Synlait - Best Tech Awards 2025 Intelligent ERP
Pure progress: Synlait’s RISE with SAP journey Download the DocumentSAP Australia and New
Zealand Best Tech Awards
2025
Zealand Best Tech Awards
2025
Best Tech SAP
Industry WebsiteProduct and Services Featured SAP Solutions
Dairy
Manufacturing,
Food &
Beverage
www.synlait.comNutritional milk products, infant
formula, milk powder, specialty
dairy ingredients
RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud,
private edition
Synlait Milk is a pioneering New Zealand-based dairy manufacturer producing premium nutritional products for global markets. Known for doing things
differently, Synlait combines expert farming, advanced processing, and a deep commitment to sustainability.
To support its growth and evolving needs, Synlait took a proactive step to modernise its core systems – transitioning from SAP S/4HANA 1909 (private cloud) to
the 2023 release on RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition. This version uplift strengthened disaster recovery and replaced inflexible legacy models
with a platform that could scale with the business.
Through RISE with SAP S/4HANA (private cloud) Synlait delivered a seamless transformation to a modern ERP platform. The move simplified complex systems,
improved reliability across critical operations, and laid the groundwork for faster, more confident decision-making.
Today, Synlait’s teams are focused on optimisation, automation, and exploring new technologies like AI that are supported by a stable, responsive platform that
reflects how the business works and where it’s heading. It’s a foundation that enables continuous improvement and supports Synlait’s purpose: to deliver
essential nutrition, sustainably and intelligently.
Pure progress: Synlait’s RISE with SAP
journey
Intelligent ERP
Industry WebsiteProduct and Services Featured SAP Solutions
Dairy
Manufacturing,
Food &
Beverage
www.synlait.comNutritional milk products, infant
formula, milk powder, specialty
dairy ingredients
RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud,
private edition
Synlait Milk is a pioneering New Zealand-based dairy manufacturer producing premium nutritional products for global markets. Known for doing things
differently, Synlait combines expert farming, advanced processing, and a deep commitment to sustainability.
To support its growth and evolving needs, Synlait took a proactive step to modernise its core systems – transitioning from SAP S/4HANA 1909 (private cloud) to
the 2023 release on RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition. This version uplift strengthened disaster recovery and replaced inflexible legacy models
with a platform that could scale with the business.
Through RISE with SAP S/4HANA (private cloud) Synlait delivered a seamless transformation to a modern ERP platform. The move simplified complex systems,
improved reliability across critical operations, and laid the groundwork for faster, more confident decision-making.
Today, Synlait’s teams are focused on optimisation, automation, and exploring new technologies like AI that are supported by a stable, responsive platform that
reflects how the business works and where it’s heading. It’s a foundation that enables continuous improvement and supports Synlait’s purpose: to deliver
essential nutrition, sustainably and intelligently.
Pure progress: Synlait’s RISE with SAP
journey
Intelligent ERP
Challenges
SAP has long supported Synlait’s operations, and in 2022 the business migrated to S/4 from a different ERP system. However, by that point, the
environment was running on a 2019 release and had started to show signs of instability. Core systems were four releases behind, limiting delivery
speed, flexibility, and the ability to adopt new SAP innovations.
System refreshes were time-consuming and costly, often taking weeks and requiring significant external support. The managed service model added
further complexity, with limited visibility and agility when changes were needed. Synlait also recognised the opportunity to strengthen its disaster
recovery process and build more resilience into its foundation – critical for a business with round-the-clock manufacturing operations.
The decision to modernise was all about setting up for faster, simpler, and more scalable ways of working. It was a chance to realign the platform with
how Synlait not only works today, but how it will work well into the future.
Key drivers for change included:
• A multi-version gap that made feature adoption more difficult
• Expensive, slow refresh cycles that constrained testing and delivery
• Infrastructure limitations that needed uplift
• A service model that restricted flexibility and system control
• A focus on future resilience, including improved DR confidence through regular testing
By stepping forward, Synlait created a platform where teams can move faster, deliver better, and build with confidence.
SAP has long supported Synlait’s operations, and in 2022 the business migrated to S/4 from a different ERP system. However, by that point, the
environment was running on a 2019 release and had started to show signs of instability. Core systems were four releases behind, limiting delivery
speed, flexibility, and the ability to adopt new SAP innovations.
System refreshes were time-consuming and costly, often taking weeks and requiring significant external support. The managed service model added
further complexity, with limited visibility and agility when changes were needed. Synlait also recognised the opportunity to strengthen its disaster
recovery process and build more resilience into its foundation – critical for a business with round-the-clock manufacturing operations.
The decision to modernise was all about setting up for faster, simpler, and more scalable ways of working. It was a chance to realign the platform with
how Synlait not only works today, but how it will work well into the future.
Key drivers for change included:
• A multi-version gap that made feature adoption more difficult
• Expensive, slow refresh cycles that constrained testing and delivery
• Infrastructure limitations that needed uplift
• A service model that restricted flexibility and system control
• A focus on future resilience, including improved DR confidence through regular testing
By stepping forward, Synlait created a platform where teams can move faster, deliver better, and build with confidence.
Solution
Synlait selected RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition as the foundation for its ERP transformation. The decision was driven by a desire to simplify
operations, reduce cost and complexity, and regain control over key system functions without disrupting business continuity.
Crucially, Synlait didn’t see this as a lift-and-shift. It was a strategic realignment: a clean, technical uplift to the latest version of S/4HANA, with a sharper
focus on stability, resilience, and platform readiness for AI and automation.
