How Hoogvliet supermarkets in the Netherlands use data to improve commercial performance

Thanks to a forecasting platform powered by SAP HANA and SAP IQ, the Dutch supermarket chain Hoogvliet optimises more than 700,000 demand forecasts every day. Axians Netherlands is behind this technological feat.

In the supermarket retail sector, where competition often hinges on differences of a few pence, precise management of stocks and prices is a strategic asset. In the Netherlands, the Hoogvliet supermarket chain perfectly illustrates how the advanced use of data can drive commercial performance.

With technical support from Axians Netherlands and the integration of SAP platforms, the retailer has been able to optimise its forecasting, ensure its position as price leader and enhance its operational efficiency.

Reconciling low prices and product availability

With more than 10,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) across 70 stores, Hoogvliet was facing a considerable problem: how to maintain its “lowest price guarantee” while avoiding stock shortages or overstocking.

“The customer wanted to increase agility in its store replenishment process, enabling its category managers to perform their tasks more efficiently and at a higher level,” explains Leonard Jelsma, Business Development Manager at Axians Netherlands, the provider selected to meet this challenge.

This equation is made all the more complex by demand that varies significantly depending on the season, point-of-sale positioning, and external factors such as the weather and holiday seasons.

The combined power of SAP HANA and SAP IQ

The Axians response was to implement a forecasting platform powered by SAP HANA and SAP IQ, which can process more than 700,000 daily forecasts.

“To develop a model with the right algorithms and variables to surpass human logic and intuition”

“We harnessed the computing power of the SAP HANA platform,” says Leonard Jelsma. “The underlying data (distribution centre stocks, supplier deliveries, point-of-sale transactions) is stored in an SAP IQ data warehouse.”

The combination of SAP HANA’s analytical power and SAP IQ’s stability makes it possible to generate extremely precise forecasts that outperform those obtained through human experience. “The real challenge was not so much technical as functional – to develop a model with the right algorithms and variables to surpass human logic and intuition,” explains the Axians business development manager.

A textbook example for supermarket retail

Thanks to this architecture, Hoogvliet was able to optimise inventory planning in stores and at its automated distribution centre, improve supply chain coordination, reduce operating costs and inefficiencies, and ultimately enhance its price competitiveness in the Dutch market.

“The results are tangible: the precision of the forecasts allows stock replenishment tailored to actual demand, minimising losses and maximising availability on the shelves,” says Leonard Jelsma. “This approach increases customer satisfaction and consolidates Hoogvliet’s position as the low-price leader in the Netherlands.”

Beyond the case of Hoogvliet, this project illustrates the strategic value of data in retail. By combining computing power, data quality and sophisticated predictive models, retailers can enhance their profitability and provide an improved customer experience at the same time.

As Leonard Jelsma concludes: “We generate forecasts for several days for each store, item by item and day by day. Without this precision, it would be impossible to maintain a pricing policy this competitive without jeopardising product availability.”

16/03/2026