Merck KGaA, Hashgraph Group and PwC Germany pilot cocoa traceability on Hedera
Cocoa traceability pilot launched on Hedera
The Hashgraph Group, Merck KGaA and PwC Germany announced a pilot that links physical scans of cocoa products to records written on the Hedera blockchain. The test is timed before the EU’s deforestation regulation for large operators takes effect on 30 December 2026.
Key points
- System records authentication scans on Hedera, a public distributed ledger.
- Uses Merck’s M‑Trust security markers and the Hashgraph Group’s TrackTrace platform.
- EU Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 requires geolocation data for cocoa; the pilot does not yet capture plot polygons.
- No cocoa farmer, processor, chocolate brand, volume or rollout date was disclosed.
Details from the partners
Thomas Endress, Executive Director of M‑Trust at Merck, said the technology “verifies that the product being scanned is genuine, while TrackTrace records that authentication event as part of the product’s digital history.” Husen Kapasi, Enterprise Blockchain Lead at PwC Germany, highlighted that the system creates a verifiable trail useful for recalls and compliance investigations.
Confirmed facts
- The pilot involves three parties: The Hashgraph Group, Merck KGaA and PwC Germany.
- It writes scan events to Hedera with a timestamp.
- EU deforestation regulation for large and medium operators starts on 30 December 2026; cocoa is one of the seven covered commodities.
- Regulation requires latitude/longitude to six decimal places and polygon data for plots larger than four hectares.
Open questions
- How the farm‑level geolocation data will be collected and entered into the system.
- When the pilot will move beyond testing to a full deployment.
- Which cocoa growers or chocolate brands, if any, will participate.
Implications for EU deforestation law
The pilot shows how blockchain can help meet the EU’s requirement for a “digital product passport” by providing an immutable record of product authentication. While it does not yet satisfy the geolocation clause, it could simplify compliance and traceability for large cocoa operators.
Next steps
The partners plan to continue testing and to define business processes and workflows, according to PwC Germany. No public timeline for a broader rollout was given.
