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Customer Profile |
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MX Foods (formerly Mexifoods)
was established in 1987 as a Mexican and American food importer and distributor.
The company’s burning ambition was to be the best
supplier of Mexican and American food within the UK. Expanding
demand led to the introduction of their three major brands,
Casa Serrano, Pioneer Canyon and Creole Queen.
MX Foods import the finest fresh and frozen foods from
around the world. Using their comprehensive distribution
system, they deliver goods to order throughout the UK.
The company operates a fleet of 7.5 tonne and 17 tonne,
single and dual temperature refrigerated vehicles to ensure
the product reaches the customer in the best condition.
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MX Foods
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“ Importing
and Distributing Speciality Foods ”
As a specialist food distributor, MX Foods (formerly Mexifoods)
deal with three main classes of food products. Those lines
are Ambient
Products
(i.e. those kept at room temperature) such as tinned and dry
goods, Frozen Goods, and Chilled Goods which have a short shelf
life. Their customers are end trade users such as restaurants
and other food outlets. They import ingredients from South
America and other parts of the world, and these items are
then distributed throughout the UK.
MX Foods had been using a Unix-based dumb terminal system
which was beginning to impact negatively on their expanding
business activities. They began the search for a comprehensive
business software system which would provide a range of improved
features. Recognising the power and flexibility of de Facto
S5's integrated Financials and Logistics, they chose S5 for
a number of key benefits that it would bring to their business.
 Landed
Costs handling results in easy to see Profit Margins
For any business importing goods from abroad, and especially
for one which imports a large number of relatively low cost items,
Landed Costs will be a significant factor in their business costs.
As MX Foods import such things as spices and other speciality
ingredients from South America and elsewhere, they needed a system
with fully featured Landed Costs handling to replace their old
manual processes. S5 enables MX Foods to track an unlimited
number of cost elements, above and beyond the key elements of
actual cost of the goods, transportation and insurance, and taxes
and government fees on the goods. The way that S5 tracks and
handles all these associated costs makes it easy for MX Foods
to accurately value stock, and therefore clearly see their
profit margins. S5 also gives them the flexibility of deciding
exactly where to reflect these costs in their financial reporting.
Automated
Load Planning Facilities and Comprehensive Documents
| MX Foods have a series of
delivery routes which operate on specific days and times.
Each of their fleet of vehicles services a designated part
of the country. When orders are phoned in, S5 tells the
operator at a glance the next
available delivery date.
The system also automatically pulls together orders for
that particular route. S5 then produces both the Loading
Lists and the Drop Lists, and can easily produce any required
documentation for both the driver and the recipient of
the delivery. |
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Real-Time
Accounting System for Accurate Information
Unlike their previous system, MX Foods required a real-time
accounting system at the heart of their business. Within de Facto
S5, and unlike many current prominent
financials systems, if
one piece of information is updated in the system, then all consequences
of that update are instantly reflected throughout the system
at the time of the change itself. This means that information
is always timely and in synch, and the need for batch
update operations becomes a thing of the past.
Efficient
Warehouse Location and Stock Control
Within their own warehouse,
MX Foods make use of S5's powerful Location
Control facilities to manage their stock. Codes can be assigned
to each pallet which can then be precisely located when
stock needs to be picked. Picking documents can be produced
in a variety of formats/sequences, and can easily be
sorted by warehouse location for greater picking efficiency.
MX Foods also use a third-party bulk storage warehouse.
The new system enables them to accurately monitor the
stock levels there, and to efficiently transfer required
stock
to their own warehouse.
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Improved
Business Processes
It's common for the process of implementing de Facto S5 to deliver
improvements in business processes. In MX Foods case, one example
in their warehouses was a devolution of control towards the people
on the ground. Each night at the end of business, restaurants
(MX Foods' primary customers) fax through their orders.
First thing the next morning, the warehouse operatives are able
to load these new orders into the system, and the orders are
consequently out the door that same morning. The process is not
only faster
with S5, but has also enabled those directly involved to take
over the running of the process itself.
For MX Foods, de Facto S5 has proved itself the ideal business
system to manage their import and distribution
activities. With clear gains in accuracy of information,
and efficiency of operation, MX Foods are now looking at
a range of further S5 facilities, including CRM, to implement
in the near future.
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Customer Profile
MX Foods was established in 1987 as a Mexican and American
food importer and distributor. The company’s burning
ambition was to be the best supplier of Mexican and American
food within the UK. Expanding demand led to the introduction
of the three major brands, