iLEAN Writer · Free product
iLEAN Writer: encrypted traceability
at the level of the big players,
free for small food makers.
iLEAN Writer is the free edition of iLEAN for small and micro food manufacturers. It generates an .ILE file — iLEAN's own format — encapsulating the full traceability of every batch, encrypted with the same cryptography that secures Bitcoin. Your customers read the .ILE and see complete traceability — at the same technical level as what the big food brands deliver.
Small food makers shouldn't be left out of serious traceability.
The food industry rewards precise, demonstrable, digitally verifiable traceability. Large plants have it — they invest in systems costing tens of thousands and use it as a commercial argument with buyers.
The small food maker — the artisan producer, the rural cooperative, the small processor — produces with the same rigor, but at the negotiation table with serious buyers they get left out for not being able to demonstrate traceability at the same technical level. Their product is undervalued, not because it's worse, but because their traceability isn't equally digitized.
That's what iLEAN Writer solves.
One .ILE file per batch. Encrypted. Verifiable.
Every time you put a batch on the market, iLEAN Writer generates a file with the .ILE extension — an encapsulated traceability container — that travels with the product and contains:
- Batch identification and product (GTIN, date, internal reference)
- Raw materials used and from which suppliers
- Processes applied, conditions (temperatures, times) and responsible operators
- Quality checks passed and applicable certifications
- Chain of custody from raw material to shipment
All content is signed and encrypted with elliptic curve cryptography — the same mathematical foundation that protects the Bitcoin blockchain. This means two things: (1) no one can modify the .ILE content without it being detected, and (2) any customer can independently verify that the file comes from you and has not been tampered with.
Your customer receives the .ILE file alongside the batch, opens it with iLEAN's free reader or any compatible viewer, and sees the complete traceability — at the same technical level as the data they receive from major suppliers.
Without Writer vs. With Writer.
| Aspect | Small maker WITHOUT iLEAN Writer | Small maker WITH iLEAN Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Traceability delivered to customer | Excel spreadsheet / printed delivery note | Encrypted .ILE file, verifiable |
| Digitally verifiable | No | Yes (cryptographic signature) |
| Tamperable post-shipment | Yes (Excel can be edited) | No (signature is invalidated) |
| Technical level vs. major buyers | "Small supplier" | Equivalent to big players |
| Cost for the small maker | Time + reputation | $0 (free) |
| Learning curve | — | Fill in the batch and export |
Request iLEAN Writer for free.
Fill in the form and we'll send you access to iLEAN Writer by email — no cost, no commitment. The free edition is available indefinitely for small and micro food manufacturers.
What people ask about iLEAN Writer
What exactly is iLEAN Writer?
iLEAN Writer is the free edition of iLEAN's traceability system, designed for small and micro food manufacturers. It generates an .ILE file per batch with traceability encapsulated and cryptographically signed. The end customer can open the file and verify traceability — without the small maker having to invest in expensive industrial systems.
Why is it free? What's the catch?
No catch. iLEAN believes serious traceability shouldn't be a privilege of the big players. iLEAN Writer is self-contained: you generate the .ILE files, your customers verify them, no charge. If you need ERP/MES integration or multi-plant management, there's iLEAN Tracer (the paid professional edition) — but only if you decide.
What is the .ILE file technically?
The .ILE format is an open specification documented by iLEAN. It's a JSON container signed with elliptic curve cryptography (ECDSA over secp256k1 — the same curve used by Bitcoin). The contents are human-readable once the signature is validated. Any developer can implement an .ILE viewer.
How does my customer read it?
Three ways: with iLEAN's free viewer (web or desktop app), with any tool implementing the public .ILE spec, or integrating it directly into their own supplier management system. Signature verification is done locally — no central server connection required.
What happens if we grow and stop being small?
iLEAN Writer keeps working. The .ILE files you've issued remain valid forever. When your volume justifies it, you can migrate to iLEAN Tracer (the paid professional edition) integrating with ERP/MES, multi-plant, role-based access and 24/7 support. But that's your decision, when you need it.