Direct Produce Supplies Limited expands the benefits from EDI with First B2B

Direct Produce Supplies Ltd (DPS) approached First B2B for assistance in addressing the complexity of their customer requirements around efficiently managing order changes. Initially working with a competitor's product, DPS migrated to our service in March 2018, and has since significantly escalated their use of EDI.

DPS source fresh fruit from over 40 countries, dedicated to minimising the distance from farm to fruit bowl so that each and every fruit, sourced from as far afield as New Zealand, arrives looking as fresh as when first picked. Partnered with the best growers across both hemispheres, DPS consistently ensure that consumer demand for high-quality fruit is met, meaning that DPS' channels of communication and document interchange are high in both number and complexity.

Working in the short lead-time industry of fresh food supply, we identified the need for a seamless integration into the DPS' business process. The inclusion of tight integration assists in handling the complexity of customer requirements: in particular, the handling of time-critical order changes.

With over 10 years of experience in business-to-business document exchange in this unique market, we tailored advanced EDI technology to integrate seamlessly into DPS' business processes.

A key consideration when supplying the perfect EDI solution was to consider the comprehensive purchase order requirements. DPS requires purchase orders to be issued in three different formats - a critical element of the process that we were able to accommodate.

In order to deliver to the demands placed by complex customer requirements, we worked with leading software provider for the supply of perishable goods, Prophet. Prophet is dedicated to driving down costs and improving margins through comprehensive control, working exclusively in the perishable food industry.

Following the successful implementation of tight integration into their business process, DPS is now adding new customers to the First B2B service, continuing to escalate their use of EDI to support their business.

First B2B, commented:

''When Direct Produce Supplies decided to migrate their EDI usage to First B2B, we were honoured that they entrusted us with such an important aspect of their business. Speed and resilience are essential to such a critical business process in the Fresh Produce Sector. We understand these requirements and are focused on providing solutions that deliver on these requirements and provide unique solutions for this sector.'

Hamesh Luthra, Business Systems & IT Manager at DPS, commented:
''With their fast and easy to use service, First B2B has proved to be a valuable EDI partner. The team is very approachable, committed and knowledgeable, providing a quick turnaround which is essential in the fast-paced fresh produce sector.''