Digitizing the Pesto alla Genovese Supply Chain to Drive Transparency, Efficiency & Consumer Trust
In a rapidly evolving agri-food landscape, Barilla has chosen to combine technological innovation with sustainability commitments. Through its collaboration with Connecting Food, the group has digitized the entire supply chain behind its iconic Pesto alla Genovese—laying the groundwork for real-time traceability, smarter risk management, and a stronger connection with consumers.
As the global leader in ready-to-use sauces, Barilla is committed to reducing its environmental impact—particularly Scope 3 emissions—and strengthening its regenerative agriculture practices. With increasingly complex supply chains and stricter regulations, the group needed to:
- Ensure real-time traceability at the batch level
- Anticipate risks and discrepancies across suppliers
- Comply with evolving sustainability and quality standards
- Reinforce consumer trust through transparency and verified data
Barilla chose to focus on one of its most iconic recipes: Pesto alla Genovese, made from simple ingredients with high standards of freshness and quality.
The Connecting Food Solution
Barilla partnered with Connecting Food to digitize and optimize its basil supply chain, starting with Pesto alla Genovese. The project unfolded in three key phases:
- Mapping the Supply Chain
This mapping process revealed the full ecosystem behind the basil:
- 58 fields meeting sustainability criteria
- 9 suppliers with certified quality standards
- 2 collectors ensuring proper handling
- 1 processing plant in Rubbiano
- Distribution to retailers across 15 countries
- Data Collection & Qualification
AgTech partner xFarm Technologies provided granular field-level data (e.g. carbon metrics, farming practices). Connecting Food then verified, standardized, and traced this data across the processing stages.
- Digital Twins & Blockchain
Each raw material was modeled as a digital twin, enriched with traceability data: origin, harvest date, kilometers traveled, certifications, etc. These twins were combined into finished product twins, creating a full digital representation of the supply chain. All data was notarized on blockchain, ensuring integrity and transparency.
Consumer Engagement via QR Code
By scanning the code and entering the lot number, consumers accessed a dedicated web app showing:
- Origin and harvest details
- CSR commitments
- A dynamic map of supply chain actors
- Certifications and processing steps
Results & Impact
After one year of collaboration, Barilla and Connecting Food successfully:
- Digitized the basil supply chain for Pesto alla Genovese
- Optimized internal processes (batch recalls, audits, certification management)
- Strengthened consumer trust through transparent product storytelling
- Laid the foundation for expansion to other ingredients, recipes, and geographies
“Once mapped and traced, I can share this certified information internally to improve systems, or externally to create value.” — Stefano Volpi, Co-founder of Connecting Food
