Avocados From Mexico and Lantern automate processes using Microsoft Fabric to reduce weekly reporting time by up to 95%

The avocado market is growing rapidly in the United States, and Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is helping drive that growth by creating engaging marketing campaigns.

However, fragmented data slowed the process of generating important analytics reports, and the data was sometimes outdated or inaccurate. To overcome these challenges, AFM implemented Microsoft Fabric, a data platform that integrates data science, data lakes, and business intelligence to provide high visibility, insights, and compliance capabilities in a unified experience. AFM centralized its analytics and increased accuracy to make data-driven decisions faster using Fabric. What’s more, the organization has improved security and governance capabilities while improving operational efficiencies.

Centralizing data analytics and increasing visibility

Based in Texas, AFM is a small organization, but it has big ambitions and a wide reach. AFM was already using Microsoft technology for various use cases. For example, it used Microsoft Power Platform to streamline purchase order processing by creating a custom app with a simplified user interface. However, the organization wanted to perform a larger transformation that would improve its ability to generate insights from data and use them for crucial decisions.

With 42 data sources consisting mainly of manually maintained spreadsheets and with multiple reports coming in daily, AFM wanted to connect and centralize its data. “Before, employees created their own reports that were updated at different times, so the numbers might not match up,” says Quintin Rohrbaugh, Associate Business Analyst Manager at AFM. “We wanted our team to be on the same page when making decisions.”

Centralizing data would also give AFM the ability to automate processes and more control over governance. AFM chose to use Microsoft technology because it provided a software suite with built-in security and an affordable, scalable licensing model. AFM also recognized that it could position itself to be future-ready and prepared for forthcoming growth and opportunities by using Microsoft solutions.

Reducing weekly reporting time by 95%

AFM turned to Lantern, a Microsoft partner and consulting firm that helps its clients unlock the full power of Microsoft technology. Lantern, which has five Solutions Partner designations and specializes in the low-code space, previously helped AFM implement Microsoft Power BI. Lantern thus offered the Microsoft expertise that would help AFM use Fabric to centralize its data and develop a single source of truth for its decision-making. Fabric provides a unified experience that helps employees collaborate and access data they can trust. “One of the key items for me is looking at how we can create an architecture that brings best practices for the future, and that’s what Lantern has,” says Miguel Molina, Chief Financial Officer at AFM.

AFM worked with a project manager from Lantern to make sure every step of the Fabric implementation was on schedule, including moving AFM’s data from Power BI to a new data lake using OneLake in Microsoft Fabric, where it can view data in an intuitive hub that’s automatically indexed for discovery, sharing, governance, and compliance. Now, the company brings data directly into the data lake and makes edits using its semantic model, and it’s better able to use both structured and unstructured data. Then, it uses Power BI to build reports with accurate, up-to-date data. “Having this centralized, governed data lake helps the rest of the company to be on the same page when making decisions,” says Rohrbaugh.

AFM team members now have ownership of reporting instead of depending on hiring an agency, and they get results faster with automated processes. For one employee, the new system reduced weekly reporting time by 95%, saving them half a workday. Employees doing daily ad hoc reporting using Microsoft Excel can even connect directly to AFM’s semantic model using Fabric to create pivot tables and customize reports. 

Working toward automating 90% of manual processes

AFM is achieving significant cost savings and unlocking many benefits with its inspiring transformation. “With the cost structure that Microsoft offers, we have access to best-in-class tools that are not normally reachable for a small-to-medium-sized organization,” says Molina. With Fabric, the company can set up business rules to tailor security levels to each user’s needs, improving security without hampering accessibility. 

In addition, bringing all data into one location helps AFM’s marketing team, which uses insights from that data to improve its campaigns and drive growth. With more automation and better visibility, employees can focus on making data-driven decisions that add value. The research and analytics team has also doubled its productivity now that it no longer needs to retrieve data for other employees’ reports.

“It’s been inspiring to watch the momentum of everything from moving data sources to building out reporting,” says Drew Cordell, Technical Project Manager at Lantern. “We’re evaluating the data, verifying its trustworthiness, and determining how to share reports to support the business. We make sure everyone has the information they need to make the best decisions.”

AFM has begun working on a three-year program to automate its processes. “What’s exciting right now is that we have a strong foundation of data, and we can start thinking of next steps,” says Molina. The company aims to move from 90% manual data processes to no more than 10% manual processes by 2027 and expects these automations to have long-lasting effects. As part of this effort, it plans to use AI to help with automation and reduce costs.

Expanding visibility across the organization

By implementing Fabric, AFM has enhanced reporting, increased data accessibility, and improved security and governance. The organization’s transformation has positioned it comfortably for the future as it continues to pursue its goal of bolstering the growing avocado market. 

“The biggest impact is that we now have a system in place that is stable, sustainable, and can scale,” says Molina. “We didn’t have that before, and for me, it’s critical.”