The project spanned approximately seven months, from mid-January to the end of August 2024. The final cutover was completed over a weekend within a
36-hour planned outage window, a result of detailed planning and strong execution that ensured minimal disruption to the business.
Synlait and SAP worked closely throughout the journey, combining deep technical expertise and business insight. SAP took end-to-end ownership of the
S/4HANA platform and specialist solutions like Global Batch Tracing, while Synlait led the way in capturing business requirements and driving change
management. As part of the uplift, Synlait also used the opportunity to move toward a cleaner core, reducing legacy customisations and aligning more
closely with SAP standard to enable faster upgrades and long-term agility.
Implementation highlights included:
- Full version uplift from 2019 to the latest S/4HANA release
- Infrastructure sizing increased within budget
- Project delivered on time, within budget, and to original requirements
- Collaborative delivery model between Synlait and SAP
- A clear reduction in system noise and support load
RISE gave Synlait the combination of control, simplicity and scalability it needed, and the confidence to build from a more stable, modern foundation.
Synlait selected RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition as the foundation for its ERP transformation. The decision was driven by a desire to simplify
operations, reduce cost and complexity, and regain control over key system functions without disrupting business continuity.
Crucially, Synlait didn’t see this as a lift-and-shift. It was a strategic realignment: a clean, technical uplift to the latest version of S/4HANA, with a sharper
focus on stability, resilience, and platform readiness for AI and automation.
The project spanned approximately seven months, from mid-January to the end of August 2024. The final cutover was completed over a weekend within a
36-hour planned outage window, a result of detailed planning and strong execution that ensured minimal disruption to the business.
Synlait and SAP worked closely throughout the journey, combining deep technical expertise and business insight. SAP took end-to-end ownership of the
S/4HANA platform and specialist solutions like Global Batch Tracing, while Synlait led the way in capturing business requirements and driving change
management. As part of the uplift, Synlait also used the opportunity to move toward a cleaner core, reducing legacy customisations and aligning more
closely with SAP standard to enable faster upgrades and long-term agility.
Implementation highlights included:
- Full version uplift from 2019 to the latest S/4HANA release
- Infrastructure sizing increased within budget
- Project delivered on time, within budget, and to original requirements
- Collaborative delivery model between Synlait and SAP
- A clear reduction in system noise and support load
RISE gave Synlait the combination of control, simplicity and scalability it needed, and the confidence to build from a more stable, modern foundation.
Impact
4-version ERP uplift completed
with 30-hour cutover and zero
business disruption
Zero unplanned downtime during
and after go-live
100% reduction in system refresh
costs
Synlait’s move to RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud has had an immediate impact on how the business operates, delivers change, and plans for the future. By
modernising its ERP environment, Synlait unlocked significant process improvements – removing friction, reducing cost, and increasing internal ownership over
system performance and delivery.
While Synlait already had an experienced internal team, they previously relied on a different support model and external partners for key system activities. The
shift to RISE introduced a new support structure that gave the team greater control, responsiveness, and visibility. System refreshes that once took weeks are
now completed in days. A fully validated disaster recovery capability has been embedded for the first time, giving the business increased confidence in
continuity planning. Teams now work on a stable, cloud-based platform that provides access to the latest SAP capabilities – and helps Synlait compete more
effectively for IT talent on the global stage.
The uplift has also driven measurable improvements in team productivity, system reliability, and employee engagement. What was once a constraint is now an
enabler: a modern foundation that supports smarter operations, better decision-making, and innovation at pace.
Key outcomes include:
- System refresh time reduced from weeks to days, at zero external cost
- Full disaster recovery capability embedded and validated
- Major drop in system noise and unplanned ERP incidents
- Greater internal control and delivery velocity across teams
- Increased readiness for automation, AI and data-led innovation
4-version ERP uplift completed
with 30-hour cutover and zero
business disruption
Zero unplanned downtime during
and after go-live
100% reduction in system refresh
costs
Synlait’s move to RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud has had an immediate impact on how the business operates, delivers change, and plans for the future. By
modernising its ERP environment, Synlait unlocked significant process improvements – removing friction, reducing cost, and increasing internal ownership over
system performance and delivery.
While Synlait already had an experienced internal team, they previously relied on a different support model and external partners for key system activities. The
shift to RISE introduced a new support structure that gave the team greater control, responsiveness, and visibility. System refreshes that once took weeks are
now completed in days. A fully validated disaster recovery capability has been embedded for the first time, giving the business increased confidence in
continuity planning. Teams now work on a stable, cloud-based platform that provides access to the latest SAP capabilities – and helps Synlait compete more
effectively for IT talent on the global stage.
The uplift has also driven measurable improvements in team productivity, system reliability, and employee engagement. What was once a constraint is now an
enabler: a modern foundation that supports smarter operations, better decision-making, and innovation at pace.
Key outcomes include:
- System refresh time reduced from weeks to days, at zero external cost
- Full disaster recovery capability embedded and validated
- Major drop in system noise and unplanned ERP incidents
- Greater internal control and delivery velocity across teams
- Increased readiness for automation, AI and data-led innovation
“”“Moving to RISE with SAP was about building on what we already
had, but doing it smarter. Our previous environment had served us,
but it came with limitations around stability, versioning, and
responsiveness. With SAP’s support, we’ve transitioned to a
platform that’s not only more robust but puts us in control.”
– Symon McHerron, Chief Digital Officer, Synlait Milk
had, but doing it smarter. Our previous environment had served us,
but it came with limitations around stability, versioning, and
responsiveness. With SAP’s support, we’ve transitioned to a
platform that’s not only more robust but puts us in control.”
– Symon McHerron, Chief Digital Officer, Synlait Milk