Cold-chain precision for a regional dairy network

Project overview

A regional dairy distributor was running three temperature-controlled warehouses and serving modern trade, local chains, and food-service customers. The core issue was not system availability, but operational discipline: FEFO was only partially enforced, pallet visibility varied by shift, and morning shipping peaks were creating avoidable pressure on cold-room teams.

Challenges

• Expiry-sensitive batches were not always removed in the optimal sequence
• Operators spent too much time locating pallets in chilled storage
• Wave release and staging decisions were overly manual during dispatch peaks

SAP EWM solution design

Qventra designed an SAP EWM template centered on batch-managed stock, FEFO-driven stock removal, RF confirmation at critical handling points, and route-based outbound waves. Staging was split by route and temperature zone, which reduced cross-traffic and helped supervisors manage throughput without relying on last-minute manual interventions.

Key outcomes

The redesigned process improved stock confidence and made outbound execution more predictable. Indicative results include inventory accuracy in the 99.7% to 99.9% range, dispatch preparation time reduced by roughly 25% to 40%, and less picker travel inside chilled zones. Public SAP examples such as Fonterra show similar performance levels in dairy distribution environments.

Next steps

A strong next phase would be labor tracking, exception dashboards, and cartonization logic for mixed-customer pallets.