Wiltshire-based Doves Farm Foods is a specialist supplier of organic, fair trade and gluten-free flour and foods to both the retail and wholesale markets. For more than 20 years the company had relied on a basic book-keeping package, which had proved increasingly inadequate in meeting the needs of a successful, growing business.

Since installing a Lakeview system in 2004, Doves Farm Foods has doubled its turnover, without the need to increase its finance team. At the same time, the Lakeview solution’s manufacturing functionality has enabled the company to fully comply with the latest EU food regulations.

Challenge

“We recognised the need for a modern, integrated management information system which combined a comprehensive accounting package with full stock traceability,” says director of finance, Malcolm Squires. “At the same time, it needed to be able to scale with the growth aspirations of the business.”

Having looked at several options – and visited two existing Lakeview food industry customers – Doves Farm Foods found that Lakeview was the only provider who could satisfactorily meet both requirements.

“As a supplier of food ingredients and finished products, full stock traceability – from receipt of each ingredient, through batch manufacture to final distribution to the end-customer – was especially important,” he confirms.

Solution

The decision to go with Lakeview in mid-2004 proved especially timely as, within six months of installation, full traceability became obligatory under new EU legislation.

With implementation taking place at the end of the company’s financial year, Doves Farm Foods switched over to Lakeview without parallel running with the existing system.

“However, we did some testing off-line as the annual accounts were being completed and the Lakeview system proved flawless in delivering accurate financial results.”

Other departments have also benefited from Lakeview’s expanded reporting functionality. The ability to analyse sales and profitability by individual customer, product and product group has improved marketing and sales planning and pricing strategies. And, with the ability to access and manipulate data over any specified period, this has automated the process of analysing and reporting government returns on a calendar year basis, saving time and improving accuracy.

Results
In meeting the very specific accounting requirements of the food supply industry, Lakeview’s flexible pricing approach has delivered three further important benefits.

First, Doves Farm Foods’ previous accounting system required discounts to be set up on the system on a product-by-product basis: with Lakeview, by contrast, common discounts can be input by product group. “This was less problematic for large retailers carrying a restricted range,” says Squires, “but Lakeview saves us considerable inputting time in the case of those wholesale customers who take 100 or more of our products.”

Similarly, before implementing Lakeview, agreed pricing could only be set up as ‘list price less discount’, which had become increasingly cumbersome as Dove Farm Foods had moved to a system of net pricing with three quarters of its customers. Lakeview’s ability to price in both formats not only saves time but always presents accounting information in a customer-friendly format.

And, with a support team providing ‘prompt and highly responsive service’, Squires believes that, “Lakeview provides us with a flexible and scalable accounting and manufacturing support tool ideally geared to the needs of our business.”

Visit: Doves Farm Foods

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview Computers Ltd

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About Infinity Foods

Infinity Foods began in 1971 with a small shop in Brighton, England.
In 1985, as a result of the increasing demand for bulk whole food orders a group of members set up a separate wholesale branch. Run initially from a site in Saltdean, and an eventual move to a warehouse in Portslade where they still reside.

Over the years, as the whole foods market has grown so has the wholesale division of Infinity Foods. What started as a small outlet at the rear of the shop is today one of the UK’s leading national distributors of high quality, organic, fair-trade and natural products.

Why Lakeview?
Infinity Foods required a solution to allow for further business expansion and de-risk the business from the in-house solution. The solution in mind needed to manage the distribution operation, boost operational efficiency across its supply-chain, increase visibility and give access to business-critical data across the entire organisation.

To find out more
Click here for more on Lakeview’s ERP solutions food and beverage manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.

Lakeview: Providers of Enterprise resource solutions for food and beverage companies

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing for Lakeview

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Founded in 2005, Natural Balance Foods is already establishing a strong franchise in the UK for its range of healthy cereal bars and flavour-infused raisin snacks in national grocery and healthfood chains.  Today, its major Nakd and Trek brands can be found in the wholefoods and fast-expanding ‘free from’ sections of Tesco, Waitrose, Asda and Sainsbury’s, for example, as well as Boots, Holland & Barrett and independent specialist health food outlets.

Yet in successfully meeting this growing demand for healthier products, Natural Balance Foods has had to meet the challenge of managing rapid growth.  “As a start-up we initially piggy-backed a custom-built ERP system built for a sister company operating in a very different Internet environment, together with spreadsheets and a financial accounting software solution,” says co-founder, Greg Combs.

