Traceability has become essential in a world where consumer demand for transparency and compliance is growing. De Bortoli Wines, a renowned name in the wine industry, faced a multifaceted challenge: balancing operational efficiency with the rising demands for detailed product information. By adopting GS1’s global standards and innovative digital solutions, De Bortoli has paved the way for a robust traceability framework that addresses both current and future market needs.
The challenge
The global wine market has been under pressure, with sales plummeting by over $1.2 billion in recent years. De Bortoli, Australian winemakers supplying global markets, faced several critical challenges, including:
- More complex labelling requirements across markets.
- Sharing more detailed information with customers and consumers.
- Complying with evolving ESG data, nutritional and energy content and provenance data.
- Navigating different data formats and market specific regulations.
- Relabelling bottles to meet market conditions; a process that is impractical and expensive.
These issues compounded operational costs, risked market access, and decreased sector-wide resilience. To address these challenges, De Bortoli needed a scalable and futureproof solution that aligned with global standards.
The solution
De Bortoli Wines partnered with Pyx Global on a project to leverage GS1’s global standards and implement a self-hosted Digital Link Resolver (DLR) service. This innovative solution capitalised on existing technologies and open-source tools, ensuring interoperability and long-term adaptability. Key elements of the solution included:
- Customising GS1’s open-source software to meet business-specific requirements.
- Making De Bortoli product information discoverable, resolvable and verifiable via GS1 Powered QR codes on bottle labels.
- Hosting the DLR internally, enabling low-cost management and control over data-sharing protocols.
- Adopting open standards to future-proof the system against evolving global requirements.
The results
The pilot implementation of the Digital Link Resolver yielded significant outcomes:
Enhanced Information Sharing: De Bortoli can now provide detailed product information tailored to market-specific requirements.
Operational Efficiency: The in-house IT team successfully deployed and managed the open-source tools, streamlining data management processes.
Scalable Framework: The DLR was designed as a reference platform, based on the United Nations Transparency Protocol (UNTP), enabling scalability and alignment with digital product passports initiatives abroad.
Risk Mitigation: Challenges, risks, and benefits of a full-scale rollout were identified and addressed, ensuring robust future implementation.
These results underscore the feasibility and effectiveness of leveraging global standards for traceability.
The benefits
The adoption of GS1 global standards and the Digital Link Resolver solution provided substantial benefits:
Regulatory Compliance: De Bortoli is now better equipped to meet current and future regulatory requirements, including EU digital product passports and expanded nutritional labelling.
Cost Reduction: More efficient audit and compliance processes reduced operational costs.
Sustainability Leadership: Enhanced traceability supports sustainability goals, including carbon footprint reporting and adherence to modern slavery prevention rules.
Traceability at Scale: A UNTP-based approach ensures interoperability and alignment with EPCIS and GS1 Digital Link Standards.
Industry Showcase: Public demonstrations of the pilot implementation highlighted De Bortoli’s leadership in innovation and traceability and provided a showcase example for industry and government.
"Compliance isn’t just a growing cost – it’s a growing opportunity. By addressing expanding requirements, businesses can turn challenges into competitive advantages and open doors that others can’t."
- Bill Robertson – De Bortoli Wines
Traceability at scale
The experimental trial demonstrated how brand owners can leverage GS1 Powered QR codes and linked data to navigate new labelling regulations with minimal cost. Digital links to product information including vintage, product inputs, ESG credentials and more avoid the need for costly relabelling and complex software integrations with thirdparty service providers.
By continuing to build on the implementation of standardsbased solutions, De Bortoli and similar organisations can achieve global adoption, commercial differentiation, and enhanced resilience. These efforts contribute to a more sustainable and transparent marketplace.
The De Bortoli’s Team benefitted from wide industry and government support, Australian Government funding, and technical guidance from a consortium led by Pyx Global.
De Bortoli Wines’ journey is just commencing and setting the scene for the future. This pilot demonstrates the transformative potential of traceability powered by GS1 global standards. Organisations across industries must act now to embrace innovative solutions, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and sustainability.
Discover how GS1 Australia can revolutionise your traceability efforts. Join the movement toward a more transparent and resilient global supply chain.
Learn more www.gs1au.org/industries/primaryindustries.