Kiwifruit cooperative Zespri has progressed to the second phase of its Horizon transformation program, having invested $143.2 million in a new SAP platform since 2019. The 2024 financial year saw a reduced investment of $20.4 million in the program, down from $50.2 million in 2023, marking the initiation of tranche 2 with the launch of "New Canopy," a platform aimed at enhancing strategic advice and knowledge sharing.
The Horizon program is designed to upgrade Zespri's processes and systems in finance, supply and demand planning, sales, supply chain, quality management, and grower community solutions. The completion of tranche 1 in November 2022 involved transitioning the company's finance capabilities to the SAP S/4 HANA cloud platform, setting a foundation for supply chain operations. This phase was a significant challenge, necessitating continuous improvement efforts into 2023/24 to stabilize and refine new workflows.
With tranche 1 complete, Zespri's digital team is focusing on business-as-usual support and continuous improvements. The completion of tranche 2 is anticipated to unlock greater value by consolidating operations onto a single SAP S/4 HANA platform, facilitating easier upgrades. Horizon's ultimate objective is to digitally transform Zespri's global supply chain for both New Zealand and Northern Hemisphere fruit, enhancing operational efficiency, resilience, and scalability.
Tranche 2, differing from the first, comprises modular projects over the next three to four years, including grower enablement, onshore fruit supply, an in-market supply chain program, and a sustainability initiative. These projects aim to address and simplify complex legacy systems, particularly in grower payment processes. Besides Horizon, Zespri's digital roadmap through 2030 encompasses broader technology initiatives to foster a digitally-led operating model, with ongoing investment in system maintenance, cybersecurity, and data privacy.
Source: reseller.co.nz