However, this came under increasing strain as the business rapidly expanded and it became clear that the company needed an integrated solution which would manage the end-to-end process, from receipt of orders through to delivery and invoicing with minimum manual intervention.  Additionally, the replacement system had to enable product full traceability and multiple warehouse inventory reporting..

“In selecting a Lakeview system, we recognised it had the essential flexibility and scalability to meet the current and future demands of our business and our customers,” he confirms.  “This has proved without doubt to be the right decision, as we now have the perfect springboard for taking the business on to the next phase of its exciting growth.”

Technorati Tags: case study, food & beverage erp, food customer, food erp, natural balance, new business win, organic food erp

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OVERVIEW

Established in 1979, Esher-based baked products manufacturer The Cookie Man supplies supermarkets such as Co-op, Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrison and Waitrose. It‟s a highly competitive industry, driven by a continual need to improve productivity, cut costs, and reduce wastage.

In late 2010, The Cookie Man responded by launching an initiative to drive manufacturing efficiency, greater visibility, control and lean processes on the manufacturing shop floor. To achieve this, the company decided that it would augment its Lakeview ERP system—with which it was otherwise delighted—with a specialist „add on‟ package focused upon providing detailed management and visibility for factory-centric operations.

“As an ERP system, Lakeview did everything we wanted,” says The Cookie Man‟s general manager Jayson Scheib. “But we needed to monitor manufacturing operations at a more granular level of detail in order to drive manufacturing performance higher.”

Download the full story about Cookie Man’s Manufacturing success working in partnership with Lakeview ERP and Mestec

CHALLENGE

And to try to get the desired level of visibility, the business had become reliant on a number of spreadsheets and paper-based systems, he explains. By 2010, Cookie Man had outgrown these dated methods which were onerous to manage, not to mention the frequent re-keying of data.

“We would spend hours entering data into paper forms, and then copying the information into the ERP system, checking records and trying to resolve conflicts and errors,” says Charles McIntosh, The Cookie Man‟s supply chain manager.

The business needed visibility of real-time shop-floor data to support lean activities to continue to drive cost out of the manufacturing process.

To read this case study in full

Visit: www.mestec.net/Download/TheCookieManCaseStudy.pdf

About Mestec’s Smart Box solution

A touch screen and barcode based factory focused solution, Mestec’s Manufacturing Smart Box system is designed to track, trace and report on key aspects of the entire production process … from goods receipt to despatch.

What’s more, the Mestec Manufacturing Smart Box has been designed from the ground up to complement existing ERP systems, and not to replace ERP functionality.

The Manufacturing Smart Box interface is a simple touch screen configured for a specific set of factory activities. Its simplicity means that minimal training is needed. Typically, the Mestec Manufacturing Smart Box system is specified, chosen and implemented by manufacturing management, and not the IT department.

The Manufacturing Smart Box is flexible and can be rapidly deployed into even complex and changing environments. This makes it ideal as an ERP companion, capturing key production information in real time whilst seamlessly interfacing to the corresponding company information systems.

With a typical payback of two months to one year, Mestec’s Manufacturing Smart Box systems are affordably-priced, and available on either a low-cost monthly subscription, or through one-time perpetual licences. And a typical initial improvement project delivers results in days or weeks, not months or years.

Visit: Mestec

Case study written by: Mestec

Technorati Tags: barcode solution, cookie man, food customer, food erp, manufacturing erp, manufacturing smart box system, mestec, new business win, smart box

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BAKO distribute many well known food & beverage brands, as well as their own label value range of baking products from their warehouse and distribution facility in Wimbledon. With a modern fleet of temperature-controlled vehicles, BAKO boast a very impressive set up.

BAKO invests into Lakeview’s LV ERP product to facilitate remote working and better manage supplier performance and produce trends.

About BAKO London and SouthEast

From its base in Wimbledon, South West London Bako London and SouthEast offers the food industry an outstanding combination of competitive prices plus the exceptional customer service only a local company can provide.

Launched over 50 years ago as a regional buying co-operative, we later joined with four other bakery co-operatives to form BAKO UK.

Today our customers enjoy the combined purchasing power, logistics and resources of one of the largest nationwide distributors to the food industry.

