Merck, PwC, Hashgraph Tackle Cocoa Traceability in EU Regulatory Push

A pilot project led by Merck KGaA, PwC Germany, and The Hashgraph Group aims to create a Hedera-based system for tracing cocoa origins.

The system combines Merck's M-Trust physical authentication with THG's TrackTrace platform to link physical cocoa with digital supply-chain records.

This comes ahead of the EU Deforestation Regulation deadline on Dec. 30, 2026, which will require covered companies to provide stronger evidence that their cocoa is deforestation-free and traceable to its production plots.