The University of Adelaide and Food South Australia have launched AskSASI, a tool to help food and beverage producers identify environmental accreditations for their products in Australian and international markets.
The project was commissioned by the Adelaide Business School at the University of Adelaide and created in collaboration with Hydra Consulting and Web Design Café, with funding from End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and Food South Australia.
Associate Professor at the Adelaide Business School Dr Rebecca Dolan said AskSASI will help businesses navigate the complex landscape of environmental sustainability accreditations.
“It is becoming increasingly important to have environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) compliance for both international supply chains and consumers,” Dr Dolan said.
“The absence of a unified global accreditation system makes it difficult for South Australian food and beverage manufacturing businesses to clarify which sustainability indicators, credentials and accreditations are significant for export markets — AskSASI directly combats this.”
AskSASI, which stands for South Australian Environmental Sustainability Accreditation Searcher and Investigator, is an innovative, user-friendly, web-based tool utilising AI technology to search the Food South Australia Sustainability Matrix, providing tailored information specific to each business and its products.
The innovative tool is based on an earlier report produced by the Adelaide Business School, funded by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, titled Towards a Unified Understanding and Implementation of Environmental Sustainability Indications, Credentials and Accreditations.
“This project builds on our previous work in providing guidance for South Australian food and beverage businesses wishing to export to key markets,” Dr Dolan said.
“Our team is really excited to see that this groundwork has resulted in the development of AskSASI. We are confident that it will be of great benefit to many South Australian food and beverage producers looking to understand the importance of adding sustainability accreditations to their product offerings depending on their export markets of choice.”
Chair of Food South Australia Ray Borda said the project is a powerful opportunity and will be a great support for small businesses.
“Food South Australia is committed to innovation in both food products and technology and we are pleased to partner with the Adelaide Business School at the University of Adelaide in leading this initiative,” he said.
“Environmental sustainability accreditation can be complex for small businesses to navigate. We are excited to have developed AskSASI to simplify the process for food and beverage businesses to find the relevant accreditations for various markets.”
Prior to the launch, five Food South Australia members, including Golden North Ice Cream, participated in an AskSASI trial.
Golden North Ice Cream Supermarkets and Export manager David Wilson said the tool provides companies with critical information that is valuable for planning and developing export strategies.
“It is very user friendly with clear descriptions and provides results with a few clicks of your mouse, allowing anyone to extract the information at speed,” he said.
Web Design Café Senior AI Consultant Travis Clapp highlighted the tools benefits, which are a reflection of progressive and innovative technology.
“AskSASI harnesses cutting-edge AI technology to streamline the process of identifying the necessary environmental sustainability accreditations for exporting food products,” he said.
“By inputting product details and target markets, businesses receive customised accreditation requirements, enhancing their ability to meet international standards efficiently and effectively. This tool is a valuable resource for South Australian food and beverage producers aiming to expand globally.”
AskSASI is currently in its minimum-viable-product stage, with the aim to take it to full capacity in the future.
Find out more and start using AskSASI here.