Visit: callbakolondon.com

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing

Technorati Tags: Bako, food customer, food erp, LV ERP, new business win

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Have you seen the price of British-reared pork? It’s at an all-time historical high! Pork is the new gold – and soon we’ll be hearing from men in long black coats down dark alleyways whispering, “Psst, do you want to buy some bacon?” And who knows, you may get a great deal on your belly rashers! But joking aside, would you really buy meat from a man in an alley?

Knowing where your food comes from is now more crucial than ever to consumers, for food suppliers, the best route to  tracing a particular supply chain is through food distribution software (or ERP software). We read about the horsemeat DNA scandal in retailer food supply chains every day, and now, so not to feel left out, processed meat has jumped up in the saddle and is coming along for the ride too.

But quite possibly one of the silver linings to come out of all this chaos is that more and more people want to ‘Buy British’, not cheapest. This could be the British Food Industry’s golden year!

Of course, along with good news often comes bad. Not only is the Food Standards Agency tightening the reins, but consumers are asking more of suppliers: where did that meat come from? Is it free range? Is it British? Is it from the man down the alley?

For the food industry, traceability is king! We need to be able to provide assurance to our customers that we were on friendly terms with Porky the Piglet who roamed freely around a field. It’s likely you’ve seen excerpts like this on your rashers; ”We watched him grow into a strong, strapping young pig, following his journey from British field to British plate”. It’s due to EU legislation that this kind of detail is expected of food supply chain management professionals.

This process doesn’t just apply to pork, although I am a little partial to a bacon butty. It also applies to any manufactured or processed food – managing the journey is key and recording that journey is crucial!

Traceability – this is a word that you’re going to be seeing and hearing a lot of in the future – raises a few key questions we need to ask ourselves:

-       Are our traceability procedures and systems up to the task ahead?

-       What additional costs will our business incur as the need for formal traceability increases?

-       Are we ready to cope with more demanding customers and suppliers?

Modern integrated systems allied to robust processes can play a key role in providing your customers with the audit trail and transparency they require and as a result maintain positive trading relationships. Download our free guide: prioritising ERP in the food & beverage industry.

What do you think about traceability?  Are you able to trace your ingredients and are you up-to-date on the latest legislation? Voice your comments and concerns in the comment section below.

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Technorati Tags: Enterprise resource planning, ERP software, food & beverage erp, food customer, food erp

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Keep a tighter rein on your inventory with our four top tips for food wholesalers. 

As a food wholesaler you will know that your largest costs lie with stock inventory. Keeping costs tight means striking a perfect balance between stock, storage and demand while taking a keen oversight. So how can you tread the fine line needed for advanced inventory control?

Here are Lakeview’s four top tips…

1.    Efficient, effective expiry management

To ensure you have enough stock without wasting expired items, the inventory flow should be smooth and seamless. It is important to keep in mind the FIFO principle (First In, First Out) when it comes to expiry analysis and planning if you want to have the freshest ingredients without waste.

The key to efficient, effective expiry management is advanced analysis and automation principles. By using specialist software, such as an ERP solution, this advanced analysis becomes a doddle and the automated rules to keep it smooth and seamless become standard.

2.    Manage your shelf space

Effective shelf space management is about more than just the physical space needed to store your inventory, it also includes receiving, picking, put-away, pick, ship, dynamic move, physical inventory counts and quality.

The key to successful shelf space management lies in logistics and planning. It can be tricky as there are lots of piece of information to remember, but an ERP solution can help out by removing the heavy lifting (of the maths, that is, not stock).

3.    Traceability

Knowing exactly what is where, where it came from, the duration of its remaining shelf life and so on is absolutely essential to effectively managing your stock. Moreover, batch traceability provides security in terms of food safety. It is only with a great system for traceability that you can confidently identify allergens and kosher/halal stock as well as the source of any contaminants. It may sound like you’re pre-empting the worst, but it’s better to prepare in advance for these problems than to bury your head in the sand. Just consider the recent “Horsegate’ episode, where brands like Tesco found horsemeat in their stock!

>>> Learn more about how Alaska is leading the way in food traceability. <<<

4.    Real-time cycle counts

Obviously it’s far less disruptive to have a rolling cycle count than to complete a physical count. A cycle count is much more achievable if employees are able to access and record count data remotely.

In fact, remote access in the Cloud is the keystone to achieving our other top tips.

With remotely accessible count data, employees can efficiently and effectively manage expiries, shelf space and traceability.

