.
“A recent University of Queensland study looked at global seafood supply chains and found evidence of 92 endangered species and 11 critically endangered species being actively fished and sold to consumers all around the world. This data included Australia.”
Challenges and Future Potential
The industry faces the challenge of integrating various traceability systems that are affordable and user-friendly for all stakeholders involved, from small producers to large buyers. The goal is to develop low-cost, intuitive systems that naturally integrate into existing business practices, such as the relationship between a fisher and a restaurant. This is the kind of work we are undertaking at HarvestStack.
Leveraging Traceability in Restaurants
Restaurants have long added value to their customer experience by highlighting the sourcing of their ingredients. However, the reliability of traditional supply chains has often been questionable. Fortunately, tools such as ours, are now being developed that allow for robust relationships between restaurants and producers, enhancing the dining experience and ensuring the authenticity of food stories shared with guests. This is only a good thing.
Essentially, embracing traceability is crucial for a sustainable future in food production and consumption. It not only empowers consumers but also supports sustainable practices and fosters a transparent food system capable of withstanding global challenges. While HarvstStack is only one initiative, by promoting direct, high-value supply chains, we can ensure that every stakeholder—from producer to consumer—is informed and engaged in the sustainability of their food choices.
Sascha Rust is an ex-chef and restaurateur, now co-founder of HarvestStack. He holds an MSc in Environment and Sustainability, has co-authored multiple papers discussing traceability in food supply chains and advocates loudly for sustainable food systems.