Tipperary brewery helps lead Ireland’s smart food revolution

Protein-I, a €3.1 million, all-island research and innovation project, has taken a major step forward in transforming Ireland’s agri-food sector with the launch of its blockchain-backed smart supply chain solution.

The milestone was marked by a successful pilot with Canvas Brewery in Co Tipperary, demonstrating how small, farm-based businesses can digitise operations, unify data, and provide consumers with full transparency from field to ‘glass’.

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Funded by Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Protein-I brings together six leading research institutions, Ulster University, University College Dublin, Teagasc, University College Cork, University of Galway, and Queen’s University Belfast, alongside industry partners across the island.

“Protein-I is tackling some of the most urgent challenges in food production; fragmented data, rising sustainability demands, and the need for new plant-based protein sources,” said Prof Trevor Cadden, Ulster University.

“Our solution provides tamperproof traceability, integrated carbon data, and a digital record of every product transaction, empowering farmers, processors and retailers alike.”

The pilot in Tipperary captured every step of Canvas Brewery’s process, from growing and malting barley on the farm to renewable energy use and transport, through QR-coded, blockchain-secured transactions.

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Each beer was given a scannable code, providing consumers a verified carbon footprint and a transparent product story.

By reducing paperwork, integrating carbon accounting tools, and providing real-time data, it enables smarter decisions and opens new market opportunities for Irish agri-food businesses.

Protein-I is now engaging with additional producers and processors across Ireland, encouraging them to trial the technology and help shape the future of a sustainable, climate-smart food system.