Codeifai acquires rival Trust Codes in landmark deal ahead of Sunrise 2027

Codeifai is buying rival Trust Codes to build a global QR powerhouse as Sunrise 2027 approaches.

Codeifai acquires its main rival, Trust Codes. Picture via Getty Images.

• Codeifai acquires main rival Trust Codes to go global

• QR code arms race heats up ahead of Sunrise 2027

• Two smart-label pioneers join forces to lead the pack

 

Special Report: Codeifai is snapping up its main rival Trust Codes to create a global QR code powerhouse, just as the world gears up for Sunrise 2027.

Codeifai Limited (ASX:CDE), a leading player in AI-driven QR code and brand protection tech, has signed a deal to acquire its main competitor, Trust Codes.

Founded in 2013, Trust Codes runs a market-leading serialised QR code traceability platform, with customers across Australia, New Zealand, the US and other global markets.

Codeifai said the landmark acquisition brought together two market leaders to form a global powerhouse, uniquely positioned to serve some of the world’s most forward-thinking brands.

Clients include iNova Pharmaceuticals, Nutura Organic, Silver Fern Farms, Mildura Fruit, Bubs Australia and a host of other well-known names across key consumer sectors.

“This is more than a merger, it’s a company-transforming moment for Codeifai,” said executive chairman, John Houston.

Who is Trust Codes?

Trust Codes is headquartered in New Zealand and operates across Australia, the USA and Europe.

The company is a recognised global leader in item-level traceability, giving brands the ability to assign unique digital identities, essentially “digital licence plates”, to each individual product.

Trust Codes can capture data at every step of the supply chain, delivering full lifecycle visibility, from manufacturing right through to consumer interaction.

It integrates seamlessly with GS1 Digital Link standards for global compatibility and works across QR codes, NFC, RFID, and existing enterprise IT and operational systems.

Trust Codes has successfully rolled out its solutions across a range of industries - including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food and beverage, and consumer goods.

Notable projects include partnerships with Mildura Fruit Company, GS1, Citrus Australia, Australian Made and Agriculture Victoria.

In these collaborations, serialised QR codes were used to provide international consumers with trusted information about the origin and authenticity of fresh produce and packaged goods.

Trust Codes has also delivered serialisation and authentication solutions to major FMCG and pharmaceutical clients.

The company has worked with Jamestrong Packaging, which produces 430 million cans per year across the ANZ.

It has also partnered with China’s ORG Packaging, one of the world’s largest, with annual output of 20 billion cans.

In New Zealand, Trust Codes has collaborated with AsureQuality, a government-owned enterprise, to support food export traceability.

Watch: Codeifei CEO John Houston and Trust Codes’ CEO Paul Ryan talk about Codify’s acquisition of Trust Codes:

Rationale for acquisition

As concerns grow around product safety, sustainability, ethical sourcing and counterfeiting, more companies are turning to data-driven tools to prove where their products come from and how they’re made.

Consumers today are better informed and expect more transparency.

So to stay competitive, brands need to be flexible, transparent and able to offer digital experiences that go beyond just selling a product.

Codeifai said its acquisition of Trust Codes directly responded to these shifts, while also strengthening its footprint across Australasia, North America, and Europe.

The two companies bring together complementary strengths in QR code management, enterprise serialisation and anti-counterfeit protection.

Together, they now offer a full suite of tools that help brands track products, verify authenticity and stay compliant with global regulations.

The platform also supports advanced features like augmented reality and gamified experiences, while providing deeper insights through consumer data.

The deal also creates new opportunities to upsell and cross-sell across both customer bases.

Houston believes by combining Trust Codes’ platform with Codeifai’s AI-driven approach, it will help leading brands move faster, protect  their products and build more meaningful connections with their consumers.

Market opportunity – the 2D barcode revolution

The deal also strengthens Codeifai’s ‘Connect’ platform, extending its reach in product tracking, brand protection and online retail.

This comes at a critical time.

The global packaging industry is preparing for Sunrise 2027, the mandated shift from traditional 1D barcodes to GS1-compliant 2D codes across all retail products.

These next-generation codes, including QR codes, will embed traceability, recall information and rich product data directly on-pack, transforming packaging from a static label into a dynamic digital gateway.

The global FMCG packaging market, currently valued at more than $900 billion, is forecast to reach $1.4 trillion by 2033, with digitised packaging and product authentication expected to drive much of that growth.

Codeifai believes that with Trust Codes’ serialisation expertise and Codeifai’s scalable infrastructure, the combined business is well-positioned to lead this once-in-a-generation shift in how products are packaged, tracked and trusted.

“The world has adopted QR codes into many aspects of our business and daily lives, having moved beyond brand protection into areas such as payment solutions, traceability and connectivity,” said Houston.

“So the combination of our and Trust Codes’ platforms heralds a potential global force as the world moves toward Sunrise 2027.

Integration and execution

Following the completion of the acquisition, Trust Codes founder and CEO Paul Ryan will join Codeifai’s senior management team, leading Serialisation and Innovation.

He will be responsible for global innovation strategy and integrating both platforms.

A clear roadmap is in place. This includes merging dashboards, consolidating backend systems and unifying traceability engines.

Sales and support teams are being cross-trained to ensure a smooth rollout.

Clients will gain immediate access to new tools and features, with no disruption to the service they rely on.

Houston said with this acquisition, Codeifai aimed to become the global authority in intelligent product identity.

“This is not just about acquiring our main competitor, it’s about consolidating expertise, scaling innovation and defining what the future of consumer-brand interaction becomes. “

This article was developed in collaboration with Codeifai, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.