How to deploy food distribution networks based on blockchain
提出一个整合区块链、物联网和混合整数线性规划模型的智能决策框架，用于优化食品分销网络以最大化利润，并通过沃尔玛数据验证其有效性。
This study proposes an intelligent decision-making framework integrating blockchain technology, the Internet of Things (IoT), and a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to optimize food distribution networks, targeting profit maximization. The framework leverages blockchain’s core capabilities—decentralization, immutability, and cryptographic security—to establish a trusted foundation for real-time, verifiable data sharing across the supply chain. IoT sensors continuously monitor critical parameters (i.e., temperature, humidity, location), with the blockchain platform (Hyperledger Fabric-based) ensuring the authenticity and tamper-proof storage of this data, enabling reliable cross-node interaction. This integration facilitates the dynamic coordination of temperature-controlled warehousing, transportation allocation, demand fulfillment, and quality-differentiated dynamic pricing strategies that account for market competition. Moreover, a column generation algorithm is proposed to solve the MILP model efficiently. Numerical experiments based on Walmart operational data validate the effectiveness of the proposed framework and derive management insights. The results suggest that retailers should prioritize optimizing internal pricing over reacting to competitors, especially for essential goods; warehouse deployment must balance scale and resource efficiency; and temperature zone settings should align with operational scale to minimize costs while preserving quality. By positioning blockchain as the reliable mechanism for enforcing quality requirements and supporting real-time decision-making in the MILP model, this study provides a practical tool for decision-makers to enhance profitability and ensure stringent quality compliance in food distribution networks.