Beltaste implements an S&OP process with Optimact.
The fact that snack specialist Beltaste has been performing well for a long time is beyond doubt. However, with further growth in mind, the organization wanted to improve even more. With the support of Optimact Consulting, Beltaste initiated the transition to a mature S&OP process, linked to improved forecasting and demand planning. The result is a leading process that provides direction to the company and facilitates continuous improvement. In this, Optimact’s tool offers support on multiple fronts.
Who is Beltaste?
Beltaste originated from the Belgian family business Vanreusel Snacks. The success story began in 1953, when Paul Vanreusel started trading in artisanal charcuterie. In 1970, he switched to frozen snacks. Six years later, his four sons took over the business. In the early 1990s, the company significantly expanded its production capacity. Today, the third generation is in charge of the company. The organization generates an annual turnover of close to eighty million euros and employs 375 people.
In addition to its production site in Hamont-Achel (Limburg), Beltaste operates facilities in Morahalom, Hungary, and Aalsmeer in the Netherlands. The Belgian plant focuses on cooked and fried products, the Hungarian site on skewered products such as satays, and the Dutch site on artisanal croquettes and meatballs. Last year, the three sites together produced approximately 26,000 tons of snacks.
The frozen meat snacks are sold under the brands Vanreusel, Oma Bos, and Prime-Grill. Beltaste is a long-standing partner of foodservice companies supplying, among others, restaurants and snack bars. Key growth markets include leisure, fuel stations, retail, and B2B companies. The company focuses on both organic growth and expansion through acquisitions.
S&OP within the project roadmap
Luc Slenders has been working at Beltaste for five years. As PMO and IT Manager, he focuses on large-scale projects aimed at strengthening collaboration between IT and the business. “A few years ago, we launched the S&OP improvement trajectory. It is one of the most important projects within a whole series of optimizations that we have named the ‘From Good to Great’ improvement program,” he explains.
In preparation for the S&OP improvement trajectory, Beltaste asked Optimact Consulting to conduct an in-depth preliminary study.
Luc Slenders: “Based on that, we wanted to draw up an action plan for further professionalization. We sensed that our processes had become misaligned over the years, but we struggled to pinpoint the root causes. We also wanted advice on how to adjust our organization and people. In addition, we wanted to know which available data we could use to become more steering-driven and which data we were still missing.”
The analysis by Optimact Consulting revealed several pain points. Based on these findings, improvement projects were subsequently defined and implemented.
To support the new processes, Beltaste also searched for the right software support. “The plan was to renew our entire application landscape,” says Luc Slenders. “We wanted to replace our outdated ERP solution with a best-of-breed infrastructure. In addition to a new ERP, we wanted to implement several specialized solutions, for example for demand planning and forecasting.”
Actions based on pain points
Luc Slenders explains the pain points and the associated projects related to S&OP, forecasting & demand, and detailed scheduling.
During the implementation of these subprojects, Beltaste consistently applied the ‘first things first’ principle and worked in phases. This allowed lessons learned to be incorporated into subsequent phases. “We systematically asked ourselves: what do we really need, which ‘nice-to-haves’ can be added later, and what is unnecessary,” he explains. “To clarify this, we developed clear definitions and a solid project structure. We also worked hard to get our master data right—if that’s not correct, you can’t build solid processes. We documented our processes as well, requiring key users to describe their work in detail. Based on that, we created work instructions.”
The S&OP improvement trajectory
The Optimact Consulting analysis showed that a true S&OP process was lacking at Beltaste. There was insufficient structure, KPIs, and organizational alignment. Meetings were too operational and lacked mid-term planning.
Organizationally, the sales team needed to be more involved. It was also important to elevate the S&OP process to C-level—not only the CEO, CSO, and COO, but certainly also the CFO. Optimact Consulting advised revitalizing the meetings so they would deliver more added value. “In other words, we aimed for a full-fledged S&OP process with clear responsibilities and decision-making meetings,” Luc Slenders summarizes.
Initially, there was some doubt within the organization about the need for an advanced S&OP process. “To be honest, we weren’t doing badly,” acknowledges Luc Slenders. “But at the same time, we are growing strongly in multiple markets. Many markets are becoming more complex, and sooner or later we would hit our limits. We were working very hard, but collaboration between departments could be better. We were mainly firefighting and dealing with many last-minute changes.”
S&OP was necessary to shift to a proactive approach. The new processes had to increase supply chain visibility, connect sales and production plans, enable better forecasts and cross-functional alignment, and support better decision-making based on accurate data.
