Ferrara Candy Company - SAP Innovation Awards 2026
Finalist in the Cloud ERP Champion category: Ferrara Candy Company implemented a greenfield, end-to-end SAP transformation, standardizing 99% of business processes across planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, financials, commercialization, and fulfillment. Leveraging SAP Business Technology Platform and AI, Ferrara achieved 98%+ data quality, streamlined operations, and scalable governance, positioning itself for rapid growth and innovation. Entry 26136 Download the DocumentInnovation Story
PUBLIC
Ferrara Candy Company
Consumer Products
Cloud ERP Champion
Realizing the mission of being
the #1 Sugar Confectioner
Globally with a Strong Digital
Core through AI Accelerated SAP
Delivery
PUBLIC
Ferrara Candy Company
Consumer Products
Cloud ERP Champion
Realizing the mission of being
the #1 Sugar Confectioner
Globally with a Strong Digital
Core through AI Accelerated SAP
Delivery
Realizing the mission of being #1 Sugar Confectioner
Globally with Strong Digital Core through AI
Accelerated SAP Delivery: RISE with SAP S/4HANA
Cloud powered by SAP Business Technology Platform
2© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC
Ferrara implemented greenfield, end-to-end SAP transformation that standardized 99% of business
processes using best-in-class SAP capabilities across planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics,
financials, commercialization and fulfillment—while adhering to RISE with SAP Clean Core principles.
By combining SAP Signavio Process Modeler (EML) with an industry best-practice process model and
leveraging SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) and real-time integration patterns, we sim-
plified the enterprise landscape, modernized the operating model, and executed a 25-module
full-scale Big Bang go-live across one of the largest digital footprints. The program also established a
new bar for data reliability, achieving 98%+ data quality across 1.5M+ data points spanning material,
customer, vendor, and finance domains leveraging Syniti RISE platform. With applications and data
aligned, Ferrara can now operationalize AI and automation to accelerate decision-making and
execution: smarter planning and availability promises, faster exception management, higher-quality
testing and release cycles, and more scalable governance. The result is a platform that gives Ferrara
the agility to scale rapidly as business models evolve, whether through organic growth, inorganic
growth (M&A integration), or the adoption of emerging technologies—without reintroducing complexity
or sacrificing upgradeability. This positions Ferrara to turn every improvement into the next: better
processes generate better data, better data fuels better AI, and better AI continuously elevates the
applications—creating compounding value over time.
Globally with Strong Digital Core through AI
Accelerated SAP Delivery: RISE with SAP S/4HANA
Cloud powered by SAP Business Technology Platform
2© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC
Ferrara implemented greenfield, end-to-end SAP transformation that standardized 99% of business
processes using best-in-class SAP capabilities across planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics,
financials, commercialization and fulfillment—while adhering to RISE with SAP Clean Core principles.
By combining SAP Signavio Process Modeler (EML) with an industry best-practice process model and
leveraging SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) and real-time integration patterns, we sim-
plified the enterprise landscape, modernized the operating model, and executed a 25-module
full-scale Big Bang go-live across one of the largest digital footprints. The program also established a
new bar for data reliability, achieving 98%+ data quality across 1.5M+ data points spanning material,
customer, vendor, and finance domains leveraging Syniti RISE platform. With applications and data
aligned, Ferrara can now operationalize AI and automation to accelerate decision-making and
execution: smarter planning and availability promises, faster exception management, higher-quality
testing and release cycles, and more scalable governance. The result is a platform that gives Ferrara
the agility to scale rapidly as business models evolve, whether through organic growth, inorganic
growth (M&A integration), or the adoption of emerging technologies—without reintroducing complexity
or sacrificing upgradeability. This positions Ferrara to turn every improvement into the next: better
processes generate better data, better data fuels better AI, and better AI continuously elevates the
applications—creating compounding value over time.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CHALLENGE SOLUTION OUTCOME
Realizing the mission of being #1 Sugar Confectioner Globally with
Strong Digital Core: RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud powered by SAP BTP
Ferrara ran through several business operational
challenges due to lack of advancement in technology for ERP
and associated applications. The business case
involved pain points across all major business functions. On
time in Full (OTIF) was at low % with more than 10%
leakages. There were manual processes for procurement
and demand/supply planning causing several
inefficiencies. Document incompletion and lack of data
integrity was pervasive.