One way of providing this remote access to the central system is through the Cloud. By making your ERP software available in the Cloud, data can be accessed from any device at any location, making inventory management quicker, easier and more effective all round. What’s more, it provides the centralised visibility and traceability needed for a complete overview of your inventory status.

In the words of Gartner analyst, Brian Prentice: ”Enterprises can’t play a waiting game, in the hopes that a future upgrade of their ERP system will provide a central, single-vendor solution… Enterprises that hope to exploit the opportunities offered by mobile, or to respond to the growing demands to support it, have no choice but to adapt to a post-PC ERP world.”

Key takeaway: If you are a larger food wholesaler looking to enhance your inventory management and gain a comprehensive and real-time overview, now is the time to investigate Cloud ERP solutions. A good solution will provide only the tools necessary in the Cloud to ensure smooth and efficient processes, leaving all the back office stuff where it belongs…in the back office.

For more in-depth information on optimising your food wholesale back-office processes take a look at our free resource guide: “Prioritising ERP in the food and beverage industry’.

Related articles

• Farewell to Paper Records

Technorati Tags: cloud erp, food and beverage software, food erp, food erp software, food erp vendor, food inventory control, Food software, inventory management

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Maintaining 100% fulfilment rates is an impossible task, right? Piffle. With the right processes and technology, it’s not only attainable – but sustainable, too. 

Getting the balance right in stock fluctuations

Inventory is one of the biggest costs for any food and beverage distributor, so keeping a tight control of stock levels is essential to staying efficient. A surplus of inventory sparks costs in storage and waste, that ripple effect is then felt throughout the business as funds are diverted away from other departments – while too little inventory fails to meet customer demand and damages reputation.

Older Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) software solutions are not flexible enough to cope with the fast-changing demands of the food and beverage industry. With the development of new technology such as ERP in the Cloud and Software-as-a-Service, IT for distribution companies is no longer restricted to office-based functions. Time spent on daily processes, such as administrative paperwork and warehouse task delegation can all be reduced, while using mobile devices hugely improves the scalability and flexibility of any distributor.

Implementing intelligent IT, like an advanced ERP software solution, gives distributors an overview of stock status at any given time with easy reporting. Whereas older software – or even manual processes – would require collation and analysis of data before reports, new ERP systems deliver detailed reports in minutes. From tracing down the status of a particular order or batch, identifying when orders are due for fulfilment and how the logistics schedules match up, to creating forecasts for potential seasonal demand fluctuations, processes are much faster and more accurate. Efficiently responding to external changes is what keeps your company afloat. “If the rate of change outside your organisation is greater than the rate of change inside your organisation, the end is in sight,” said US businessman and author Jack Welch click to tweet.

The flexibility of automation

While business processes may have been manually streamlined to enable full functionality, these changes often don’t take in to account company-wide growth or fluctuations. Managing one warehouse compared to several is akin to babysitting one child for a few hours compared to having quintuplets full-time. The theory is the same, but the management needs to be as slick as possible for day-to-day functions to be viable and allow the flexibility to grow. 

Automating processes such as collating historical buying data ensures simple and easily-adjusted demand forecasting. Distributors can respond quickly to fluctuating product demand without having excess stock or simply a lack of stock available.

ERP software automates previously manual tasks such as monitoring stock levels and creating logistics schedules for timely distribution. It can even be used on-the-go to reduce the administrative paperwork required by delivery drivers, as they access the software on a mobile device to provide real-time delivery status updates.

Using variable projection scenarios with previous stock requirement data allows food and beverage distribution controllers to anticipate inventory fluctuations and have contingency plans for unforeseen circumstances. The now-infamous “horsegate’ saga has highlighted the importance of full visibility and traceability of stock. Automated systems enable lightning-quick batch location visibility for recalls, while contingency plans can be put in place quickly for alternative stock distribution in case of emergencies.

Automation in action

Food wholesaler Natural Balance who managed to maintain a 100% distribution rate is a great case study. A lucrative new contract resulted in a rapidly expanding business and a large increase in product demand. Managing their seven warehouses across the UK, the company began distributing their products to Tesco stores across the country, requiring complex inventory management to meet customer demands.

Natural Balance implemented an ERP solution which allowed them to manage a wide range of volume requirements and seven-day delivery options, as well as updating their accounting processes to complete monthly instead of quarterly accounts. As the company had little requirement for custom modules, the standard version of the ERP software was suited to their needs, delivering a cost-effective solution for streamlined inventory and distribution management.

