Strauss Group gears up to revolutionize the food industry using Azure cloud-enabled data

Headquartered in Israel, the Strauss Group offers food and drink products such as coffee, water, dairy, and chocolate to homes across the globe. The group’s 16,000 employees work in facilities spanning Israel, Europe, China, the US, Brazil, and more.

Strauss is on a mission to nourish a better tomorrow and is committed to finding more innovative and sustainable food sources for the future. “We want to find better, safer food options that will help us ensure that the world’s food demand is always met. Technology is the best way to do this,” explains Yoram Sadan, Vice President, Group Chief Information Officer and Digital Officer at Strauss Group.

Migrating Strauss’s IT infrastructure to the cloud was the first step. With it, the company could digitize logistics, streamline its operations, and use information and insights to become a data-driven organization. Sadan believes that collating all data ranging from consumer experience to production, and ensuring the right person has access to the relevant data is essential for better service quality. “With increased data visibility, we will be able to understand our consumers better and provide the products and services they need,” he says. “It will enable us to transform how we operate and form more effective business models.”

Leveraging the power of combined data

Previously, the company was operating with several legacy systems and multiple data silos scattered globally. To unify the systems, Microsoft helps Sadan and his team to break down the silos, build Data Services that combine all the sources of information, and streamline the many solutions into one single enterprise platform built on Azure.

Strauss’s on-premises SAP servers will also be upgraded and moved to the cloud during the process. Sadan says, “We can connect all our data and combine multiple legacy systems on one enterprise platform with Azure.” By 2025, Strauss aims to have 80 percent of its infrastructure on Azure.

Using data to accelerate innovation

The new data platform will also leverage Power Platform to build an easy-to-use, one-of-a-kind visualization tool for all companies to offer increased transparency, visibility, and data analysis. This includes using insights from the production line to optimize manufacturing efficiency and predict maintenance at the factories. The data can also be used to understand market demand and manage stocks and supplies, as well as ensure the quality of products.

Sadan is confident that Strauss can now be even more innovative in the food sector by developing its innovation lab further. “We want to use the space to focus on updating the food chain and find the best way to bring value to Strauss and our consumers,” he says. “With Microsoft’s assistance, there are many innovations we want to bring to our daily activities. This includes using IoT to develop a newer model of Strauss WaterBars, which are environmentally friendly heating and cooling water devices.”

Working towards a common goal

Helping Strauss in its digital transformation was the Microsoft team. Sadan was looking for a technology partner who would share the company’s vision and provide solutions for Strauss’ operations from production to supply chain management, and sales and marketing. He says, “I knew that Microsoft had diverse knowledge and the know-how to support our type of enterprise.”

For Strauss, having seamless integration on the cloud is just the starting point. “Every domain at Strauss will be transformed. With Microsoft’s support, we are revolutionizing how we function as a company,” concludes Sadan.