Grands Moulins de Paris includes blockchain on its packs of organic Francine flour: visibility and transparency, from field to fork
In January 2021, Grands Moulins de Paris, a company of VIVESCIA cooperative group, unveiled its new brand platform, illustrated by a new visual identity and tagline: “un grain d’audace, un choix d’avenir” (a grain of audacity, a choice for the future). This was an opportunity for the company to reaffirm its fundamentals and go beyond delicious products to embody three of its key commitments: transparency, truth, and meaning. This ambition is demonstrated in particular through the use of blockchain technology, which is now available on Francine’s organic flour.
The changing expectations of food industry stakeholders
Consumers have always had high expectations when it comes to food, but their priorities are now changing in line with changes to the society that we live in. Nowadays, trust and traceability are central to these expectations and many people (91%) are demanding more transparency on food products.
“These expectations are all the more pronounced during the unprecedented circumstances of an anxiety-inducing pandemic, when consumers need clear and accessible markers of truth,” highlights Pierre Garcia, Managing Director of Grands Moulins de Paris.
This need for transparency is also promoted by food manufacturers.
“The current climate of suspicion sometimes impacts industry stakeholders, despite their unrelenting efforts and work, which is not always valued at its true worth. Promoting and highlighting the commitment and know-how of farmers – and more generally, all the links in the food chain – by enabling consumers to travel back up the food chain, from fork to field, is becoming beneficial for everyone,”, Pierre Garcia continues.
« À table », which is the French call for "dinner time!", is also the name of Grands Moulins de Paris's CSR policy, launched for its centenary year in 2019. Resolutely future-oriented, this policy is based on three strong commitments to meet the aspirations of French consumers and shift GMP's business towards “AlimenTAion ResponsaBLE” (sustainable food):
- A balanced diet
- Improved quality-of-life
- Contributing to a healthier future
The use of blockchain technology is fully in line with this approach.
Traceability and promoting know-how: Francine is adopting blockchain technology for its organic flour
In partnership with Connecting Food, a French company ranked number-one in the “food safety and traceability” category, Grands Moulins de Paris has decided to use blockchain technology for its Francine organic flour. A QR code provides consumers with full product traceability.
The principle is simple: the consumer scans the QR code on the front of every pack, which opens a web app where they can enter the batch number to reveal the product’s full traceability, from the origin of the wheat, to where the flour was packed.
The digital platform, which uses blockchain technology, provides third-party transparency. It guarantees the reliability of data across the entire value chain and provides proof of the claims that the brand makes on its packaging.
“Blockchain technology guarantees the verifiability and inalterability of data. It means that our organic flour can be traced batch by batch, detailing the journey from grain to finish product. It also enables us to promote our claim of 100% French organic wheat and to highlight the commitment of our partner-growers through video testimonials. Another advantage is that the web app gives consumers access to the Francine world and, thanks to a chatbot, a wide variety of recipe ideas!” explains Claire Madoré, Director of Marketing & E-business and Retail Commercial Director for Grands Moulins de Paris.
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