For Great Fermentations, a family-run business specializing in home beer and wine ingredients and equipment, staying ahead in a competitive market requires operational efficiency. By leveraging Odoo’s integrated solutions, they have streamlined inventory management, purchasing, and e-commerce, saving time and resources.
Founded 30 years ago, Great Fermentations began when Bryan Johnson’s stepmother sought a change from the corporate world, inspired by her love for cooking and her husband’s passion for homebrewing. At the time, that was a niche hobby, but they saw its potential and took the leap into entrepreneurship.
Over the years, Great Fermentations expanded its offerings to include kombucha, cheese, and sake-making supplies, but beer and wine remain its core business. The company has carved out a competitive advantage by allowing customers to purchase ingredients in fractional quantities, an option no competitor offers.
"We allow our customers to buy brewing malt in sub-pound increments, like 0.25 or 1.8 pounds, a level of flexibility that sets us apart in the industry."
The Struggles of an Outdated System
Before implementing Odoo, Great Fermentations faced significant operational challenges that blocked efficiency: Their disconnected systems (an e-commerce platform and ERP that didn’t integrate) forced manual work and caused data inconsistencies; at the same time, accurate product ordering required warehouse staff to manually check stock levels due to poor inventory tracking, while their self-hosted ERP added to the challenges by demanding constant maintenance and raising concerns about security and potential downtime.
The company previously relied on an off-the-shelf ERP system with closed-code architecture, offering no customization. Any modifications required risky database workarounds. Bryan also evaluated CIN7 and Dear Systems but found that these solutions were primarily designed for inventory management or accounting add-ons rather than full-fledged ERP systems.
"Other systems were just patched-together solutions. Odoo was designed from the ground up as a true ERP, and that’s what made the difference."
Odoo: A Game Changer
Bryan was familiar with Open ERP for years, but he only reconsidered it when an Odoo sales representative reached out. Initially, he declined due to pricing, but after Odoo revamped its pricing model six months later, it became a viable option for the business.
Since adopting Odoo, Great Fermentations has seen a major transformation in daily operations:
Product Listings: Previously, Bryan had to manually update product details in two separate systems. Now, with Odoo, price updates, attributes, and sales sync instantly across all platforms.
Ordering Process: The company now leverages Odoo’s replenishment feature, allowing staff to order stock directly from their desks. Previously, their purchaser physically walked the warehouse to scan stock levels. By inputting minimum and maximum stock levels, they now order only what they need, eliminating excessive stockpiles.
Inventory Cost Reduction: Before Odoo, they often carried up to three years' worth of stock due to inefficient ordering. Now, they’ve reduced their inventory levels to just two months’ worth, improving cash flow and efficiency.
Shipping Notifications: Previously, sending order shipment emails was a 10-minute manual task at the end of each day. Odoo now automatically notifies customers when an order is shipped. Over the course of a year, this has saved them 40 hours of manual work.
"Just by automating our shipping notifications, we saved an entire workweek's worth of time per year. And that’s just one feature!.”
Scaling up with Odoo
With Odoo fully implemented, the company is now in a position to maximize its capabilities. Next steps include:
- Migrating a second e-commerce website (currently running on Shopify) to Odoo.
- Enhancing internal processes to ensure all business functions run through Odoo.
- Refining inventory tracking by continuing to optimize replenishment settings.
On the business side, Great Fermentations is navigating industry shifts. With homebrewing on a downturn, their strategy is to stay visible to new customers searching for suppliers as competitors exit the market.
For any business struggling with outdated, disconnected systems, Great Fermentations’ story highlights the power of an integrated ERP solution. From streamlining inventory and purchasing to automating tedious manual tasks, Odoo provides real-time insights and operational control. If you're looking to optimize your business operations, explore Odoo’s suite of business applications today!
