New ERP provider for ice-cream icon

Infor, a leading provider of business application software serving more than 70,000 customers, has announced a deal with iconic Australian company Peters Ice Cream to implement a complete ERP system in just seven and a half months.

Peters, makers of ice-creams with household names including Drumstick, Maxibon, Connoisseur, Heaven and Frosty Fruit, urgently needed to change its generic ERP system after the company was acquired by Pacific Equity Partners in August 2012. This ended 17 years of ownership by food giant Nestlé. Following the change of ownership, Peters has been operating on Nestlé’s ERP system while they establish a stand-alone IT system.

The company looked towards a more functionally rich software solution, targeted to the specific needs of an ice-cream company. Peters chose to implement Infor’s M3 QuickStep for Food and Beverage solution.

“During a competitive pitch, Infor was able to demonstrate its ability to quickly implement and roll out an all-encompassing ERP solution that will provide clear visibility into the business,” said Jonathan Hutchings, Transition Manager, Peters.

The key to partnering with Infor was the need to fast-track the rollout of the software from a typical time frame of 12 to 18 months to just over seven. Infor says it expects to meet this requirement due to the specialised Infor M3 Quickstep for Food and Beverage industry solution, which includes up to 70% of the necessary business processes preconfigured, ensuring a hassle-free implementation.

Peters’ network of freezers extends to all corners of the country. With such a vast footprint, it is essential that information on stock levels and deliveries is up to date and available in real time. Infor’s Sales Route Management system - provided by solution partner NCS - will meet Peters’ requirement for real-time customer information as well as provide on-the-ground access using mobility solutions.

“This is a great opportunity for Infor to prove it is built for speed. Anyone can tell you that implementing a complete ERP system in seven and a half months is challenging - but we expect to successfully do just that,” said Ian Desbrow, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, Infor.

“Our advantage lies in the Infor M3 QuickStep solution, which includes a high number of preconfigured business processes for specific industries we specialise in, such as food and beverage, allowing a favourable mix of configuration and fast implementation.”