In today’s food industry, transparency and sustainability are no longer optional – they’re expected. Oritain stood out in this year’s 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, earning the Innovation and Environmental awards for its work on using forensic analysis and data science to verify where food really comes from.
The Just Food Excellence Awards honour the most significant achievements and innovations in the global food industry. Powered by GlobalData’s business intelligence, the Awards recognize the people and companies leading positive change and shaping the future of the industry.
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Oritain received the Innovation award for its scientific approach to food origin verification, which moves beyond paperwork and labels. The Environmental award recognized Oritain’s ability to help companies substantiate their sustainable sourcing claims with hard evidence, not just promises.
Forensic origin traceability: Getting to the source
Oritain’s process is straightforward but powerful. By analyzing the chemical makeup of food, looking at things like isotopes and trace elements, they can create an “origin fingerprint” that links the chemistry within a product to the unique environmental conditions of the area where it was grown or reared. This “origin fingerprint” is shaped by local factors like soil composition, weather, and even altitude. It’s a step up from traditional systems, which often depend on documents or barcodes that can be faked or tampered.
This isn’t just theory. Oritain’s methods have been tested and published in scientific journals, with the technology already in use with a range of clients. For example, The a2 Milk Company has worked with Oritain for over a decade to verify the origin of ingredients in its infant formula. Silver Fern Farms uses Oritain’s analysis to confirm the New Zealand origin of its lamb, beef, and venison. In Brazil, the Cerrado Mineiro coffee region relies on Oritain to protect its reputation and ensure that only authentic beans carry its name.
One thing that sets Oritain apart is how manufacturing-friendly their services are. The methodology requires no change to how food is produced or processed. The company has built expansive databases of these origin fingerprints, providing a more robust and reliable solution to spot fraud and support honest producers. This approach is increasingly viewed as a new standard for food supply chain traceability.
Sustainable sourcing: Backing up green claims
Sustainability is a hot topic, but proving it can be tough. Oritain helps companies demonstrate that their products really are sourced responsibly. With new rules coming like the EU Deforestation Regulation, brands need solid evidence, not just promises, about where their food comes from. Oritain’s technology can verify the origin of their products, enabling them to make decisions around ethical and sustainable sourcing practices.
This is especially important in industries like coffee, where supply chains are long and complicated. Oritain’s services enable brands to verify that beans labelled as originating from protected or climate-resilient regions are genuinely sourced from those areas. By making it harder to cheat the system, Oritain’s science helps protect forests and supports communities that farm responsibly.
For small farmers, this kind of authentication can open doors. It helps them stand out in the market and avoid being pushed aside by competitors making unverified claims. The process is also less of a burden than traditional audits, cutting down on paperwork and physical documentation that can be vulnerable to human error.
Industry groups are starting to recognize Oritain’s verification in their sourcing strategies. As more companies, regulators, and shoppers demand real proof of sustainability, Oritain’s approach is helping to raise the bar for everyone.
“Forensic origin verification matters because it protects trust at every level of the supply chain. In a world of complex sourcing and rising regulatory pressure, brands need more than paperwork, they need scientific proof. Our role is to provide that evidence in the food industry, helping companies make ethical choices and giving consumers confidence in what they eat. This recognition reflects the importance of that mission, not just for Oritain, but for the future of food.”
– Rupert Hodges, Chief Commercial Officer at Oritain
Company Profile
Oritain is a global leader in forensic origin verification. Its proprietary methodology verifies origin through multiple analytical techniques – including isotopes, trace elements, and non-traditional isotopes – combined with advanced statistical modelling and a comprehensive global reference database. Its verification programs are trusted by organizations worldwide across industries as diverse as fashion and cotton, coffee, horticulture, meat, dairy, and more. Oritain works with some of the world’s leading brands to help them achieve regulatory compliance, reduce reputational risk, and meet market demand through verifying the provenance of their products.
Oritain provides support across the globe through its laboratory network – Isotrace (New Zealand), AIA (France), Agroisolab (Germany) Imprint Analytics (Austria). To learn more, visit www.oritain.com.
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Website: https://oritain.com/
