This Austrian business specialising in fresh fruit and vegetable distribution joined forces with Axians to modernise its infrastructure to meet increased demand through a root-and-branch digital transformation.
Every year, 250,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables – 5,000 different products – move through Frutura installations on their way to Austrian retailers. This family business, which specialises in the production and sale of fruits and vegetables, and employs more than 900 people, has seen demand surge in recent months, adding further complexity to its processes.
“Our old supply chain management system was slowing down our operations, compromising both efficiency and customer satisfaction,” explains Gerald Goldgruber, Head of Process Management at Frutura. The company therefore decided to change its ERP (enterprise resource planning) system and opted for an SAP solution, entrusting its implementation to Axians, “Who have solid expertise in supply chain”.
Frutura wanted a system capable of supporting its growth strategy by accelerating and automating its processes. “The idea was to install an integrated system covering everything from logistical processes to financial operations,” says Martin Brenner, Senior SAP Logistics Consultant at Axians ICT Austria, the VINCI Energies business unit charged with managing the project. “Given the time frame of just eight months between October 2019 and May 2020, the fact that Axians operates as a ‘one-stop shop’ was a key factor in the project’s success,” says Gerald Goldgruber.
Gradual approach
Over the course of many workshops with teams from Frutura, the VINCI Energies ICT brand undertook a radical digital transformation of the company, but adopted a gradual approach, initially implementing key business-critical processes, then automating and modernising other operations and the system as a whole.
“The fact that Axians operates as a ‘one-stop shop’ was a key factor in the project’s success”
In order to minimise any disruption to Frutura’s activities, this implementation incorporated all its processes and data into a single, real-time system covering critical areas such as packaging, refrigeration, commissioning systems, backup power generators, robots, lighting systems, and ripening rooms for exotic fruits.
“With the installation of S/4HANA [an integrated SAP management software package], we provided Frutura with the foundations for evolving its processes and activity,” says Martin Brenner. “Effectively, all the company’s operations can be managed with this system, which can also be used to deploy cutting-edge technological solutions.” The Axians expert also highlights the challenges posed by “Taxes and fees for different suppliers all over the world, and the short time between placing an order, receiving the goods and delivering them to the customer”.
Decide and react
“Implementation of the new system immediately brought clear improvements,” says Gerald Goldgruber, “especially in terms of operational efficiency and data transparency. By providing information about processes in real time, the integrated system optimised our decision making and responsiveness to changes in the market.”
Martin Brenner adds: “Thanks to the automation in particular, Frutura has considerably enhanced its efficiency. And since the new system went live, other solutions have been deployed: an integrated EWM [extended warehouse management] system, SAP Business Network [purchaser-supplier management] and Neo Suite [SAP maintenance].”
By adopting an entirely digital system, Frutura has made its purchasing and warehouse management processes more transparent and more efficient. This has enabled the company to reduce internal purchasing costs thanks to optimised management of inbound goods and warehousing.
“Suppliers in turn receive a wealth of information on product orders and invoices, enabling them to accelerate their own processes and thus reduce their costs,” says Gerald Goldgruber. “And the flexibility of the new ERP offers numerous future possibilities in areas such as AI and sustainability-related projects.”
11/14/2025