Ferrara’s goal is the become a globally #1 sugar
confectioner and grow at a steep rate with faster
acquisitions and mergers in next 5 years.
$15M Landscape
reduction
Decommission 55 Legacy Applications (20 direct
+ 35 indirect) over 5 years
Harmonized IT landscape for efficient processes
and lower TCO over 5 years
2X On Time in Full
(OTIF)
Automation/ prioritization using AATP with no
backorders
Radical improvement in compliance for supplier
on boarding and spend management using Ariba
Business Network and co-hosted GTS (1st across
globe) for sanctioned parties
3-5 Days
Month-end
Closing Period
Reduced from 8-10 days of month-end close
eliminating inefficient processes
AI enabled AR/AP automation using Hi Radius
and Open Text VIM complimenting SAP
Financials
© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC 3
Ferrara implemented a Greenfield implementation on RISE
with SAP — SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition powered by
SAP BTP (SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP)), SAP
PLM, SAP Ariba suite, AATP, embedded SAP
EWM/MDG/GTS, GRC, analytics, tax), heavily leveraging
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) and real-time
integration. Innovation: fit-to-standard at ~99%, SAP Signavio
+ Deloitte CPG best practices, and AI/automation for PMO/
Testing, specs, and user stories. Approach: end-to-end
process redesign plus operating-model change, with rigorous
risk/contingency planning and test discipline.
Result: big-bang go-live across 25 modules, 98%+
master/finance data quality (>1.5M points), and a scalable
platform for growth.
Implemented RISE with SAP — SAP S/4HANA Cloud to position
Ferrara to capitalize on the Application–Data–AI flywheel,
creating a scalable digital core and standardized processes that
can evolve with new business models, technology advances, and
organic/inorganic growth. Leveraged optimization of
operations using Heuristics based deployment and
Transport Load Builder. The program moved Ferrara from
“Emerging” to “Leader” across key end-to-end process
capabilities, supporting FCC’s ambition to become the
world’s #1 sugar confectioner. Outcomes included improved oper-
ational performance reduced cost-to-serve, and a better user ex-
perience. It also increased confidence across Business and IT
and produced a reusable implementation playbook for future
expansions.
CHALLENGE SOLUTION OUTCOME
Realizing the mission of being #1 Sugar Confectioner Globally with
Strong Digital Core: RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud powered by SAP BTP
Ferrara ran through several business operational
challenges due to lack of advancement in technology for ERP
and associated applications. The business case
involved pain points across all major business functions. On
time in Full (OTIF) was at low % with more than 10%
leakages. There were manual processes for procurement
and demand/supply planning causing several
inefficiencies. Document incompletion and lack of data
integrity was pervasive.
Ferrara’s goal is the become a globally #1 sugar
confectioner and grow at a steep rate with faster
acquisitions and mergers in next 5 years.
$15M Landscape
reduction
Decommission 55 Legacy Applications (20 direct
+ 35 indirect) over 5 years
Harmonized IT landscape for efficient processes
and lower TCO over 5 years
2X On Time in Full
(OTIF)
Automation/ prioritization using AATP with no
backorders
Radical improvement in compliance for supplier
on boarding and spend management using Ariba
Business Network and co-hosted GTS (1st across
globe) for sanctioned parties
3-5 Days
Month-end
Closing Period
Reduced from 8-10 days of month-end close
eliminating inefficient processes
AI enabled AR/AP automation using Hi Radius
and Open Text VIM complimenting SAP
Financials
© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC 3
Ferrara implemented a Greenfield implementation on RISE
with SAP — SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition powered by
SAP BTP (SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP)), SAP
PLM, SAP Ariba suite, AATP, embedded SAP
EWM/MDG/GTS, GRC, analytics, tax), heavily leveraging
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) and real-time
integration. Innovation: fit-to-standard at ~99%, SAP Signavio
+ Deloitte CPG best practices, and AI/automation for PMO/
Testing, specs, and user stories. Approach: end-to-end
process redesign plus operating-model change, with rigorous
risk/contingency planning and test discipline.
