Humber Research Enhances Canadian Honey's Global Appeal
HLOs: 
With honey being the third-most counterfeited food product globally, many international markets now require full traceability as a condition for importing honey from Canada. Without a traceability system, Canadian honey producers may face export restrictions or have their products excluded from food manufacturing for export markets.
Addressing this urgent need, Bachelor of Commerce Supply Chain Management students in their final semester participated in a Capstone Course Project with faculty researchers focused on traceability for exporting Niagara honey to Dubai, in collaboration with InCube Mobility Solutions. Working with local Niagara honey producers in developing comprehensive traceability processes (the majority of whom are small- or medium-sized businesses), this initiative involves engaging and training various levels of the value chain in implementing these traceability measures. As part of the project, Supply Chain Management students received a certificate in traceability training from The Logistics Institute.
This project is a crucial first step in developing traceability for the Canadian honey sector, which could enable producers to command a premium price for genuine Canadian honey and ensure acceptance in international markets requiring full traceability. The study aimed to understand how traceability, as a data-driven product, influences consumers' perception of the value of certified Canadian-made honey, potentially translating to a price premium. Additionally, the project will include a detailed analysis of developing a blockchain-enabled traceability platform for the Canadian honey sector.
The first phase of the project was completed with the implementation of a traceability process accepted by the government of Dubai. The importer eagerly anticipates the first shipment of fully traceable Canadian honey.
Humber Research & Innovation, along with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, generously supported this project.
Supply Chain Management students Yaw Amoakohene, Aman Bhatia, Rajkaran Dhahan, Phuong Nguyen, Ilyas Osman, Syed Rizvi, and Nathan Sosiak proudly display their certificates in traceability training
Jars of honey undergoing scanning process by hand
Jars on the production line getting filled with honey
Honey jar labels with traceability QR code
The final product - a jar of honey with traceability labelling