NatureSweet Transforms Procurement with SAP Ariba

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Company replaces tactical, manual process with efficient digital one to fuel business innovation and growth

At NatureSweet, doing things fast and easy isn't as important as doing things right. But when it came to revamping its procurement operations, the company was able to achieve all three thanks to SAP Ariba. The company will share the story of its procurement transformation next month at SAP Ariba Live, the premier business conference which will take place March 5-7 at Caesars Palace.

"We have an incredible opportunity to explode onto the global markets and to capitalize on it, and that requires a transformation from a classic procurement organization of processing orders to a strategic organization that can place NatureSweet in both a cost and scalability position," says Matt Volker, Vice President, Supply Chain, NatureSweet. "SAP Ariba came in on day one with the resources we required to accomplish our targets in just a few months."

Breaking with Tradition

For decades, procurement at NatureSweet was a tedious, manual process driven by spreadsheets and home-grown systems. But innovation is at the core of everything the company does – from the way it grows its tomatoes to how it treats its associates. So when we began to see things going digital, a decision was made to get in on the game. "We actively take on new ideas and a degree of risk to introduce ‘real-time' solutions in a short window from design to implementation if there is a significant upside on innovation and efficiencies," Volker said.

Going Digital

NatureSweet began looking for a solution it could use to automate its procurement process and collaborate more efficiently with its suppliers on everything from sourcing and orders to invoices and payments on a single, integrated platform. It found one in SAP Ariba. With the help of SAP Ariba partner Nitor Partners, NatureSweet introduced SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing and SAP Ariba Commerce Automation across its operations in the United States and Mexico. And in just 14 weeks, the company was seeing results, including:

  • Simple, compliant purchasing processes driven by automated catalogs and guided buying capabilities
  • Faster cycle times fueled by mobile buying and approvals
  • Easier supplier onboarding

Making Procurement Awesome

But the real benefit, says Volker, has been in making procurement simpler, faster and smarter. "Digitizing things has freed up 30 percent of the current workload for our buyers so that rather than managing orders, they can secure quotes, publish requests for quote and negotiate pricing that opens new markets for the company and creates opportunities for our suppliers."

"This is procurement transformation," says Pat McCarthy, SVP and GM, SAP Ariba North America. "And it is what SAP Ariba's solutions are uniquely designed to deliver."

To learn more about SAP Ariba's solutions and the results they are serving up for companies around the world, visit www.ariba.com

About NatureSweet®

NatureSweet® Tomatoes is the leading grower of premium, branded, best-tasting fresh tomatoes in North America. Always vine-ripened and hand-picked at the peak of freshness, only NatureSweet® tomatoes guarantee great taste all year round. NatureSweet tomatoes are carefully grown, harvested and packaged by more than 9,000 full-time Associates, and are sold at major grocers, mass retailers, club stores and food service operators in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Known for award-winning quality and innovative packaging, NatureSweet® is also committed to having a positive social, environmental and economic impact on the communities in which they operate. NatureSweet Cherubs®, SunBursts®, Glorys®, Jubilees™, Eclipses™, Twilights™ and Constellation® are trademarks of NS Brands, Ltd.

About SAP Ariba

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SAP Ariba is how companies connect to get business done. On the Ariba Network, buyers and suppliers from more than three million companies and 190 countries discover new opportunities, collaborate on transactions and grow their relationships. Buyers can manage the entire purchasing process, while controlling spending, finding new sources of savings and building a healthy supply chain. And suppliers can connect with profitable customers and efficiently scale existing relationships – simplifying sales cycles and improving cash control along the way. The result is a dynamic, digital marketplace, where nearly $1 trillion in commerce gets done every year.

To learn more about SAP Ariba, visit www.ariba.com

About SAP

As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP SAP helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable approximately 378,000 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

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