Thin Film Electronics (Thinfilm) has announced a partnership with the G World Group (G World). The partnership will unveil the industry’s first "smart wine bottle" built using printed electronics technology at GSMA’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai 2015.
This "smart wine bottle" will feature both Thinfilm’s NFC OpenSense tags and G World’s SAMSCAN process.
Following MWC, G World and Thinfilm will execute a live field trial in collaboration with Ferngrove Wine Group, a Chinese-owned, Western Australia premium wine company. Ferngrove is a major supplier of five-star red wine to the APAC region and exports more than 600,000 bottles annually to China alone.
G World has placed a 7-figure unit order for NFC OpenSense tags as part of the agreement with Thinfilm and in conjunction with the planned Ferngrove field trial.
Counterfeit wine, particularly in Asia, is widespread. Recent reports claim that 50% to 70% of all wine sold in China could be fake, with the percentage climbing even higher for premium brands.
To better protect winemakers and wine consumers, the G World anti-counterfeiting solution – powered by Thinfilm’s unique NFC technology – will facilitate authentication of individual bottles throughout the supply chain, ensuring they are packaged, shipped, stocked and purchased in their original factory-sealed state.
Grant Shaw, G World Managing Director, said, "The G World system is designed to enhance trade and productivity for industry." Grant added, "One of the significant outcomes is an anti-counterfeit framework that provides transparency and accountability at all stages of the supply chain. We’re excited to leverage Thinfilm’s technology and believe this solution will be of real value to brand producers as well as consumers that demand authentic products."
Kai Leppänen, Chief Commercial Officer Thinfilm, said, "Winemakers and retailers currently are in need of a cost-effective and scalable means to track and confirm the authenticity of individual wine bottles across the supply chain. This gap in the current solution set gives counterfeiters an upper hand." Kai added, "At Mobile World Congress Shanghai, we’re excited to show the industry how smart technology can provide an authentic solution and fulfill this consumer need."
Anthony Wilkes, Ferngrove’s CEO, said, "As one of Western Australia’s preeminent wineries and a major exporter to China, Ferngrove is dedicated to ensuring the authenticity and quality of our premium wines for our loyal consumers." Anthony added, "We’re excited to collaborate with G World and Thinfilm and look forward to implementing this unique solution over the coming months."
