This September, we are celebrating National Organic Month in collaboration with The Soil Association to celebrate organic farming methods. Here at English Tea Shop, we believe that organic is better for people and planet, and we are committed to sustainability and our social influence. Our mission is to empower small scale organic farmers through our “Prajāva” philosophy which represents love and prosperity through community. The latest step in our Prajāva journey is our partnership with blockchain specialists Connecting Food to make the traceability of our products easier. Connecting Food has developed an innovative technology which allows you to see the journey of each tea bag; from leaf to cup.
Let us break it down for you…
What is a “blockchain”?
A blockchain is a unique sort of database which stores information in consecutive blocks. As the name suggests, when newblocks are added, the information is stored and becomes immutable or can no longer be altered. Connecting Food’s technology creates “Digital Food Twins” for our products, ensuring that every step of the tea’s journey is recorded, in a decentralised system and each stage of sourcing and production can be followed by consumers and retailers alike.
How can you trace your teabags?
You can scan the QR code on various English Tea Shop products and enter the batch number to view the blockchain. Within seconds, you are granted access to a wealth of information about our products. There are four main areas which our blockchain technology focuses on, these are: origin and procurement of ingredients, mix & taste, sustainable packaging and traceability and certification.
What does this mean for the future?
At English Tea Shop, we believe that supply transparency is the future, and we hope that our blockchain technology will inspire other companies to invest in similar advancements. We foresee a culture in which consumers are able to trace all sorts, from their morning cup of tea to the clothes they wear, holding brands accountable and allowing consumers to shop happy!