Blockchain-Enabled Two-Echelon Supply Chains for perishable products using Just in Time inventory Management: A case study of the dairy industry

Abstract

For decades, the perishable goods supply chains have lacked the necessary advancements to become as profitable as other industries. Due to the industry's time-constrained nature and the products' inherent characteristics, most operations need to be streamlined to avoid product expiration and recalls. Tracking perishable products in supply chains and ensuring their conformity to the standards and norms has become a priority. Customers are informed now more than ever and expect a wide range of selection and high-quality products. To meet these demands, perishable supply chains must operate as efficiently as possible, using novel methods and techniques. Blockchain technology has been used for various purposes, but few have considered perishable supply chains. The use of Blockchain in this industry will help reduce food waste and increase transparency in the supply chain. This paper proposes a proof of concept that uses smart contracts and Blockchain technology to manage perishable products flow between suppliers, retailers, and customers to allow the transfer of ownership and the tracking of the shelf-life span of dairy products. The truffle framework is used to build, test and deploy the smart contracts using solidity, while Ganache is used to simulate a test network based on the Ethereum Blockchain.