Codeifai acquires rival Trust Codes ahead of 2027 2D barcode market shift

• Codeifai acquires Trust Codes ahead of Sunrise 2027
• QR meets AI in the race to replace the barcode
• Global brands tap smarter packaging for trust

Special Report: Codeifai acquires Trust Codes to combine AI-powered traceability with global scale, and lead the charge into the Sunrise 2027 era.

The humble barcode, long a fixture of global retail, is on its way out.

And Australian company Codeifai (ASX:CDE) is making a timely move to help shape what comes next.

In a watershed deal, Codeifai has signed an agreement to acquire Trust Codes, its main rival in the QR traceability space and an early innovator in product serialisation technology.

It’s a deal that goes beyond simply combining two platforms. It positions Codeifai to play a bigger role as the industry shifts toward smarter, more transparent packaging.

Subject to shareholder approval, Trust Codes will be folded into Codeifai’s platform. The deal brings with it a global client list and strong recurring revenue.

It also brings a founder, Paul Ryan, who started Trust Codes back in 2013, when he first began asking a deceptively simple question: what if every product could tell its own story?

“We built a platform that gave each individual item its own digital identity, like a digital licence plate, we call it,” Ryan told Stockhead.

That mindset is now merging with Codeifai’s AI engine and a global footprint that’s growing through this merger.

Ryan will take on the role of head of Serialisation and Innovation, and believes the two businesses are a natural fit.

“It’s been a very rare cultural alignment with Codeifai because both teams have been deeply mission driven.

“We also share a belief that technology should empower brands to be more open and consumers to make better choices.”

Every product has a story

Trust Codes has quietly built a global platform that gives every product its own unique digital identity.

Usually in the form of a QR code, that ID links to a secure cloud system packed with rich, real-time product data.

It carries the product’s full backstory: where it came from, how it moved through the supply chain, whether it’s authentic and even how to recycle the packaging.

The system is already live across Australia, New Zealand, the US and Europe – especially in tightly regulated sectors like nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and personal care.

Trust Codes’ clients include Blackmores, Bubs, Manuka Health and iNova Pharmaceuticals – brands where trust isn’t just nice to have, it’s make-or-break.

The right fit

According to Ryan, the merger made sense not just for strategic reasons, but because both teams already saw the world the same way.

This shared vision includes helping brands respond to a massive shift in consumer expectations.

Today’s shoppers don’t just want product info; they expect transparency, authenticity and proof.

Ryan said he had seen the evolution up close.

His son’s generation, for instance, isn’t one to “search and scroll”; they ask and expect answers instantly.

In a world increasingly powered by AI, the product itself becomes the proof. It needs to speak.

“What excites me most, actually, is the intersection of AI and product intelligence,” Ryan said.

Sunrise 2027 looms

Already known for its ConnectQR platform, Codeifai has been helping businesses embed QR codes for brand protection and direct consumer engagement.

But this merger goes deeper, plugging in Trust Codes’ serialisation engine and unlocking new possibilities, both geographically and technologically.

“Combining the serialisation platform and data science capabilities are like puzzle pieces we are fitting together,” said Ryan.

“So the combined vision here is to create a world where every product is not just traceable, but intelligent in its own right.”

And the timing couldn’t be more relevant.

By 2027, the barcodes we’ve relied on for the past 50 years will start to disappear from store shelves around the world.

They’ll be replaced by 2D codes, like QR, that can carry much richer information, including expiry dates, batch or lot numbers, and include direct links to a brand’s website or product page.

This global transition, known as Sunrise 2027, is already underway, led by global standards body GS1.

Trust Codes has been ahead of the curve, already aligning its platform with GS1’s evolving standards.

What does it mean for investors?

For Codeifai, this isn’t just a bolt-on, it’s a leap forward.

The merger significantly expands its global footprint, particularly in Europe and the US, and gives the company an immediate edge as markets gear up for 2027

It also enhances its enterprise capabilities and opens up a broader pool of high-value customers.

The global FMCG packaging market is currently worth more than $900 billion and is forecast to hit $1.4 trillion by 2033.

Digitisation and authentication are expected to drive much of that growth, and this combined entity now sits squarely at that intersection.

“We’ve done a bit of work in the United States,” said Ryan.

“We’ve got quite a bit of activity in Europe right now, and all of our existing customers benefit from this combined technology stack.”

And while the back-end work for the merger – integration, shareholder approval – will take a few more months to complete, the groundwork is already well underway.

“In a world where consumers can’t trust anything anymore because they’re not sure what’s real, Codeifai and Trust Codes together, provide every product with a story, every scan with a purpose –  and that is the future we’re building.”

Now that’s a vision worth scanning for.

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.