RISE with SAP is SAP’s 2021 banner product as of yet– a Business Transformation as a Service offering that would help customers transform holistically into intelligent enterprises.
Having a strong take-up among pilot customers and support from SAP’s robust partner ecosystem, RISE with SAP had registered a significant contribution to the software giant’s Q4 2020 cloud performance. Following its official launch in the latter part of January, the milestone offering that leverages several SAP solutions such as SAP Business Technology Platform and SAP S/4HANA cloud has been gaining traction across various industries including but not limited to tech and IT.
Zespri International Limited, one of the world’s most successful horticultural marketing companies and NZ’s largest horticultural exporter, will be one of the first companies that would get to experience the comprehensive capabilities of RISE with SAP through the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition– a component of SAP’s new business transformation offering. As a truly global and fast-growing company, Zespri has signed a multi-year deal with SAP to harness digital technologies that would automate supply chain processes and drive operational efficiencies across the organisation.
Dave Scullin, Zespri’s Chief Digital Officer, shared how the modernisation project with SAP supports the company’s four-year Horizon transformation programme that aims to digitise operations, bring efficiency, and yield higher revenues. He explained:
“Zespri’s Horizon programme will transform the way our company operates, replacing legacy systems and processes that were designed 20 years ago, before the significant growth we’ve experienced in recent years. Our new SAP environment will transform the systems and processes across our business, from finance and supply chain to grower enablement and engagement, sales, and business planning. This will strengthen our ability to grow and sustain returns for the industry for decades to come.”
Deloitte NZ and ZAG will take part in the implementation that will be scheduled in several phases beginning February 2021.
Leveraging RISE with SAP Portfolio
Despite the COVID-19 disrupting the global supply chain, the grower-owned Zespri had achieved excellent global supply sales, with increased revenue from $311.7 million in 2018/19 to $369.4 million in 2019/20. In line with the company’s innovation investment in value chain research that includes protecting global supply and supply chain efficiencies, Zespri is well on its way to supply chain process transformation by leveraging an array of solutions in the RISE with SAP portfolio.
As SAP’s new concierge service to the Intelligent Enterprise, RISE with SAP delivers business transformation specific to customers’ needs. As a Business Transformation as a Service offering, RISE with SAP includes business process redesign, technical migration support, SAP’s Business Technology Platform, the SAP Business Network, SAP S/4HANA Cloud deployment model of choice, and Hyperscaler of choice.
To achieve agility, business value, and continual innovation through integration, Zespri will also utilise SAP Business Technology Platform capabilities such as SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Integration Suite the SAP Extension Suit. SAP-endorsed partner solutions from OpenText, Tricentis, and Celonis are also part of the modernisation project.
Moving to the New Cloud
For Zespri’s supply chain modernisation, the multi-year deal includes a move to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition, and the implementation of several SAP Digital Supply Chain applications including SAP Global Trade Services, SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP), and the SAP Logistics Business Network. Advancing Zespri Global Supply will be critical in the enterprise’s objective of maximising long-term sustainable returns for the New Zealand and non-New Zealand producers.
“Zespri is a large and fast-growing business and we need mature processes and systems to fuel our next stage of growth. Adopting SAP’s standardised core platforms will be transformational in itself, while also letting us leverage SAP’s cloud roadmap to adopt innovation at speed,” said Scullin.
Zespri will be migrating its SAP environment on Microsoft Azure public cloud to the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition, which will form a key component of the new RISE with SAP offer. Moreover, Zespri’s partnership with Microsoft and SAP remains as it continues to use Azure for its enterprise infrastructure.
According to Scullin, Zespri’s strategy to move to the cloud with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition will provide the company greater flexibility, scalability, and faster innovation cycles.
“We know SAP’s private cloud capabilities have matured significantly in recent years, particularly in the form of customer flexibility, service level security, and automation, which makes the new SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition best for our business long-term. This will allow us to focus on our process and systems transformation, knowing that our underlying infrastructure and computing platforms are secure, stable, and available,” Scullin added.
Emphasising SAP’s support in Zespri’s supply chain transformation amid these extraordinary times, Damien Bueno, President and Managing Director, SAP Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), said:
“As a long-time customer, we are excited that Zespri is leading the way with SAP’s intelligent technologies, to help drive automation, increase profitability, and to support its fast-growing organisation.”