SAP S/4HANA Conversion Provides a Transformation Boost

Industry: Consumer Goods (food)

Products: Beverages

Employees: approx. 1,000 (2022)

Sales: approx. 862 million euros (2021)

Headquarters: Krombach, Germany

Website: www.krombacher.com/en

Three Cheers for Krombacher!

As a premium family brewery, Krombacher has been engaged in the responsible production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for years. The company focuses consistently on the customer experience, excellent product quality and transparent communication. Krombacher has a special affinity with nature, therefore sustainability is a top priority. This also applies to the internal IT processes. To ensure their sustainability, the company collaborated with NTT DATA Business Solutions in paving the way for innovation. Thanks to the smooth implementation of the SAP S/4HANA conversion, the existing processes and add-ons were migrated in just a few months.

Ready to Start the Brownfield Conversion

Based on the previously created SAP S/4HANA road map, it did not take long to determine the perfect transition scenario. In light of the system’s good convertibility, a decision was made to go for a classic conversion in a brownfield approach. While the greenfield approach entails the reinstallation of the SAP system along best-practice lines, and thus requires a restructuring of business processes from the ground up, the brownfield approach involves a purely technical conversion of the existing system. Consequently, NTT DATA Business Solutions transformed the system operated by Krombacher to SAP S/4HANA in several phases, employing standard SAP conversion tools. This was accomplished using the tried and tested, hybrid-agile SAP Activate methodology.

All Items Crossed off the To-Do List

In addition to the switch to the SAP HANA database, there were a number of to-dos to be dealt with. Krombacher received support not only with the analysis of system security but also with the elimination of detected weak spots. In addition, a quality assurance system and a BW/4HANA system were added to the system landscape. An Adobe Document Server (ADS) and an ABAP Test Cockpit were also incorporated. Solid expertise helped ensure connectivity throughout the extensive interface landscape. All preparations for the conversion were thus successfully completed and the efficiency of Krombacher’s processes was significantly enhanced as well.

Go-Live Announced, Transformation Boost Started

Thanks to SAP S/4HANA, Krombacher is now at the forefront of new developments and benefits from new, innovative functionalities in various areas of the company. The easier integration of new solutions is just one of the benefits brought by the implementation. In addition to reduced innovation cycles, Krombacher has also gained a new real-time analysis capability with the in-memory SAP HANA database. A basis for further digitalization projects. Krombacher has found a competent partner in NTT DATA Business Solutions who knows the industry and has identified the company’s requirements and implemented them in full. With SAP S/4HANA, Krombacher is well on becoming an Intelligent Enterprise.