Laava Smart Fingerprints® are now featured on a wide range of products around the world. The company has just expanded into New Zealand. The first customer is fresh food supplier J3 Freshstore and Pole to Pole.
Working together with partners FreshSupplyCo and Gravitas Media, Laava has enabled an innovative, connected packaging traceability and customer engagement experience for J3 Freshstore’s sustainably grown avocados.
“Each box of J3 Freshstore avocados now features a unique Laava Smart Fingerprint® on the label, creating the secure gateway to a digitally connected packaging solution. Laava Smart Fingerprints® are an upgrade from the QR code. Developed in collaboration with Australia’s CSIRO and AustCyber – the Laava Smart Fingerprint® utilises patented, next generation, optical Fingerprint technology. Secure by design, the Laava Smart Fingerprint® provides the ‘on packaging’ authenticator for unique customer experiences accessing blockchain, traceability data, digital stories and exclusive content,” explains Gavin Ger, joint CEO and Commercial Director at Laava.
Simply by scanning the Fingerprint with their smartphone customers can authenticate their J3 avocados as ‘genuine’. Customers can also trace the journey of that box of avocados, from the orchard all the way to the bowl, with transparency of key data points surfaced from across the supply chain. These data points include locations and dates where the fruit was picked and packed, as well as batch, grower and food safety identification numbers. They can share exclusive content, stories and discounts and re-order more avocados, with J3 Freshstore’s e-commerce integration. There is even an exclusive competition to win a year’s supply of avocados.
But the biggest draw for consumers is the competition – a chance to win a year’s supply of avocados! This is accounting for almost 70% of the scanning activity.
“For J3 Freshstore, telling their traceability story, proving provenance and demonstrating supply chain transparency is only one half of the equation. Being masters of brand engagement, they understand that, to really connect with their customers, the call to action must be compelling. That invitation to scan the Laava Smart Fingerprint® must be simple yet strong.
“Laava is incredibly excited to work with J3 Freshstore – a customer that embraces innovation and is passionate about bringing security, transparency, traceability and food safety assurance to their supply chain. Together, we’re protecting both their local Bay of Plenty grower network and their customers in New Zealand and beyond,” said Gavin.
Anti-counterfeit and authentication
“A lot of our most recent projects have been focused on import into China and / or Asian markets with both an anti-counterfeit and authentication focus as well as consumer engagement. We are working with producers domestically as well (and NZ). There is discussion about markets such as Japan,” explains Craig Wright, Director of Commercial Strategy at the company.
“Outside of fresh produce we are working on projects across the EU (France, Switzerland and the UK), the USA, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Scandinavia and Israel. We are additionally continuing to work with food producers (meat, seafood etc) exporting to China, Taiwan and as mentioned, Japan. Our ambition is to be the Global Mark of Trust and can be easily deployed on labels and packaging globally.”
Australian customers and brands
As well as working with J3 Freshstore Laava is also working with some well-known Australian producers and brands.
Mildura Fruit Company - in 2020 Laava was protecting citrus exports from Victoria to China and in 2021 we are now on bags of oranges exported to Vietnam. Focus of the Vietnam Laava Smart Fingerprints is on strong consumer engagement (competition) - whereas in China it was strongly oriented to authentication and traceability. Here is the first promo article from LinkedIn we released only last week
Reid Fruits - in 2020 and 2021 Laava Smart Fingerprints protected their premium cherries being exported from Tasmania into China. Heavy focus on anti-counterfeit and authentication - backed up by forensic sampling / testing by Source Certain International, supply chain tracking by Escavox and a very strong social media strategy within China developed by Roolife Group
Pink Lady Apples - This project has only recently gone live and been announced on LinkedIn - it's a collaboration between James Tyler and APAL to import Pink Lady apples from NZ and Chile into China, protected by Laava Smart Fingerprints. They're being retailed via Hema.