Result: big-bang go-live across 25 modules, 98%+
master/finance data quality (>1.5M points), and a scalable
platform for growth.
Implemented RISE with SAP — SAP S/4HANA Cloud to position
Ferrara to capitalize on the Application–Data–AI flywheel,
creating a scalable digital core and standardized processes that
can evolve with new business models, technology advances, and
organic/inorganic growth. Leveraged optimization of
operations using Heuristics based deployment and
Transport Load Builder. The program moved Ferrara from
“Emerging” to “Leader” across key end-to-end process
capabilities, supporting FCC’s ambition to become the
world’s #1 sugar confectioner. Outcomes included improved oper-
ational performance reduced cost-to-serve, and a better user ex-
perience. It also increased confidence across Business and IT
and produced a reusable implementation playbook for future
expansions.
Project details
PROJECT OBJECTIVES USE CASE
DEPLOYMENT COUNTRY DEPLOYMENT DATE NUMBER OF END USERS TRANSACTION VOLUME
Ferrara’s SAP S/4HANA Cloud program was the organization's largest
business transformation initiative led with the objective of making Ferrara
nimble to Mergers & Acquisitions of the future by fostering a repeatable
methodology for harmonized IT enablement (global template based with
requisite localizations) across core business functions including
manufacturing, quality, product innovations, supply-chain planning, finance,
sales, logistics, tax, GTS & procurement.
Project Symphony is a new heartbeat for how Ferrara works across borders.
Ferrara standardized how they launch ideas, plan, sell, make, and deliver—
using a world-class SAP S/4HANA core, all thanks to IT strategic
implementation partner and every single Ferrara champion in the US and
Mexico.
Autonomous Factory-to-Cash Orchestrator” (Closed-loop, event-driven)
Moved from periodic planning + reactive expediting to a near-real-time, AI-
assisted operating model where every disruption (supplier delay, quality
escape, line constraint, logistics exception, pricing/promo spike, cash risk)
triggers an orchestrated, cross-functional response—with auditability and
financial impact visible instantly.
• Minutes-to-mitigation: disruptions automatically generate a playbook
(reroute, re-source, re-sequence, expedite, allocate inventory, adjust
promise dates) with margin + cash impact before execution.
• Quality-to-supplier closed loop: a quality issue automatically drives
quarantine, traceability, supplier chargeback, and next-lot inspection
tightening—without spreadsheet handoffs.
• Finance embedded in operations: every operational decision shows P&L /
working capital / revenue-at-risk impact in the same cockpit.
Accomplished use case with 99.1 % Clean Core “Stick to Standard”
Principle
US, Mexico November 3, 2025 3,800 • 500K Accounting Docs per month
• 20K production orders per month
• 12K deliveries per month
© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC 4
PROJECT OBJECTIVES USE CASE
DEPLOYMENT COUNTRY DEPLOYMENT DATE NUMBER OF END USERS TRANSACTION VOLUME
Ferrara’s SAP S/4HANA Cloud program was the organization's largest
business transformation initiative led with the objective of making Ferrara
nimble to Mergers & Acquisitions of the future by fostering a repeatable
methodology for harmonized IT enablement (global template based with
requisite localizations) across core business functions including
manufacturing, quality, product innovations, supply-chain planning, finance,
sales, logistics, tax, GTS & procurement.
Project Symphony is a new heartbeat for how Ferrara works across borders.
Ferrara standardized how they launch ideas, plan, sell, make, and deliver—
using a world-class SAP S/4HANA core, all thanks to IT strategic
implementation partner and every single Ferrara champion in the US and
Mexico.
Autonomous Factory-to-Cash Orchestrator” (Closed-loop, event-driven)
Moved from periodic planning + reactive expediting to a near-real-time, AI-
assisted operating model where every disruption (supplier delay, quality
escape, line constraint, logistics exception, pricing/promo spike, cash risk)
triggers an orchestrated, cross-functional response—with auditability and
financial impact visible instantly.
• Minutes-to-mitigation: disruptions automatically generate a playbook
(reroute, re-source, re-sequence, expedite, allocate inventory, adjust
promise dates) with margin + cash impact before execution.
