FreshChain Systems, a proudly Australian owned company has spent years digitising traceability data in the Australian agriculture sector, so they know firsthand how tough it can be to get verification, interoperability, and scalability right. Every organisation has its own way of managing its supply chain, and too often, businesses rely on tools, spreadsheets, and centralised databases that don't talk to each other—let alone integrate with the systems used by regulators, certifiers, and buyers.

By following an emerging global standard, the United Nations Transparency Protocol (UNTP), and its Australian extension, the Australian Agriculture Traceability Protocol (AATP), FreshChain is demonstrating how traceability can be applied at scale.

As developers of a paddock-to-plate assurance system, FreshChain recently participated in AgTrace Australia, a national initiative backed by a $5 million federal government grant to the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). The program funds traceability proof-of-concepts (POCs) that use live, just-in-time data to improve supply chain transparency, regulatory compliance, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting.

Putting Standardised Traceability to the Test

"Every business wants their own centralised database, but that creates silos," said Greg Calvert, Director of FreshChain. "We saw the AgTrace initiative as a great opportunity to explore a standardised system for exchanging digital traceability and provenance credentials—one that isn't locked into any single platform, database, or technology solution."

"Traceability underpins everything we do," Calvert explains. "It's not just about compliance—it's about getting producers paid fairly and opening up new markets. We focus on digital storytelling so that buyers know where their food comes from, who grew it, where the seeds came from … whatever the relevant supply chain information may be."

Unlike proprietary systems, UNTP and AATP aren't platforms; they are protocols designed to enable interoperability across different systems. That flexibility makes them powerful tools for sharing supply chain data, sustainability credentials, product provenance, and more.

"Of all the trials and initiatives we've participated in, this has the greatest potential to transform the way we do business," said Calvert.

Overcoming Challenges with Standardisation

Before adopting UNTP and AATP, FreshChain faced the same issues as many other businesses. As a service provider, the data they manage comes from a range of client organisations and data sources. But this same problem exists within individual organisations as well.

Different systems and tools store data in incompatible formats. Some information is captured manually in spreadsheets, while other data comes from industry bodies providing certification and credentials in a variety of formats.

While some follow GS1 and other industry standards, others do not. Certification processes are fragmented, making it difficult to quickly and confidently verify that credentials come from an authorised source.

"The real challenge is not digitising documents—it is ensuring that credentials can be verified by a trusted authority," says Calvert. "It is possible to publish data on a blockchain and make it immutable, but if no one else can read or accept it, it isn't useful."

The UNTP and AATP address this by introducing a common framework that businesses across the supply chain can use.

"Instead of every company having to integrate with every certification provider, we now have one integration per certifier. That's a huge efficiency gain," Calvert adds.

The Cherry Project: A Proof of Concept Under AgTrace Australia

As one of AgTrace Australia's proof-of-concept (POC) projects, FreshChain collaborated with a cherry supplier to demonstrate how a UNTP- and AATP-compliant digital credentialing system could track produce from farm to market.

A barcode scan provided a complete history of the cherries' journey through the supply chain, ensuring that the data was verifiable and tamper-proof.

"The hardest part was the data mapping," says Calvert. "But we were supported through it. Once we had that in place, it opened up the ability to generate digital product passports for any customer. What was once a complicated, one-off process is now repeatable at a fraction of the cost."

Early adoption came with some challenges. The UNTP standard was still evolving, which meant constant updates and revisions.

"We were building the plane while the UN/CEFACT was flying it," Calvert recalls. "But that was part of the excitement. Now that the standard is [close to] finalised, new customers can onboard much faster. With the right resources—including support from a UNTP implementation accelerator and their own allocated personnel—they can be up and running in under a month."

Trust Architects: Driving the Future of Traceability

FreshChain's experience highlights the growing role of Trust Architects—those designing and implementing traceability solutions that create trust and transparency across industries.

"Whether an organisation or an industry sector is required to provide product data in this way today or not, this transparency work needs to happen," says Calvert. "Legislation and market access requirements are changing, and businesses that prepare now will be in the best position to maintain and grow export markets."

More businesses need to understand the long-term value of this approach. When producers, buyers, certifiers, and logistics providers adopt common standards, they cut costs, reduce complexity, and improve trust across the supply chain.

Calvert finished by stating, "This work was a natural extension and enhancement of the services we provide and an output of our underlying traceability solution so we welcomed the opportunity to contribute to this ground breaking work."

According to FreshChain, the benefits of adopting these protocols go beyond compliance:

• Preferred supplier status – Companies that can share verifiable, standardised data will gain a competitive edge.
• Regulatory compliance – Global trade rules are evolving, and early adopters will stay ahead of new requirements.
• Market competitiveness – Buyers are increasingly prioritising suppliers who can provide traceability data.

FreshChain's work, alongside AgTrace Australia's national traceability efforts, demonstrates that traceability is scalable, achievable, and already delivering results. The next step is getting more industries involved and building a wider community of Trust Architects who can lead the way in digital transparency.