Frutura GmbH , a producer and marketer of fruit and vegetables , uses innovative production and processing systems that strive toward ecological sustainability . With its operations in Austria , 250,000 tons of fruit and vegetables leave the company ’ s freshness hubs in Hartl and Vorchdorf every year . Working with producers in 40 countries around the world , it supplies fruit and vegetables to more than 1,600 SPAR stores daily .

The company ’ s reliance on manual ordering , confirmation , shipping , packaging , and invoicing processes meant that Frutura lacked visibility in its supply chain . Gerald Goldgruber , head of process management and SAP at Frutura , explains , “ There were lots of e-mails , and it was not transparent for us as buyers or for our suppliers .” Needing better visibility and control over its supply chain , Frutura began digitalising supply chain collaboration processes .

Digitalising supply chain collaboration from order to invoice settlement With its business running on SAP S / 4HANA , it was a logical next step to adopt SAP Business Network Supply Chain Collaboration to connect with its direct suppliers . Frutura partnered with apsolut GmbH to lead the implementation of the supply chain collaboration solution and Axians Global to take charge of program management , with both partners playing a pivotal role in integrating SAP S / 4HANA . This would allow all processes from purchase order ( PO ) to order confirmation , ship notices , handling units , goods receipt , invoicing , and invoice status to be automated and streamlined and exchanged electronically over the network .

Goldgruber adds , “ Direct materials for our company are fruit and vegetables . So , we decided to bring 100 % of our direct suppliers on to the network . This involves different languages and time zones and includes regional suppliers from