Creating a new technology ecosystem for an independent Vitasoy
When Bega's acquisition of Lion Dairy and Drinks (LDD) meant Vitasoy Australia had to leave the shared SAP ECC environment it ran on, the business needed its own technology stack within six months. Mulberry led the IT stream of the separation, moving through discovery, planning and implementation assurance at pace to replace or migrate more than 50 applications. Vitasoy became independent in under three months, with 100% of critical systems cut over without operational disruption and 95% user adoption within the first month.
CLIENT BACKGROUND
Vitasoy Australia is a leading plant-based milk and yoghurt company that specialises in producing high quality dairy alternatives. As part of the global Vitasoy brand which has been in operation for over 75 years, Vitasoy Australia prides itself on being experts in blending premium Australian-grown almonds, soybeans and oats to create a range of smooth and delicious plant-based milks and yoghurts. Vitasoy Australia was established as a joint venture between Vitasoy International and Lion Dairy and Drinks (LDD).
Bega's acquisition of LDD gave Vitasoy six months to run on its own systems
In 2021 Bega acquired LDD, and Vitasoy Australia needed to separate from the LDD shared services it had relied on. Three core processes ran through those services:
1. Procure to pay
2. Plan to make
3. Order to cash.
All three ran on a complex SAP ECC environment managed by Accenture. The separation involved:
• Over 50 interconnected business applications to replace or migrate
• 100+ employees moving to new systems
• Six months to complete the full separation.
A three-phase approach set up a technology stack that fits an independent Vitasoy
Mulberry led the IT stream of the demerger. After comprehensive assessment of the technology options and deep understanding of Vitasoy’s independent ambition, we led the selection, planning, build and implementation of a fit for purpose technology stack rightsized for an independent Vitasoy Australia.
Discovery mapped every application, process and dependency in the shared environment
We built a complete inventory of applications, processes and infrastructure. In-depth interviews with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation allowed us to understand the landscape, the challenges, key risks and opportunities.
Planning defined a "day one" architecture that kept daily operations running
The goal was an architecture that allowed a clean separation with minimal disruption. To move at speed, we:
• Set up a program office and project management support
• Stood up core collaboration tools and infrastructure for the fledging business
• Set up lightweight governance and decision forums that kept decisions fast and auditable
• Selected cost-effective vendors and partners who could get up to speed quickly
• Recruited an internal team to deliver the program.
Program assurance kept vendors and internal teams aligned through delivery
During implementation we provided program assurance, making sure the business sponsor's goals were met and that every vendor and internal team stayed aligned. The program delivered:
• A cloud-based ERP tailored for mid-sized manufacturers
• A parallel plant IT/OT infrastructure
• New payroll and HCM systems
• A dedicated CRM for customer management
• Migration to Microsoft 365 for collaboration and productivity
• A new data platform for business intelligence and reporting.
Mulberry's expertise in selecting appropriate technologies ensured that every solution was chosen to scale with future growth, be easy for staff to adopt, and fit Vitasoy's budget.
Vitasoy separated in under three months without disrupting operations
Under three months collaboratively we achieved:
• 100% of critical business systems cut over without operational disruption
• 95% user adoption of the new systems within the first month
• Better data visibility and reporting, which speeds up decision-making
• A flexible IT foundation ready to support future innovation.
