Project Spotlight: Automating Procurement for a Leading Chilled Food Manufacturer

The Customer

A leading manufacturer of chilled food, supplying the top UK retailers and supermarkets.

£300M annual spend across three companies
New executive team focused on operational efficiency and cost control

The Problem

Limited visibility and control over spend, leading to inefficiencies and budget overruns
No centralised contract management, resulting in non-compliant purchasing and missed cost-saving opportunities
Manual, paper-based processes causing approval delays and administrative overhead

The Solution: Cobwebb Agility for Purchasing

The company implemented Cobwebb Agility for Purchasing, an automated solution to streamline and digitise procurement processes:

Web-Based Requisitioning – Employees create purchase requisitions via an intuitive interface, eliminating manual paperwork.
Seamless ERP Integration – Supplier details, products, and pricing are automatically pulled from the ERP.
Contract Compliance – Supplier contracts are referenced during the requisition process to ensure compliance.
Automated Approval Workflow – Digital workflows route approvals to the appropriate stakeholders, reducing delays.
Auto-Generated POs – Approved requisitions instantly convert into purchase orders (POs) in the ERP.
Document Archiving – All POs are automatically stored in Cobwebb Docstore for easy access and auditability.
Complete Audit Trail – Every action is logged, ensuring full transparency and accountability.

The Results

25% reduction in unauthorised spend due to improved visibility and compliance
50% faster procurement cycle times through automated workflows and approvals
Cost savings through contract enforcement, ensuring purchases align with pre-negotiated terms
100% digital document storage, eliminating paperwork and improving audit readiness
Increased operational efficiency, freeing up procurement teams for strategic tasks

Conclusion

By implementing Cobwebb Agility for Purchasing, the company gained real-time visibility into spend, enforced contract compliance, and eliminated inefficiencies—transforming procurement into a streamlined, strategic function.