Understanding ERP for food and beverage distribution

While a standard ERP build worked for Natural Balance, ERP software covers all aspects of supply chain requirements. From MRP modules to Business Intelligence or KPI dashboards, the options for an integrated solution are endless. Food and beverage manufacturers, distribution controllers and wholesalers face unique challenges: perishable stock control, forecast planning, differences in legislation, are just a few examples. These can all be managed with customizable elements of an ERP solution.

We understand that finding the right food-sector ERP system can be challenging – so we’ve crafted a guide, Prioritising ERP in the Food and Beverage Industry, to help make those decisions easier.

Useful links:

• Food & Beverage distribution ERP software insights
• Take the ‘Cloud or on-premise’ ERP wizard

Related articles

• An Easier Way to Get the Updates with ERP Software and Rewards of ERP Software
• ‘Agility’ in ERP software is the missing component for distributors
• An Introduction To Manufacturing ERP Software

Technorati Tags: boost fulfilment rates, distribution business challenges, distribution technology, Enterprise resource planning, erp, food erp, food erp vendor, Food software, fulfilment rates, Inventory

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Everybody loves a bargain – but being overly competitive on prices can, in the long run, actually damage a business. At a time when food prices are ever-increasing (the UK has seen three successive spikes in price since 2007) competition between wholesalers is tougher than ever, and pricing yourself too high or too low gives competitors an advantage.

So how can food wholesalers be savvy and adaptable with their pricing to retain the competitive edge?

Assessing the market

The food and beverage industry is one of the most mercurial industries, with customer demand varying by season, media attention (we all remember ‘horsegate’) and even fad diets. Keeping ahead of changing consumer demands is all very well – but the food retailer competition needs to be taken into account if food wholesalers are to be ahead of the game overall.

Constant competition between supermarkets sees fluctuation of end-user prices, and wholesalers need to keep abreast of these variations if they are to fulfil customer demand. But, it’s not all about the lowest prices: customers genuinely want quality just as much as they want value – a 2012 UK supermarket survey by Shoppercentric found that only 25% of consumers want the lowest price, while 28% want the largest quantity for their budget, and 21% see value as getting the best quality within their budget.

A food wholesaler should be aware that under-pricing not only runs the risk of a smaller profit, but also the possibility of inadvertent damage to reputation as consumers associate low prices with low quality. 

Quality over quantity: a case in point

An acquisition of Somerfield by Co-op spelled the closure of a branch of Somerfield in a small town, this was due to the existence of a Co-op shop in the area. A local fruit and veg retailer bought the shop space, and thrived with a cafe and restaurant area selling food made from the local produce. Despite higher produce prices, the retailer had assessed that customers wanted quality over value. Even though the competition between the chain retailer and the independent shop existed, both were able to find a niche – the chain could supply some items cheaper overall, the independent retailer delivered quality produce which met consumer demand. 

The value of promotion

A wholesaler who prices themselves too low will risk putting off retailers: while the immediate appeal of a greater profit margin for the retailer exists, they will have the same doubts as the end-user and will also question the viability of the supplier’s business.
Continuous low-pricing as a competitive strategy has been proven to be an ineffective business model – whilst it may leverage a temporary advantage, competitors can easily match low prices until it becomes a game of profit-margin chicken. But changeable pricing can deliver an advantage. Implementing promotions for larger orders, rebates or introductory product prices can all attract customers and help retain a loyal buyer base. 

Using sector-specific technology to give wholesalers the edge

Keeping track of changing prices can be a nightmare for any supplier with short-term promotions affecting overall prices or unique customer offers for repeat business can be difficult to track through the administrative process. However, ERP software automates these changes, enabling quick processing of updated prices and the smooth handling of individual customer invoices. 

In addition, ERP software solutions enable wholesalers to monitor buying trends, use historical data to build demand forecasts and provide greater business process flexibility overall. Each of these benefits amounts to more detailed reporting, faster responses to customer and consumer demand and streamlined business processes to improve overall productivity. 

Keeping ahead of the competition is tricky in such a changeable industry, but pitching prices using promotions, rather than constantly under-cutting competitors, and implementing detailed trend analysis can help food wholesalers thrive.

