Trace - Blockchain-based Supply Chain Transparency for Luxury Products
Sector: Tertiary sector · Industry: Hospitality and catering · Organisation: Gate2Chain (Partnerschaft mit IBM und nChain) · Maturity level: Pilot
Trace is a blockchain platform developed by IBM and Gate2Chain for creating digital twins of products in fine dining establishments. The system enables guests to trace the complete origin of their food from producer to plate using QR codes. The solution has been tested with Michelin-starred chef Ollie Dabbous and was presented at the London Blockchain Conference 2023.
Documentation status
- Project status: Pilot
- Evidence: Evidence medium
- Editorial review: Ufuk Avci, 15 April 2026
Description
The BSV Blockchain (Bitcoin Satoshi Vision) demonstrated the Trace system for restaurant food traceability at the London Blockchain Conference 2023. The system creates digital twins of food ingredients on the BSV blockchain — each entry is immutable and valid as proof of provenance.
The Trace system on the BSV Blockchain maps the complete journey of a food ingredient: the producer registers the harvest with GPS coordinates, date and certifications on the blockchain; each transfer point (warehouse, trader, processor) adds its step; the restaurant receives the full provenance chain. Guests can query the origin of each ingredient via QR code at the table or in the menu print. BSV-specific advantages: very low transaction costs (fractions of a cent), high data throughput — important for mass data from food supply chains where every single ingredient must be documented. Relevance for gastronomy: haute cuisine and premium gastronomy working with premium ingredients like Kobe beef, truffles or fish specialties can verifiably prove the authenticity and origin of these expensive ingredients — protection against counterfeiting and a marketing tool at the same time.
Perspectives
B2B — organisations perspective
Restaurants and food retailers can promote expensive premium ingredients (truffles, Kobe beef, rare fish varieties) with blockchain-secured proof of origin — tamper-proof protection against product counterfeiting and credible differentiation.
B2C — consumers perspective
Restaurant guests can instantly check where their food comes from by scanning a QR code — farm origin, certifications, harvest date. This builds trust and supports informed purchasing decisions.
Employees perspective
Kitchen and service staff receive detailed information about all products used and can provide guests with well-founded information. However, the system requires new workflows for documentation and QR code management.
Benefits
General
- The immutable blockchain documentation creates verifiable trust in origin information.
- Digital twins enable full traceability from producer to end customer.
- The system operates without volatile cryptocurrencies, thus offering cost stability for businesses.
B2B — organisations
- Restaurants can command higher prices through proven transparency and differentiate themselves from competitors.
B2C — consumers
- Guests can trace the complete origin of their meals via simple QR code scans.
Employees
- Service staff receive detailed, verified product information for competent guest advice.
Challenges
General
- The high technical complexity requires specialised blockchain expertise and integration into existing systems.
- All suppliers must be willing to provide full data transparency, which can cause resistance.
B2B — organisations
- Implementation requires significant investments in technology and training without guaranteed returns.
Employees
- Staff must learn new digital processes and take on additional documentation tasks.
Technology foundation
The system is based on the BSV Blockchain (Bitcoin Satoshi Vision), which requires no native tokens or mining fees and is therefore cost-stable for businesses. Blockchain technology is particularly suitable for traceability because once stored, data is immutable and reliably available to all participants.
Implementation examples
Pilot test with Michelin-starred chef Ollie Dabbous
The restaurant wanted to offer its guests complete transparency about the origin of the premium ingredients used. At the same time, it was to be tested whether blockchain-based traceability works as a quality feature and differentiation in the luxury segment.
A Michelin-starred chef tested the Trace system at an exclusive dinner with 100 selected guests in London.
The renowned Michelin-starred chef Ollie Dabbous conducted a practical test of the Trace platform, where 100 selected guests at a special dinner in London received a meal with fully traceable ingredients. Each guest could access the digital twins of the products used via QR codes and view their complete supply chain. The test was presented as a successful proof-of-concept at the London Blockchain Conference 2023.
The challenge of lacking trust in origin claims for luxury products was solved through immutable blockchain documentation. The system enabled complete transparency for the first time without additional costs from volatile cryptocurrencies.
Tags
Supply chain, Transparency, Digital twins, Luxury gastronomy, Traceability