• Quality-to-supplier closed loop: a quality issue automatically drives
quarantine, traceability, supplier chargeback, and next-lot inspection
tightening—without spreadsheet handoffs.
• Finance embedded in operations: every operational decision shows P&L /
working capital / revenue-at-risk impact in the same cockpit.
Accomplished use case with 99.1 % Clean Core “Stick to Standard”
Principle
US, Mexico November 3, 2025 3,800 • 500K Accounting Docs per month
• 20K production orders per month
• 12K deliveries per month
© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC 4
Innovations
INNOVATIVE USE OF SAP TECHNOLOGY
WHY SAP
“Intelligent Order Promising & Exception Management” on SAP BTP”
Ferrara traditionally struggled with late orders, frequent expedites, and limited
visibility across SAP and non-SAP systems (supplier portals, logistics, spread-
sheets).
Innovation using SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP):
• Integration: Used SAP Integration Suite to connect SAP S/4HANA with
carrier racking, supplier confirmations, and inventory signals.
• Data foundation: Harmonized supply, demand, and logistics events in SAP
HANA for near-real-time visibility. And Azure Data Bricks for hybrid reporting
combining SAP and non SAP Data.
• Process automation: Built an “exceptions cockpit” in SAP Build (low-code) so
planners focus only on orders at risk.
• Governance & security: Centralized identity, roles, audit, and API management
via SAP BTP services to meet controls requirements.
SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) served as a cutting-edge cloud plat-
form that helped Ferrara rapidly build, integrate, and extend SAP and non-SAP appli-
cations with embedded data and AI—accelerating innovation while improving agility,
governance, and time-to-value.
“SAP BTP gave us a single, governed layer to integrate SAP and non-
SAP signals and act on them in near real time—without heavy core
modifications.
The exceptions cockpit replaced email-and-spreadsheet firefighting
with standard workflows, traceability, and automation.”
Priya McCarthy – Chief Information Officer, Ferrara Candy Company
"Our planners moved from chasing updates to managing by exception,
freeing time for higher-value decisions.With a unified view of order risk,
teams stopped debating whose data was ‘right’ and started collabo-
ratingon action”
Olivier Bouret, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Ferrara Candy Company
“Ferrara's Symphony global SAP S/4HANA Cloud digital
transformation has been a game changer thereby enabling growth and
leapfrogging innovation across corporate and cultural boundaries. It
has really made us fewer, bigger and better in every sense."
Maurizio Ficarra, CTO, Ferrara Candy Company
5© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC
INNOVATIVE USE OF SAP TECHNOLOGY
WHY SAP
“Intelligent Order Promising & Exception Management” on SAP BTP”
Ferrara traditionally struggled with late orders, frequent expedites, and limited
visibility across SAP and non-SAP systems (supplier portals, logistics, spread-
sheets).
Innovation using SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP):
• Integration: Used SAP Integration Suite to connect SAP S/4HANA with
carrier racking, supplier confirmations, and inventory signals.
• Data foundation: Harmonized supply, demand, and logistics events in SAP
HANA for near-real-time visibility. And Azure Data Bricks for hybrid reporting
combining SAP and non SAP Data.
• Process automation: Built an “exceptions cockpit” in SAP Build (low-code) so
planners focus only on orders at risk.
• Governance & security: Centralized identity, roles, audit, and API management
via SAP BTP services to meet controls requirements.
SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) served as a cutting-edge cloud plat-
form that helped Ferrara rapidly build, integrate, and extend SAP and non-SAP appli-
cations with embedded data and AI—accelerating innovation while improving agility,
governance, and time-to-value.
“SAP BTP gave us a single, governed layer to integrate SAP and non-
SAP signals and act on them in near real time—without heavy core
modifications.
The exceptions cockpit replaced email-and-spreadsheet firefighting
with standard workflows, traceability, and automation.”
