International food and beverage company, Hero, was faced with the challenge as to whether they should upgrade their heterogenous ERP landscape. Challenged with increasing competition related to supply chain digitalization, Hero’s leadership wanted to fully understand all possible options and make a decision that aligned with their focus on delivering high-quality products to their customers.
With multiple facilities in 19 countries and ongoing expansion plans, Hero needed to decide their future direction regarding their IT and ERP system landscape. As a traditional company, they were acutely aware that customer needs were evolving. They wanted to focus on the needs and desires of their customers while having a clear understanding of their future cost projections. To accomplish this required optimized and aligned business processes supported by an integrated ERP landscape. However, as many of Hero’s goods are produced and sold locally, the value of this alignment seemed less important.
BearingPoint’s approach focused on two workstreams; business processes and IT landscape. A list of relevant processes was created and prioritized by identifying 40 value levers. Additionally, five different technical scenarios were explored to support the value levers. Each of the five scenarios included detailed costs for multiple implementation options.
To demonstrate how digitalization might benefit Hero Group, BearingPoint’s Digital Factory team created an application prototype based on Hero’s jam products. The prototype used a QR code to provide customers with insight on important details about the farmers’ products used to make the jams. This personalized Hero’s products for one of its key markets.
As a result of this joint effort, Hero gained a clear vision of how to approach the future with insight and confidence. The benefits of harmonized business processes supported by their ERP landscape enable them to make a strong personalized connection with their customers. They also have a clear understanding of their IT landscape options, associated costs, and transparency for future cost projections. Hero leadership is now equipped to meet the evolving needs of their customers while having full cost transparency to prepare them for the future.
The Hero Group is an international, family-owned food company with a rich history dating back to 1886. The Company is all about making high quality, natural fruit and vegetable-based products easily accessible to consumers. Hero’s mission, to “delight consumers by conserving the goodness of nature”, addresses the needs and desires of today’s consumers for authentic, honest food. Hero believes in going back to basics and adopting the principles of purity, honesty and simplicity.
