QR codes for coffee

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is employing the use of technology to protect the brand integrity of Jamaica's renowned Blue Mountain Coffee.

Making the announcement on Thursday, portfolio minister Floyd Green said that blockchain technology will be leveraged to ensure that consumers worldwide can verify the authenticity of their coffee purchases. The technology will enable stakeholders to "trace where every single ounce of Blue Mountain Coffee comes from but to tell the story behind it". He was speaking at the launch of the Blue Mountain Coffee Festival 2025 at Devon House in St Andrew.

Green highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by counterfeit products, noting that "because we have the best coffee in the world, people try to use our product to pass themselves off as the best coffee in the world". To combat this issue, each batch of Blue Mountain Coffee will now feature a unique Quick Response (QR) code that consumers can scan. This code will provide detailed information about the coffee's journey from farm to market, including its origin, harvest date and processing details.

"When you buy Blue Mountain Coffee anywhere in the world, you will be able to scan that QR code and it will tell you that this is authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee," Green explained.

"By so doing, not only are we protecting our revenues but we're also ensuring that these new European Union (EU) standards [for agriculture] that have come about that speak to deforestation are met," he noted.

The EU standards focus on environmental sustainability, performance and fairness.

"We will be able to fulfil those requirements to show that the best farmers in the world use the best practices in the world," Green added. He expressed optimism for growth in Jamaica's coffee sector as a result of these advancements.