To properly manage the S&OP process, Optimact Consulting advised appointing a demand planner. “To achieve quick results, we first brought in a temporary expert,” says Luc Slenders. “He helped shape the meeting agendas, collected data, defined KPIs, and set up a RACI model to clarify roles and responsibilities. Meanwhile, we recruited a permanent demand planner who took over after a transition period. This demand planner facilitates all meetings, performs preparatory analyses, and coordinates S&OP planning.”
The new S&OP process developed together with Optimact Consulting starts with the Product Lifecycle Management review, focusing on expected product changes. The outcomes flow into the demand review, where sales and marketing estimate unconstrained market demand without considering production capacity. Supply then assesses these estimates during the supply review and develops the best possible supply plan. The final step is the S&OP review, where executive management joins to make key decisions and assess whether the organization is moving in the right direction. The result is the S&OP plan, after which the cycle returns to the PLM review for the next iteration. This monthly cycle enables continuous improvement.
To support the S&OP process, Beltaste implemented Optimact ‘s cloud-based software, enabling better data-driven decision-making. “With Optimact, we can generate our OTIF score on a monthly basis,” explains Luc Slenders. “We can also easily compare our forecasts with actual sales. This is, of course, crucial input for the S&OP process.”
Improvement project for forecasting and demand planning
The Optimact Consulting analyses also revealed numerous improvement opportunities in forecasting and demand planning. Forecasting involved many manual calculations and was overly detailed in Excel (weekly forecasts per customer, including all promotions, events, etc.). Adjustments were made almost daily, which is ineffective in a monthly planning cycle. In addition, sales was insufficiently involved in the forecasting process.
On the demand side, Beltaste lacked visibility into incoming orders, largely due to the outdated ERP system. Orders were printed and placed in a tray until the day before delivery. Forecasts were often misused to trigger requirements, including artificial forecasts for make-to-order items. Shortages were not recorded, resulting in a theoretical OTIF of 100%, which did not reflect reality.
A new forecasting approach was developed to make forecasts more accurate and less time-consuming. “Today, Optimact performs statistical calculations based on historical sales,” says Slenders. “Then we involve the sales team, which adds expected promotions and events. Next, a general sales forecast estimates increases or decreases per product—such as expected growth for newly introduced products. This results in an unconstrained forecast that is submitted to supply.”
By increasing order visibility, Beltaste gained better insight into market demand, again using Optimact. The system now captures all available customer demand data, allowing longer-term consumption to be included in forecasts. Misuse of the system was eliminated, resulting in more accurate figures. Shortages are now registered and integrated into Optimact, providing clearer insight into gaps. The reports generated offer valuable insights, enabling sales to adjust more effectively.
Thanks to this new way of working, customer discussions are better prepared. “Previously, they were based on gut feeling; now our people go to customers with concrete figures,” explains Slenders. “We can accurately compare forecasts with actual sales, continuously improving forecast accuracy and ultimately managing our production more effectively.”
Improvement project for detailed scheduling
The analyses also showed that detailed scheduling at Beltaste was overly complex and manual. Numerous parameters had to be considered to determine machine and personnel availability, compounded by limited storage capacity. Purchase orders were manually entered into the ERP, consuming significant time. One person was responsible for weekly planning, requiring nearly four days per week to complete, leaving little time for fine-tuning and putting heavy pressure on the planner.
Optimact’s integrated planning and detailed scheduling modules provided relief. “They made planning far more user-friendly and less time-consuming,” says Slenders. “Our planner now works with a clear digital planning board, including drag-and-drop functionality. The tool also supports optimal batch sizes and alternative production lines. Once our new ERP, Microsoft Business Central, is live, production orders will be imported automatically, eliminating manual entry.”
Further optimization
“We can safely say we have moved from working hard to working smart together,” Luc Slenders concludes. “We now have an S&OP process based on unambiguous KPIs and reports. The sales team is actively involved. Our MRP calculations are much more accurate, and visual detailed scheduling has halved our planning time.”
With the foundation in place, the challenge is to further embed S&OP within the organization. “We are now developing new insights and additional reporting. Fortunately, employees are embracing the changes. They appreciate having reliable figures and saving time with Optimact,” says Slenders. “In the next phase, we want to implement the inventory management module to optimize warehouse operations. We also want to integrate detailed scheduling with our HR tool to better understand workforce availability. And, of course, we expect a lot from the integration with our new ERP.”
Luc Slenders concludes with advice for companies embarking on a similar journey: “First, clean up your mess—get your master data in order and straighten out misaligned processes. Build a strong project team. Don’t underestimate the change management impact when altering processes and rolling out tools people use daily. Involve employees closely and make clear that some things may need to be given up for the greater good. And last but not least: ensure full and ongoing support from your CEO during S&OP meetings. With those elements in place, you have a solid foundation to build on.”
