The move from supplying raw vegetables to value added vegetable packs has meant a more complex manufacturing process for Kettle Produce. As well as its traditional washing and trimming processes there is high care preparation, cutting and combining products, and packing them ready for dispatch.
This new focus on manufacturing, combined with the highly competitive 24/7 demands of its supermarket customers, led Kettle Produce to review its internal infrastructure and information technology support. The management team recognized that in order to expand the business efficiently, they would require state-of-the-art computer systems to help them manage the fast-moving business processes.
Having carried out an extensive selection and proving process, Kettle Produce is now rolling out the full Epicor Tropos enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite. Management will be equipped with accurate and fast information to ensure high quality customer service, greater efficiency and minimised stock losses as the company grasps new growth opportunities.
Providing the best customer service in a fast moving business
Kettle Produce previously operated a sales and financial system, supplemented with stand-alone spreadsheets and manual paper systems to support the production process. Stock and order information was collected and held by a number of staff, according to requirements. As there was no systems integration or a single data repository, access to information was slow. Lack of automation also meant there was no guarantee that the data was consistent.
One of the major reasons for a systems review was that stock was not being effectively tracked and controlled. Potential stock losses can affect profitability.
"Everything is fast-moving in this business and it's very easy to have a breakdown in communication when using manual processes," says Liz Waugh, financial director of Kettle Produce: "We needed to streamline our systems, make our processes more efficient and get a quicker turnaround of accurate information to help management decision making."
Kettle Produce sent an invitation to tender for a comprehensive ERP system to 12 suppliers. Following a detailed assessment, the company selected Epicor Tropos.
"There were a number of reasons why we chose this solution," says Waugh. "Most importantly, we recognized that Epicor Tropos was very flexible and that as our business grew, Epicor Tropos could grow with us. We believed our business was more akin to food processing than an agricultural packhouse and Epicor Tropos reflected that specialist approach in its capabilities. We also liked the fact that the tools within Epicor Tropos gave us the ability to be autonomous in the future."
"We certainly felt we could work with the Epicor team. All the Epicor people we have been in contact with have been extremely professional, forward thinking and proactive."
Epicor Tropos uses a Windows platform on the Epicor Tropos application and Web servers, with a standby server for disaster recovery. Key hardware features are a Radio Frequency (RF) network for dispatch and stock control, and handheld devices, touch screen PCs, bar code scanners and label printers to record picking and pallet movements to the point of dispatch. The latest version of Epicor Tropos is being used to take advantage of the solution's Browser and Firewing capability. This means that Kettle Produce's third party suppliers can view customer orders and record pallet information, dispatch documents and advanced shipping notifications.
Meeting the new requirements of the retail supply chain
The company planned a two level approach to implementation. Phase one focused on the core sales functions of the business- sales order processing, distribution, picking and dispatch, proof of delivery and invoicing, and finance. Waugh is in no doubt that it is delivering the benefits that she expected.
"For years we've operated an EDI system, which means that the customer order hits the sales desk first thing in the morning, and our product has to be turned round in the factory and out that day. We needed to improve that process flow and enhance communication between departments. The customer requires 100% service, and we must have the facilities to ensure this happens," says Waugh.
As a consolidator, Kettle Produce needs to ensure their subcontractors deliver quality products on time as an integral part of the Kettle Produce supply chain process. The power of the internet has been harnessed to enable their sub-contractors to work online with Kettle Produce, obtaining updates on demand and processing dispatches as they occur. The sub-contractors are now working as a natural and integral extension of the Kettle Produce supply chain without the complexity of system interfaces, transcription or exchange of data. Each key sub-contractor has a Web 'portal' through which progress is managed and recorded as if they were onsite at Kettle Produce, providing a unified response to the demands of the major retailers. The key benefit of Phase one, says Waugh, is providing traceability of products dispatched. Using RF technology, and handheld devices, dispatch of all customer deliveries is now accurately recorded in detail, down to the pallets used for delivery. The system enables proof of delivery to be validated with confidence.
Optimizing efficiencies with a paperless factory
Phase two, which was implemented module by module, supports the core manufacturing process with extensive use of RF technology and an easy-to-use shop floor data capture facility. The major objective in this phase was improved stock control and a significant improvement in productivity.
"Our goal is to have a paperless factory," says Waugh. We can improve communication by automating the whole process. This means everyone working from the same accurate information. We can reduce the risk of error and get a much better handle on stock yield and losses. Improving our systems will enable us to react to any problems and be much more responsive to changes."
About Kettle Produce Ltd.
Kettle Produce Ltd is one of Britain's specialists in growing, processing and marketing a wide range of whole and prepared (Freshcut) vegetables to major multiple supermarkets and food service businesses in the UK.
Kettle Produce Ltd was established in 1985, and is owned by the McIntyre and Samson families. The crop portfolio includes carrots, parsnips, swede, leek, broccoli, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, iceberg and specialty lettuces. Six thousand hectares are grown: 2,500 in Scotland, 2,000 in England and the balance across Europe through strategic supply partnerships with major growers in France, Spain and Portugal.
There are two main pack-house sites, Balmalcolm and Orkie, which combined contain 16,700 square metres of modern processing and packing area. Leading technology is used in cutting, peeling, polishing root vegetables, packing and chilling with a throughput capacity of up to 25 tonnes per hour. Kettle Produce Ltd. employ over 800 staff, making it one of the largest employers in central Fife.