New Northern Ireland based tech-enabled consortium launched to streamline food and border checks

The Technology-Enabled Trading Alliance (TETA) was formed in response to the UK government’s Border Target Operating Model, with the innovative grouping creating a pilot programme that connects food safety, traceability and transport data securely right across the supply chain - from farm to processor, distribution centre to border check.

As well as ubloquity, TETA partners include the National Sheep Association, veterinary firm Vetaverse, audit group SCI and food authenticity, Canadian solutions provider TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods and integrity and safety testing specialist BIA-Analytical. The consortium is also supported by the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT), who helped establish a working group eight months ago, that led to the formation of TETA.

TETA is now embarking on a series of pilot programmes that are designed to lessen the burden on medium and high-risk product groups such as food producers and retailers who face additional regulatory, provenance and veterinary checks. By digitalising and streamlining the process securely, TETA says its technology enabled solutions will ultimately increase accuracy, remove duplication and minimise costs while providing assurance to users across the supply chain.

Craigavon-based ubloquity, recently named Northern Ireland ‘Start-Up of the Year’ and ‘Digital Start of the Year’ at the StartUp Awards 2023, is a trusted partner in cross-border technology having been selected as Fujitsu’s blockchain partner to deliver its smart border freight solution. The firm was also a founding partner for NSF Verify™, an animal identification and traceability solution that digitally records the journey of an animal from birth through the supply chain, in conjunction with the Best family farm in NI.

Rob Chester, CEO at ubloquity, said: “TETA brings together some of the brightest minds in agriculture and technology and through collaboration we have created a tech-enabled solution that will ultimately lessen the burden on food exporters.

“We’ve successfully designed blockchain solutions that federate together to create a secure, trusted chain of custody for moving medium and high-risk goods across borders. We are looking forward to running the pilot programme to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the system, as well as the cost savings.”

Paul Eveleigh, MD at Vetaverse, added: “Our focus is on providing innovative new digital solutions for our vets and the wider food community. We want to ensure veterinary oversight is provided quickly and accurately when and where it is required, while reducing the financial burden on farmers and food processors. The aim is to enable verifiable provenance of medium and high-risk goods.”