Choosing the right ERP software can be confusing, especially with the unique demands of the food and beverage industry – we’ve put together our free guide, ‘Prioritising ERP in the Food and Beverage Industry,’ to give a helping hand.

Useful links:

• Food & Beverage distribution ERP software insights
• Take the ‘Cloud or on-premise’ ERP wizard

Related articles

• ‘Agility’ in ERP software is the missing component for distributors
• Are 100% order fulfilment rates impossible to achieve?
• Four top tips for advanced inventory control in food wholesale
• Why Is Chicken So Expensive? Ask McDonald’s
• Reducing food loss

Technorati Tags: Enterprise resource planning, food erp, food erp vendor, food inventory management, Food software, Wholesale, wholesale business model

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There’s no doubt the digital age has exploded in the last decade, with RFID tracking (Radio Frequency Identification), online ordering and mobile devices all changing the face of food and beverage wholesale. So why are food wholesalers still using outdated ERP systems?

Any food and beverage distributor or wholesaler will know that ERP software underpins the successful operation of your business. Advances in technology mean customers are expecting a faster response, more customised and personalised contact, and greater visibility of product sources. Older ERP systems implemented in the early 1990s simply cannot provide the agility and real-time updates that today’s fast-paced food and beverage sector requires. 

Assessing the drawbacks – and where new ERP can help

There are two key drawbacks to older ERP software: first, the manual time investment required to support and build functionality and secondly, the slower and less flexible customer service abilities – such as being able to confidently confirm stock levels and delivery in advance. 

Manual processes are open to error and reduce efficiency

With older ERP systems, manual processes and workflows are required to work in tandem with the software. For example: paper-based invoices require manual data entry into accounts software, or promotional price changes involve lengthy, inflexible manual processes for each product to be updated. Not forgetting the worrying fact that paper-based processes are also susceptible to human error, loss, or even damage in disaster situations such as a fire or flood.

New fully integrated ERP systems automate simple tasks and take into account all key business functions. They enable staff at all levels of the manufacturing process and supply chain to communicate more effectively and operate more efficiently than their aged predecessors allow – most outdated ERP systems were designed in the 80’s. Not only that, but new Cloud ERP systems allow wholesale and distribution teams to provide retailers and customers with infallible product traceability, while also enabling remote access to data. Both these benefits reduce margin for error, ensure data is backed up and strengthen overall disaster protocol.

Manual processes and older ERP systems also throw up very difficult planning scenarios for wholesalers. Adapting to customer demand in order to prevent stock level inadequacies or excess is essential to keep a tight line on operational costs. But older ERP systems rely on additional manual processes to produce forecasts, which can often be slow to calculate. Which means a quick response to sudden changes in customer demand (as seen in Horsegate, for example) can be especially tricky to manage with speed and accuracy. 

New ERP software allows wholesalers to create multiple forecasts depending on customer demand, while providing flexibility in the supply chain lead times to ensure stock levels are always optimised. A 100% fulfilment rate is unheard of with older ERP systems – but is possible with new ERP software, saving on costs and time while boosting your reputation.

Hindered customer service capabilities

There are further customer requirements to consider, too. Older ERP systems won’t support new wholesale order technology – so, for example, if a delivery has been questioned by a customer, it takes valuable time to check on the order details. New ERP software enables delivery drivers on mobile devices to deal with the customer in real-time, reporting order details and the queried discrepancy there and then. Faster – or in this case, immediately – customer service improves reputation and bring efficiency to wholesale business processes, saving time and money in the long term.

As customer demand fluctuates between season and trend, a flexible approach to customer requirements is essential to deliver good service and maintain a footing in such a competitive sector. With consumers becoming increasingly aware of the source of their food, wholesaler retail customers are placing greater emphasis on traceability and visibility of stock origins. ERP software can now track product origins down to the very batch of each product, enabling transparency in operation and satisfying the increased consumer demand for ethical sourcing.

Understanding new ERP systems

The plethora of demands placed upon food and beverage wholesalers for things like: seamless customer service, efficient responsiveness to seasonal trends and accurate forecasting means you are understandably cautious about investing in food software that is fully supportive and enabling. To help you understand more about ERP software and its suitability for food and beverage wholesale, we’ve put together our free guide: Prioritising ERP in the food & beverage industry, to help.

