Across Australia and internationally, food and beverage businesses are facing growing pressure to provide greater transparency about where products come from, how they are produced, and whether claims relating to quality, sustainability, and authenticity can be verified. Griffith University Asia Institute associate professor of agribusiness and international trade, Robin E. Roberts, offers advice for companies to transform this pressure into a competitive advantage.
Traceability is having a moment. What was once largely viewed as a compliance requirement is rapidly becoming a commercial issue.
Retailers, foodservice operators, and export customers are increasingly seeking credible information about product origin and supply chain integrity. At the same time, consumers are becoming more discerning about the food they purchase and consume. For businesses operating in premium food categories, provenance is becoming part of the product itself.
Where the industry is heading
Trust has become one of the food industry's most valuable assets.
Consumers are navigating an increasingly complex food landscape where imported products compete alongside local alternatives and claims relating to sustainability, ethical production, and quality are commonplace. Hospitality businesses are also under pressure to justify premium pricing and differentiate their offerings in a highly competitive market. Provenance helps bridge this gap.
It provides reassurance and gives businesses a story that extends beyond taste and price. Provenance allows operators to communicate authenticity, transparency, and trust—attributes that increasingly influence purchasing decisions.
For many businesses, the question is no longer whether traceability matters, but how it can be used to create value.
What we learned in Vietnam
These trends were evident in a recent Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) funded project examining Australian seafood and horticultural exports to Vietnam.
One component of the project focused on Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod, a premium Australian aquaculture product recognised for its quality and sustainability credentials. The product was exported to Vietnam and sold through Annam Gourmet Market, one of the country's leading premium food retailers.
The project explored how traceability information could be communicated through digital technologies, including QR codes that provided access to information about product origin and production.
During interviews, retailers and restaurateurs repeatedly described traceability as shifting from a compliance requirement to a commercial opportunity. One lesson from the project was that traceability is not really about technology. It is about trust.
QR codes and digital platforms can support transparency, but only when the information behind them is credible, accessible, and meaningful to buyers and consumers. In this sense, provenance is becoming part of the product story itself.
The findings reinforced a simple but powerful message: consumers value transparency. Across interviews, surveys, and experimental research, consumers consistently associated traceability with food safety, authenticity, and trust. Country of origin and provenance emerged as some of the strongest influences on confidence in imported products, often carrying greater weight than brand alone.
Consumers were not interested in technology for its own sake. They wanted meaningful information about origin, production methods, and the credibility of the claims being made. For premium products such as Murray Cod, provenance became an important contributor to perceived value.
Opportunities for Australian food and beverage businesses
Several practical lessons emerged from the project. First, provenance is increasingly becoming a market expectation rather than a point of differentiation. Buyers and consumers are seeking greater transparency and are using this information to guide purchasing decisions.
Second, traceability can support premium positioning. Products with verified origin and credible production stories are often better placed to justify premium pricing, strengthen customer loyalty, and support market access.
Third, businesses do not need to start with sophisticated technology. Successful traceability begins with reliable information, supplier collaboration, and a commitment to transparency. Technology should support the story, not become the story.
For hospitality operators, retailers, manufacturers, and exporters, the opportunity lies in communicating authentic and verifiable product stories that build trust with customers.
Looking ahead
Premium food businesses can no longer rely on quality alone. Customers increasingly want confidence in where products come from, how they are produced, and why they can be trusted.
As markets place greater value on transparency, authenticity, and food safety, provenance is becoming more than a compliance exercise—it is becoming a competitive advantage.
The experience of Aquna Murray Cod in Vietnam demonstrates what many food and beverage businesses are now recognising: traceability can strengthen trust, support premium positioning, and create meaningful points of differentiation in increasingly competitive domestic and export markets.
