Really good beer starts with quality ingredients. Then it requires a mix of experience and know-how in crafting a recipe that balances the bitterness of the hops with the sweetness and aroma of the malt. Green Flash Brewery knows all about balance.
Established in 2002 as an independent craft brewery, the company achieved great success with the launch of its groundbreaking WestCoast IPA. Soon after, the company expanded its product range and distribution network to take advantage of the growing taste for artisan beers in the U.S. However, the company’s manufacturing management system that had worked so well with one product couldn’t provide the flexibility or functionality to support Green Flash’s growth goals.
The company’s CFO began a search for a system that would support growth without breaking the bank. Traditional enterprise resources planning, or ERP, systems can be costly for mid-sized companies to implement due to the customization needed to meet unique manufacturing process requirements. Green Flash needed an ERP that could integrate its processes and make information available to stakeholders so it could innovate product lines and increase sales.
Enter the manufacturing cloud.
A manufacturing cloud ERP system gives the company world-class functionality without the unpredictable costs, upkeep or headaches of legacy ERP systems. Not only does Green Flash get improved manufacturing processes to support its growth, it also gains access to accurate and timely data that helps management make more informed decisions. In one case, the company discovered that a less expensive alternative malt supplier was actually lower on yields. This valuable information validated the team’s decision to stick with its existing supplier. At the production level, Green Flash relies on its cloud ERP’s audit trail functionality, available on every screen for everyone to access, to ensure internal controls and on-the-spot troubleshooting.
The ability to grow without worrying about massive IT infrastructure investments or having to create a large IT team has enabled Green Flash to focus on what it does best—making more quality beer. The grand opening of a second brewery in Virginia Beach is scheduled for 2016. With another 100,000-barrel capacity, Green Flash will be able to share even more of its beer with fans across the globe.
Learn more. Download the white paper, The Benefits of Cloud ERP for Food and Beverage.