Useful links:

• Food & Beverage distribution ERP software insights
• Take the ‘Cloud or on-premise’ ERP wizard

Related articles

• Critical issues to think about before implementing ERP
• ‘Agility’ in ERP software is the missing component for distributors
• Are 100% order fulfilment rates impossible to achieve?

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Lakeview has gained significant ground in the UK business software market for UK Food & Beverage manufacturers, distributors & wholesalers.

15 new customers have signed up to Lakeview’s LV system in the last year with word of mouth referrals being the driving force behind this. 

New food & beverage customers have listed the key business benefits that attract them to Lakeview as:

• Full traceability of: food batches, catch weight, promotions, telesales, integrated warehouse management
• Powerful dashboard tools & analytics tools: showing clients true margins where sales are being won and lost

CEO, Mark Greatrex reveals secrets to Lakeview’s success in the food & beverage industry

”Lakeview’s in depth knowledge of the UK food supply chain industry challenges and opportunities, combined with being a UK author of business software has also proven key.”

He adds: ” Lakeview’s ability to modify it’s standard software to meet the exacting needs of SME food suppliers differentiates from all other software suppliers”. 

Lakeview’s success is really down to how well it’s staff understand customer needs. Account manager, Russell Godward,– Lakeview’s resident ERP and CRM technology aficionado – has his ear to the ground, understanding the needs of food wholesalers, he explains: ”My job is trying to extract every problem a food specialist has, then going over it to the nth degree. In a lot of cases, food wholesalers find it hard to locate their stock levels and quite often aren’t sure where to start when streamlining their processes.

Godward recounts a recent experience: ”A UK food distributor I recently spoke to has chefs ringing up around midnight, and placing 200-300 orders. A technology solution for this company needs to take in to consideration efficient order processing, and also spotting order patterns and new or unnoticed opportunities”.

Godward understands that food companies just want to be able to trust their food vendor:

”Food companies just want to be assured that they’re not going to be misinformed or under-serviced”.

The 15 customers span manufacturing, food distribution and wholesale in the following market segments: 

• Bakery Ingredients & Products
• Frozen & Fresh Fish
• Pre-prepared Meals
• Sauces & Condiments
• World Foods
• Imported Oriental Foods
• Frozen Vegetables
• Meat & Delicatessen Products
• Health Snacks & Drinks
• Wines, Beers & Spirits

Some of these customers are household brands and all are well known within their market sectors with business owners and leaders continuing to recommend Lakeview highly.

Congratulating Lakeview on its success, Mike Madylus, MD of Blackfriars Bakery and customer of Lakeview, said: ”[Lakeview’s] bespoke approach really makes it stand out in the food and beverage market”

Priyan Dhutia, Operations Director at independent wholesale condiment manufacturer, BI Europe, said: “We chose Lakeview because of the flexibility its products offer us. Flexibility is vital in the food and drink business, as seasonality and sudden consumer trends have such a big impact on demand”.

Key takeaway

Lakeview has a best of breed software solution for UK food & beverage manufacturers, distributors & wholesalers that is gaining real traction.

Want to learn more about how to win at food wholesale & distribution software selection? Read our free guide: What to demand from food distribution and wholesale software.
Useful links:

• Food & Beverage distribution ERP software insights
• Take the ‘Cloud or on-premise’ ERP wizard

Related articles

• GMOs aren’t the problem. Our industrial food system is | Richard Schiffman
• Three big time wasting tasks in the food wholesale process

Technorati Tags: Beverage, Doves Farm Foods, Enterprise resource planning, Enterprise resource planning implementation, ERP system, Food, Food and Related Products, food erp, Food software

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First of all we would like to thank our customers and suppliers for supporting us at the Food Expo exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham.

The three day event was a great chance for us to mingle and interact with so many of our current customers and key people from the industry.

During the three days we had numerous enquiries in relation to the latest versions of Lakeview LV (mobile ERP and Cloud ERP software) and the future plans for the product.

The hot topics tended to surround, shelf life management, batch traceability, capacity planning, recipes, barcoding of stock and many other topics besides.

We are planning to be at the Speciality and Fine Food Fair later on this year and would welcome any input from our customers in terms of what they would like to see on our stand.

We would recommend that anyone connected with the food business should attend as it’s a great way to look at potential changes in the market & also to intermingle with colleagues and competitors alike.

Again a big thank you to our customers for supporting us at FoodEx 2014.

The Lakeview team!

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