Basel, CH – December 2023

Success Story – Fresh Food & Beverage Group

 

Softproviding is happy to announce that the implementation of SAP S/4 Hana Food Management by msg at the former Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG (BINA) was successfully completed by the end of May 2023. This productive implementation within the framework of the Migros Industry ONE Smart Solution program in a challenging project and production environment coincided with the merger of Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG into the Fresh Food & Beverage Group of Migros Industry.

 

Fresh Food & Beverage Group is the new umbrella brand for the five companies Aproz Sources Minérales SA, Fresh Food & Beverage Group AG (a merger between the two predecessor companies JOWA AG and Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG), Hug Bäckerei AG and Sushi Mania SA. The Fresh Food & Beverage Group employs around 4600 people at 150 locations throughout Switzerland in various areas of modern food processing.

 

The Bischofszell site’s impressively broad product portfolio includes Migros’ cult ice tea, jams, potato products (crisps, chips, “rösti”, mashed potatoes), ready meals (convenience food, chilled products) and frozen products.

 

The existing, very complex production environment, coupled with a highly individualized and extended R/3 system, made a special project approach necessary. In order to ensure that the introduction was as risk-minimized as possible, the first step was to implement SAP R/3 Food Management by msg on the basis of R/3 for a large number of the production lines in parallel to the actual main project, the migration to S/4HANA.

 

The main objectives were as follows:

  • Creation of master data compliant with SAP S/4Hana Food Management by msg (creation and validation of master data)
  • Setting up the infrastructure (around 150 i-points, some with scales, printers and scanners)
  • Education and training of employees including hypercare support
  • Establishing trust and application expertise within the FFB Group’s Bischofszell site

 

 

The staged introduction to R/3 essentially comprised the following phases:

 

Phase 1 – Introduction of basic functionalities

  • Installation of SAP S4 Food Management by msg on R/3
  • Basic customizing
  • Building material master data and recipes
  • Integration of printing system for labels (OPAL)
  • Interface with EWM
  • Setup of authorization system
  • Development of RAF applications for production and goods receipt
  • Cockpit for sequence planning
  • Cockpit for order completion

Phase 2 – Introduction of the production batch process

  • Calculation of various production batch logics (rounding up, rounding down, proportional, equalization to the last two production batches)
  • Cockpit for planning/adjustment of production batches
  • Extension of the RAF application for production with regard to production batches and color progress bar for production
  • Integration of instructions for production (displaying PDFs directly using RAF)

Phase 3 – Introduction of production services (spices/flavors)

  • Introduction of RAF batching (porting/weighing) for coordinated preparation of production incl. tolerances
  • Cockpit for managing and allocating batching orders to staff
  • Setting up the infrastructure with real-time display of the scales

Due to the successful and timely introductions, the decision was made in spring 2023 to also implement the potato sector in R/3. This expansion already proved that one of the main objectives had been achieved – establishing trust and acceptance of the solution.

 

Alongside the R/3 project, the developments for the production and logistics area GR and the spice store/flavor chamber also had to be transferred to the S/4 environment in late summer 2022. The following extended area with regard to applications was also implemented:

 

1 – Classified Procurement (Softproviding CP module) for potatoes and spinach

  • Planning
  • Reception – check-in
  • Classification (directly, using a DPS-RAF application)
  • Reception – check-out
  • Individual settlement
  • Campaign settlement

2 – Picking processes as a supplement to EWM and the existing Dematic solution

  • Picking with MAK/MGK (solution developed exclusively for Bischofszell)
  • Container picking
  • Picking on the basis of Softproviding Easy-Picking

3 – Production inbound into the Dematic logistics system at (high speed) container level

 

4 – Various interactions with EWM (e.g. container filling)

 

5 – Production of beverages

 

The shopfloor situation at the FFB Group in Bischofszell in S/4 now looks as follows:

 

 

Finally, by applying a customized approach to the project in conjunction with the business-oriented applications of SAP S/4 Hana Food Management by msg, a successful go-live was achieved within the planned budget and timeframe.

 

If this article has piqued your interest, please do not hesitate to contact Stephan Kronbichler (Business Development) for further information E-mail, phone +41 (0)61 508 21 42.