Case Poppies Bakeries
Poppies Bakeries perfects their S&OP recipe
Foto: Solventure
Poppies Bakeries started out in 1976 selling traditional Flemish pastries and biscuits to local retailers. Since then, they have grown to become a trusted supplier to private labels around the world, as well as selling their own brand of sweet bakery products.
For a company that has grown from local family bakery to global supplier of sweet bakery products, the importance of reliable and mature planning has never been greater. Over the past years, Poppies Bakeries has invested heavily in developing a stronger approach to Sales and Operations Planning. With growing demand volatility, fluctuating costs and increasing sustainability expectations, the company needed a more stable and transparent planning process to support its international ambitions.
Today, Poppies Bakeries operates fourteen bakeries, employs more than one thousand three hundred people and sells its products in more than sixty four countries. To support both national and international growth, Poppies partnered with Solventure to professionalize its S&OP and supply chain processes.
A more structured approach to S&OP
The creation of a dedicated Supply Chain department marked the start of a more mature S&OP journey. Over time, this department evolved into focused Demand Planning and Supply Planning teams. For Nic Dufoort, Supply Chain Director, stability is key:
“Our main goal is to change our S&OP course gradually. With today’s demand uncertainty, fluctuating costs, government pressure and sustainability requirements, we need patience. Eventually, we want a central vision on stock levels and a long term master planning so we can better balance supply and demand across all our sites.”
Clear data for clearer decisions
To support its evolving planning process, Poppies chose the Arkieva Advanced Planning and Scheduling system. Nic highlights the value of better visibility:
“The visual dashboards make communication and collaboration with Sales much easier. Arkieva helps us quickly identify gaps between budget and sales or between forecast and actuals. It will also help us further increase forecast accuracy and rationalize stock levels.”
A partner who understands both business and tools
Nic and team emphasize the value of Solventure during this transformation.
“Their consultants are reliable and responsive and they understand our business. They combine business experience with tool knowledge and they make a real impact on our processes”.
Nic also offers advice for companies selecting an APS partner:
“First think about what you want to achieve. Compare suppliers based on your goals. Focus on how the APS will support your S&OP in the long term and choose a partner who knows your business rather than one offering unnecessary features.”
About Solventure
Solventure helps global manufacturing companies take control of their growth plans. In complex and margin sensitive environments, service issues, bad inventories and misaligned supply chain and financial plans can stall progress.
Solventure delivers the full transformation cycle of planning by connecting data, process and performance. This approach unlocks measurable improvements in margin, working capital and agility.
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Read the full Poppies Bakeries story here: https://www.solventuregroup.com/en/resources/poppies-bakeries-perfects-their-sop-recipe
