From Factory to Consumer: How QR Tech is Powering Brand Trust and Loyalty

Mr Ayush Jhawar, Founder & CEO of Genefied, spoke to The Hans India about how QR-based technology is transforming loyalty and traceability in the CPG sector. He discussed the platform’s role in combating counterfeits, enhancing operational efficiency, and empowering brands with real-time data from manufacturing to last-mile consumption—while also sharing Genefied’s vision for AI integration, global expansion, and community-driven brand engagement.

 Ayush Jhawar, Founder & CEO, Genefied

Genefied is known for empowering brands with loyalty and traceability tech. What inspired you to start the company, and how has the journey evolved since inception?

The idea behind Genefied was born out of a visible gap in the CPG sector, brands lacked visibility from distribution to retail and retail to consumption. In a market like India, where traditional retail still dominates, kirana shops operate largely without tech infrastructure. We saw an opportunity to bring data and insights from these touchpoints to brands. What started with goals like anti-counterfeiting, digital warranty, and consumer engagement evolved into a full-stack QR-based platform. Today, our technology enables traceability from manufacturing to last-mile consumption, empowering some of the largest enterprise brands with real-time visibility and deeper consumer connections.

Can you explain how Genefied’s technology helps in solving counterfeit issues and building trust between brands and consumers?

At Genefied, we use unique QR codes embedded on product packaging to create a secure and traceable identity for every unit. When consumers scan these codes, they receive instant verification of authenticity, digital warranty, and even loyalty rewards. This not only deters counterfeiters but also builds consumer confidence. Brands, on the other hand, gain access to real-time data on when and where their products are being verified and consumed. This level of transparency strengthens the brand-consumer relationship and reduces grey market activities, especially in markets where counterfeiting is a chronic issue.

Loyalty programs are everywhere today — how does Genefied’s QR-based solution stand out from traditional rewards platforms?

Unlike traditional loyalty programs that are often app-based and difficult to scale across offline general trade, Genefied’s QR-based solution is integrated directly into the product. It creates an omnichannel experience where consumers, retailers, and distributors can all benefit from a single scan. Our system offers instant rewards, digital warranties, and even builds communities through features like stories and influencer engagement. Additionally, the same QR codes serve multiple purposes—tracking, loyalty, warranty—which improves operational efficiency for brands and delivers real-time gratification for users, making it far more effective and scalable.

With digital transformation accelerating these days, what are the next big trends you foresee in loyalty tech and supply chain digitization?

The future lies in convergence, combining loyalty, traceability, and analytics into one seamless platform. At Genefied, we are already working on integrating AI into our offerings through a project called Hybrid Ocean. This involves leveraging both internal brand data and external market variables to forecast trends, optimize distribution, and personalize loyalty programs. We also foresee micro-influencer and retailer communities playing a bigger role in driving brand engagement. Features like story-sharing within our app aim to tap into this trend. Supply chains will increasingly demand real-time, farm-to-fork visibility powered by smart data integration and contextual automation.

What are Genefied’s growth plans for the next 12-18 months — any new product rollouts, funding rounds, or international expansion on the horizon?

We are entering an exciting growth phase. Over the next 12 to 18 months, Genefied plans to expand into Southeast Asia, starting with Indonesia, and deepen its presence in the Middle East, particularly Dubai. Domestically, we are expanding across South India to complement our stronghold in the North and West. We are also working on a fundraising round, details of which remain confidential. On the product front, we are investing in AI with our Hybrid Ocean initiative and launching LemonTart, a digital voucher platform. Additionally, we are introducing community-building features like Stories to boost retailer and influencer engagement on our platform.