Fyffes’ Global Fruit Distribution Powered by Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP

For over 130 years, Fyffes has been one of the world's largest tropical produce importers and distributors. Since 1993, the company has relied on Aptean’s process manufacturing enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to power its operations. The 32-year partnership between provider and customer has evolved through multiple software versions and corporate ownership changes.

Ready to leverage modern cloud technology and enhanced functionality after 14 years on its previous version, Fyffes recently upgraded to the latest version of Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP Ross Edition (formerly Ross ERP).

The IT Philosophy Behind a 32-Year ERP Partnership

When you're moving tropical produce with tight perishability windows internationally, your ERP system needs to function reliably without constant attention. Luis Fernando Caicedo, Director of IT at Fyffes, has built his technology strategy around this reality.

"There's no sense in putting resources, time and energy into managing servers, systems, patching, all that stuff," he explains. "Because at the end of the day, those are things that take out energy from you or put your mind in another place. So, you need to focus more on how to be an ally to the business."

Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP Ross Edition serves as what Caicedo calls "a reliable backbone to the organization," purpose-built for the unique demands of food distribution. “When we evaluated Ross, we saw that it was going to be a very good solution because it accommodates very well to our processes," he shared.

Despite the platform's proven consistency and flexibility, the decision to stay with Aptean’s process manufacturing ERP for more than three decades has not been automatic. Over the years, Fyffes has faced pressure to change technology stack from shareholders who have used different ERP systems.

"They were pushing us in that direction, but we fought to stay with Ross, and I think it was a very good decision," Caicedo explained.

Fyffes’ Growth From Single-Source to Multi-Origin Supplier

Since Fyffes started using Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP, the company has grown far beyond its origins as a single-vendor operation. It now manages multiple partners across numerous countries, delivering produce to ports throughout the U.S. and Canada. A later transition from breakbulk vessels to containerized shipping has added another layer of operational complexity.

Through these shifts, the ERP system built for process manufacturers adapted smoothly to each new business requirement.

"Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP is a flexible system, and throughout our last two decades we have had significant business changes. We have been able to accommodate very easily. There has been almost no impact, no disruptions during these business changes,” recalled Caicedo.

“Whenever we have challenges or new projects, one of the least concerns we have is the system. The less I hear about the ERP, the better it is. And I hear almost nothing," Caicedo said.

Aptean Deployed ERP Upgrade in a Tight Timeframe

While Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP has been a reliable platform for three decades, after 14 years on an outdated version, Fyffes knew it was time for an upgrade.

"We had two main challenges. One was outdated software or end-of-life software, and the other one was related to all the cybersecurity challenges that this implies," Caicedo said.

The company set an ambitious six-month timeline for upgrading to the latest ERP version, including refreshing all surrounding systems. Despite it being a 90-95% remote implementation, which is unusual for an ERP project, the results exceeded expectations.

"The Aptean team was always on top of the implementation. All the tasks were done diligently with high quality," Caicedo emphasised. The project finished with only a one-week delay, which Caicedo called "a record."

Aptean's global support structure remained dependable throughout deployment, leading to what Caicedo described as "a very seamless implementation." He credits the partnership as a key component: "The success of the implementation and of the uplift was because of Aptean’s team."

Ready To Explore New AI Features With AppCentral

Fyffes is now building towards what Caicedo calls being "future ready." After attending Aptean's UNITE customer event and exploring the artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities of Aptean solutions, he sees clear cohesion with Fyffes' IT vision.

Fyffes has already developed internal AI assistants and sees potential in combining these with Aptean's expanding capabilities through the new AppCentral AI-powered platform, which offers integration between various Aptean systems and tons of smart AI functionalities to streamline end-to-end processes.

Caicedo's three-year IT roadmap includes standardizing custom solutions into the Aptean suite and leveraging new capabilities in analytics and AI that will provide competitive advantages.

"What I'm seeing at Aptean, and what the company is building makes a lot of sense and is very aligned with what we're doing," Caicedo shared. “For sure, Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP Ross Edition is going to be an enabler.”

Fyffes Remains Committed to Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP

For a company that introduced the world's first branded fruit in 1929 and now employs 8,700 people globally, growing from a single market innovator to a multi-continent distributor demands an ERP system that can evolve and scale alongside the business.

Fyffes’ long-standing partnership with Aptean and its process manufacturing ERP software demonstrates the value of choosing a technology partner that delivers continuous innovation through decades of change.

"I know I'm going to stay with Aptean much more than the 32 years we've already been together,” Caicedo concluded.

Ready to scale your food distribution business? Request a demo to see how an Aptean ERP can support your infrastructure.

Want to learn more about UNITE, our annual customer conference? This page has information on this year’s event and a link to pre-register.