Brewing a sustainable future in the beverage industry
Learn how SPS helped a mission-driven beverage supplier cut order processing time, eliminate errors and redirect resources to support growth.
The challenge:
Improve order processing and boost supply chain efficiency for a fast-growing, mission-driven beverage supplier
The solution:
SPS Fulfillment for NetSuite
The result:
Cut order processing time by 75%, eliminated manual errors and freed time for strategic initiatives
The challenge
A mission-driven beverage supplier aimed to fill a market need for organic, fair trade tea and support the farmers who relied on their business.
As a startup making planet-friendly drinks, the company faced significant challenges. They needed to manage rapid expansion and a complex distribution network while struggling with slow, error-prone order processing.
“Previously, we entered all orders by hand, which took time away from activities that drive growth. We selected SPS Commerce because of their reputation as the leading EDI provider and their existing relationships with our distribution partners, including KeHE, UNFI and Dot Foods. Choosing the industry leader gave us confidence we could automate and scale quickly.”
Distribution Director, mission-driven beverage supplier
The solution
To address manual processing challenges and support growth, this beverage supplier partnered with SPS in 2021. By integrating SPS Fulfillment with their NetSuite ERP system, they aimed to boost efficiency, minimize manual data entry and free up resources for strategic activities.
Using SPS Fulfillment, the company now processes orders from multiple distributors directly in NetSuite. Instead of processing orders manually and using multiple systems and portals, they can manage all order-related tasks in one place. The beverage supplier values the deep NetSuite expertise of the SPS team and the comprehensive support during implementation.
“The NetSuite workflows were easy to follow, and included step-by-step instructions. We aren’t coders, so having a full-service provider allowed us to implement smoothly without being experts.”
Distribution Director, mission-driven beverage supplier
The results
The SPS solution had a significant impact on the organization and their beverage brands. The solution transformed order management efficiency, reducing order processing time from 20 minutes to 5 minutes and eliminating nearly all processing errors.
“SPS Fulfillment saves time and virtually eliminates errors. No more uploads, downloads, attachments or emails. We can process orders and generate invoices with the touch of a button. We love the efficiencies!”
Distribution Director, mission-driven beverage supplier
These enhancements allow the company to reallocate resources to strategic projects aligned with their mission-driven approach to business.
Looking ahead, the beverage supplier plans to extend SPS Fulfillment usage to support growth and social impact efforts. Future initiatives involve integrating 3PL partners more deeply into the business, aiming for even greater operational efficiencies as they expand their distribution network and product lines.
By using SPS to improve our order-to-cash process, we can invest more in our mission and do unbelievable things. From building a medical clinic for our growers to delivering high-quality teas to consumers, we’re making a real impact. SPS frees up time and resources, allowing us to focus on initiatives that truly improve the lives of our farmers and communities.
– Distribution Director, mission-driven beverage supplier
