Last year, Dutch company Zest learned that Capespan was looking for a different ERP system. They quickly got in touch to present their solution. "On December 1, 2024, Capespan went live with us," says Alexander Schrijvershof, "after an implementation period of barely three months. Their citrus season had just ended, so there was less pressure on their stockrooms. That helped."
Client afternoon at Zest
Capespan is a major grape, citrus, and top fruit exporter. With farms in South Africa and Namibia, it does business with suppliers worldwide. The company exports mainly from South Africa, where it has more than 10,000 hectares of crops. Zest implemented its new ERP system in several locations, including South Africa, Belgium, Germany, Austria, England, and the Netherlands.
ERP system for fresh produce importers
Zest's ERP system is specifically for fruit and vegetable importers. It allows real-time inventory, payments, and quality claims, and you can view results on desktop or mobile. For Capespan, they further optimized the system with EDI links to cold stores and packing facilities, including in the Netherlands. Zest could also further develop its Work Orders module specifically for fruit packing, a vital task for supermarket chains. The module supports the process from retailer orders and shipments to packing plants, ensuring an efficient solution.
Standard solution
Zest based its software on Microsoft's Business Central cloud platform. So, as long as customers have internet access, they can access their data from anywhere. Business Central provides a standard solution that is continuously updated. Zest builds its modules, which automatically become available to all clients on that. Users do not have to worry about backups either; those are automatically stored in the cloud.
Client afternoons
The company holds client afternoons every quarter, during which they listen to customer needs and offer training. Here, they discuss new modules that should be developed and what links with external would be useful. Zest is working on an API for quality inspection and is seeking cooperation with cold stores, packers, and other logistics partners. They want to improve collaboration with as many parties as possible so information, like transport delays, is fed directly into the ERP system, and customers are automatically alerted.
Online data transfer environment
Zest is also developing an online platform where users can easily gain insights into the ERP system and keep abreast of new developments. It should share and retain knowledge so that when there is staff turnover, that is not lost. Zest will make new releases available monthly, with automated testing and beta versions. Customers can, thus, take full advantage of new features. The company provides brief explanations to ensure people get the most out of the software.
Zest specializes in providing a flexible, scalable ERP system for fresh produce importers. It is continuously updated and focuses on working with external partners to improve business processes' efficiency.
Zest B.V.
Nieuwe Kazernelaan 2 D41 (D11)
6711 JC Ede
Tel: +31 85 130 38 84
info@zest-erp.com
www.zest-erp.com