SAP SE has announced that Co-op, one of the world’s largest consumer cooperatives, has completed its migration to RISE with SAP, a significant step in its digital transformation initiative aimed at standardizing business processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and driving future investments.
Operating nearly 2,400 stores across the UK, Co-op’s strategy focuses on growth while maintaining the delivery of high-quality goods and services to its global customers. Central to this strategy is the adoption of advanced technology to modernize its IT infrastructure, safeguard against supply chain disruptions, and meet evolving consumer expectations.
As a long-time SAP customer, Co-op launched its Retail Business Transformation program in 2016, leveraging SAP’s Retail ECC Suite on HANA to improve product ranging, stock visibility, and forecasting. The recent implementation of RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud elevates Co-op’s IT framework, transitioning its ERP system to the cloud, and optimizing its finance and procurement operations.
With SAP’s managed platform, Co-op will benefit from enhanced stability of crucial applications such as Forecast and Replenishment, and Stock Availability. The migration promises improved security, faster automation, and real-time data capture across manufacturing supply chains, fostering a secure IT environment and laying the groundwork for future innovation in collaboration with SAP.
Rob Elsey, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Co-op, emphasized the cooperative’s values of fairness and better business practices. He stated, “By building on our existing forecasting, ranging, and stock holding capabilities initially made possible by SAP, the move to RISE will transform our operations with the digital infrastructure needed to deliver a safe and secure business environment in the cloud.”
Ryan Poggi, Managing Director of SAP UK&I, highlighted the alignment of Co-op’s community-focused values with SAP’s mission. He said, “By embracing RISE with SAP, Co-op will advance its procurement and finance processes, showcasing the critical role of technology investment in enhancing business and customer services. This equips Co-op to innovate and provide goods and services efficiently, both now and in the future.”
This strategic move positions Co-op to enhance its customer experience, ensuring operational excellence and robust IT infrastructure to meet future challenges and opportunities.
