Only licenced orchards are permitted to grow the ANABP 01A Bravo apple. The premium nature of this Australian apple exposes it to counterfeit risk in both Australian and global markets. The requirement to find a reliable method to protect the licenced growers and support integrity in the brand is an extremely important one.

Using an innovative provenance science solution, provenance testing service Source Certain began a supply chain integrity program for WA Farm Direct, which was the licensed marketer of ANABP 01A Bravo apples in 2021. The program has since been extended for the 2022 and 2023 seasons to cover all 96 licensed orchards across Australia.

Scientific Provenance Verification using TSW Trace

Whether something is natural or manufactured, its chemical composition represents where it is from and how it has been produced. This is consistent across various commodity groups. For example, animals absorb these trace elements, isotopes, chemicals and molecules through their feed, water sources and nutrient uptake, and gold absorbs trace elements during mineralisation events.

For fruits, each growing location will result in the absorption of a combination of naturally occurring chemicals, molecules, elements and isotopes into the fruit itself, creating a unique chemical fingerprint.

ANABP 01A apples from each licenced orchard block were collected and analysed by Source Certain to establish the unique chemical fingerprint for each orchard origin. This data is captured and stored in a secure Provenance Database that can be cross-referenced with in-market samples to verify the origin claim of any Bravo apple in the retail market.

In-Market Verification Surveillance

In-market surveillance has been an important element of the Bravo apple program. Annual covert sampling of Bravo apples in retail stores provides verification of the orchard origin, confirming production of the ANABP 01Afruit by licenced growers only. This assists WA Farm Direct and protects current licenced ANABP 01 A apple growers in making sure that quality produce supplied by licenced growers is the only product reaching the retail market. Source Certain is proud to partner with WA Farm Direct and its growers in contributing to building trusted and transparent supply chains for the industry.