Food and Beverage Companies Turn to ToolsGroup for Supply Chain Planning and S&OP

BOSTON, June 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Three food and beverage companies, Lantmannen Unibake, Panrico, and a Nespresso multi-channel retailer, have recently implemented ToolsGroup's "Powerfully Simple" software to improve their Supply Chain Planning (SCP) and Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) processes.  

Lantmannen's international bakery group, Unibake, has gone live with ToolsGroup's demand forecasting software. By taking advantage of ToolsGroup's unique approach to demand modeling, Unibake was able to free up planners from checking forecasts, increasing productivity and allowing them to focus on working with sales account teams to improve forecasts. To facilitate this process, ToolsGroup software also allowed Unibake to create and consume forecasts by individual customer. 

To add sales and market intelligence to the forecast, Unibake also shifted primary forecasting responsibility from Logistics to Sales. These improvements have increased forecast accuracy and achieved high and consistent service levels with less tied-up working capital.  

The solution includes ToolsGroup's SO99AX, specifically designed to integrate with Microsoft Dynamics AX enterprise software. Implementation was accomplished by ToolsGroup's long-standing partner, Optilon.

A second baking company, Panrico Donuts, has deployed ToolsGroup software for S&OP to reduce manufacturing and logistics costs across its vast distribution network of 2300 routes and 140,000 points of sale. The comprehensive implementation includes demand planning, promotion planning, collaborative demand planning, production and distribution.

"We selected ToolsGroup for its technology, knowledge and experience in the food industry," said Director of Operations, Joan Mas. "They helped us integrate our Commercial and Industrial objectives, and consolidate the results of the restructuring plans and operating cost optimization. The ROI of the project is less than one year."

Added Sales & Operations Planning Manager, Isaac Huerta, "We are able to manage market demand more efficiently and integrate planning across the supply chain, including demand, production and distribution. This improves productivity and efficiency, and optimizes customer service across the market."

DABA SAU, Nespresso's distributor and multi-channel retailer for Spain, needed enhanced supply chain planning capabilities to support their plans to add a new distribution channel by opening boutiques across the country. ToolsGroup software provided the needed methodology, process and planning technology. DABA SAU improved forecasting and demand planning, optimized S&OP processes, and reduced replenishment planning time.

According to Sergio Gonzalez, Director of Supply Chain, "This project has been critical to improve the planning and optimizing logistics processes essential for guaranteeing an excellent service level to our customers with lower logistic costs."

"ToolsGroup is providing SCP and S&OP technology for food and beverage companies around the world," noted ToolsGroup CEO Joseph Shamir, "From global enterprises like Diageo and Danone to rising players like Costa, Deoleo, and Candy King, we are pleased to be the solution of choice for some of the world's most efficient and successful companies in the industry."

About Lantmannen
Lantmannen is one of the leading groups in Northern Europe for the production of food, energy and agricultural machinery. The Group, owned by 36,000 Swedish farmers, operates in 18 countries, has over 10, 000 employees and a turnover of 4,000 million euros. The Unibake division, with a turnover in 2011 of 780 million euros, is one of the leading manufacturers of bread in the world in frozen and pre-cooked segment. It has more than 3900 employees, manufactures in 11 countries and is headquartered in Denmark.

About Group Panrico
Panrico is a food group specializing in bakery products, bread and biscuits, made with over 50 years of tradition and experience. Panrico Group is based in Barcelona, with factories in Spain and Portugal. It employs 5600 professionals, more than 2000 of whom control the largest distribution network in Spain, with 2300 routes and 140,000 points of sale, to ensure that products arrive fresh daily to all consumers.

About DABA SAU
DABA SAU is a Group company and the exclusive distributor of B2C and B2B lines of Nespresso for the Spanish market. SAU DABA Nespresso distributes the product through different channels (boutiques, call center, Internet and smartphone applications, mail and fax). Currently, DABA SAU manages a total of 56 Nespresso Boutiques located throughout Spain. The headquarters are located in Sant Cugat del Valles (Barcelona province) where the operations, including the call center, is managed nationally.

About ToolsGroup
ToolsGroup (www.toolsgroup.com) is a global provider of "Powerfully Simple" supply chain planning and demand analytics software. Our solutions model the demand signal across multiple dimensions to achieve more reliable forecasts and inventory targets, helping our customers master demand volatility and achieve excellent service levels.  Our unique "Powerfully Simple" approach combines highly intelligent decision-making with ease-of-use. ToolsGroup's solutions span key supply chain planning areas such as Demand Forecasting and Collaboration, S&OP, Demand Sensing, Promotion Forecasting and Multi-Echelon Inventory Optimization.

SOURCE ToolsGroup