Adoption of Blockchain Technology in Beverage Supply Chains: Drivers, Benefits, and Challenges in the Coca-Cola and BODYARMOR Sport Water Recall Case

The beverage industry faces growing scrutiny as demands for transparency and accountability intensify. In today’s digital landscape, companies must prioritize enhanced traceability to ensure product safety, comply with regulations, maintain consumer trust, and safeguard brand reputation. This research investigates blockchain technology as a potential solution to these challenges, emphasizing its capacity to decentralize data, improve traceability, and accelerate response times during safety recalls. The study traces the evolution of food safety regulations and analyzes current traceability practices and technological innovations within the beverage sector. Using the Coca-Cola and BODYARMOR Sport Water recall as a case study, this study examines drivers, benefits, and challenges of the adoption of blockchain in beverage supply chains. Key findings highlight the importance of integrating blockchain with legacy systems, ensuring accurate data input, and addressing concerns around scalability and privacy. This research bridges academic theory and industry application, offering practical strategies for strengthening supply chain integrity through blockchain adoption in the beverage industry. Several promising future research directions related to the adoption of blockchain in the food and beverage industry are also suggested.