Turkey poult raised for the Honeysuckle White brand.
Consumers can find information about the farm that produced their Honeysuckle White whole turkey.
 
WICHITA, Kan. – Cargill is offering consumers turkeys with a side of traceability. The company’s Honeysuckle White brand recently launched a pilot project that that uses blockchain technology to trace turkeys produced by family farmers.

To learn more about their Thanksgiving turkey, consumers in select markets can text or enter an on-package code at HoneysuckleWhite.com to access the farm’s location by state and county, view the family farm story, see photos from the farm and read a message from the farmer.

“The Honeysuckle White brand is committed to food transparency and we’re the only major turkey brand to exclusively provide family farm-raised turkey,” Deborah Socha, Honeysuckle White brand manager, said in a statement. “We know consumers are looking beyond farm-to-table marketing promises to better understand where their food comes from and how it is produced. That’s why the Honeysuckle White brand is the first and only major turkey brand to pilot a blockchain-based solution for traceable turkey.”

When a transaction is made in a blockchain, the participants in the chain must approve the transaction before it’s added to a ledger. Blockchain is best known for underpinning cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, but the food industry is harnessing blockchain technology to enhance food traceability.

“At Cargill, we are becoming a better partner through digitalization and analytics, identifying opportunities to use technology to deliver real value for customers, partners and consumers,” said Deb Bauler, Cargill chief information officer for North American Protein. “The Honeysuckle White brand’s transparency pilot is one example of how we are using technology to shape the food system of the future and deliver on consumers’ desire for transparency in food.”

The Honeysuckle White brand is supporting its pilot project at the retail level using traditional and online media and in-store signs. The brand transparency pilot will be offered primarily at retailers in Texas.