Priya McCarthy – Chief Information Officer, Ferrara Candy Company
"Our planners moved from chasing updates to managing by exception,
freeing time for higher-value decisions.With a unified view of order risk,
teams stopped debating whose data was ‘right’ and started collabo-
ratingon action”
Olivier Bouret, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Ferrara Candy Company
“Ferrara's Symphony global SAP S/4HANA Cloud digital
transformation has been a game changer thereby enabling growth and
leapfrogging innovation across corporate and cultural boundaries. It
has really made us fewer, bigger and better in every sense."
Maurizio Ficarra, CTO, Ferrara Candy Company
5© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC
Benefits and outcomes
BUSINESS AND/OR SOCIETY IT
Ferrara embarked on a journey that led to a consolidated, real-time, governed digital core that synchronizes planning-to-
execution and controls—improving decision speed, compliance, and supply chain/service performance while reducing integration
and process complexity. Standardized KPI/Metric based operational monitoring institutionalized across all operational facets.
• Manufacturing (Digital work instructions & Scheduling): Constraint-
aware scheduling: predicted material delays + machine constraints trigger
auto re-sequencing and finite capacity adjustments.
Outcome: higher line uptime, fewer changeover surprises, faster recovery
from disruptions.
• Commercial (order promise + pricing/margin protection): Dynamic ATP
(available-to-promise) with prioritization: when supply is constrained, SAP
BTP rulespropose allocations by customer tier, margin, SLA, or strategic
products.
Outcome: improved OTIF (on-time in-full), fewer escalations, protected
margin.
• Supply chain (control tower + scenario simulation): Predictive
disruption alerts:supplier ETA risk, automated multi-horizon supply planning,
enabled AOP and forecast volatility generate “what should we do now?”
scenarios.
Outcome: resilience becomes operationalized, not ad hoc heroics.
• Finance (real-time profitability + working capital): Working capital
controls: inventory quarantines, safety stock changes, material ledger and
allocation
6© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC
Platform performance & reliability
45% faster - Critical transaction response time
36% reduction - Batch window duration
≥99.9% - System availability (production)
Integration simplifications
55 Apps - Legacy Applications De-commissioned
55% reduction - Integration failure rate
3X from pre-go-live - API reuse rate
Data quality, governance & master data enablement
58% reduction - Material/customer/vendor duplicate rate
58% reduction - Master data cycle time (create/change/approve)
99.5% completeness, 98% accuracy - Data completeness for key at-
tributes (e.g., UoM, GTIN, tax, trade)
BUSINESS AND/OR SOCIETY IT
Ferrara embarked on a journey that led to a consolidated, real-time, governed digital core that synchronizes planning-to-
execution and controls—improving decision speed, compliance, and supply chain/service performance while reducing integration
and process complexity. Standardized KPI/Metric based operational monitoring institutionalized across all operational facets.
• Manufacturing (Digital work instructions & Scheduling): Constraint-
aware scheduling: predicted material delays + machine constraints trigger
auto re-sequencing and finite capacity adjustments.
Outcome: higher line uptime, fewer changeover surprises, faster recovery
from disruptions.
• Commercial (order promise + pricing/margin protection): Dynamic ATP
(available-to-promise) with prioritization: when supply is constrained, SAP
BTP rulespropose allocations by customer tier, margin, SLA, or strategic
products.
Outcome: improved OTIF (on-time in-full), fewer escalations, protected
margin.
• Supply chain (control tower + scenario simulation): Predictive
disruption alerts:supplier ETA risk, automated multi-horizon supply planning,
enabled AOP and forecast volatility generate “what should we do now?”
scenarios.
Outcome: resilience becomes operationalized, not ad hoc heroics.
• Finance (real-time profitability + working capital): Working capital
controls: inventory quarantines, safety stock changes, material ledger and
allocation
6© 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved | PUBLIC
Platform performance & reliability
45% faster - Critical transaction response time
36% reduction - Batch window duration
≥99.9% - System availability (production)
Integration simplifications
55 Apps - Legacy Applications De-commissioned
55% reduction - Integration failure rate
3X from pre-go-live - API reuse rate
Data quality, governance & master data enablement
58% reduction - Material/customer/vendor duplicate rate
58% reduction - Master data cycle time (create/change/approve)
99.5% completeness, 98% accuracy - Data completeness for key at-
tributes (e.g., UoM, GTIN, tax, trade)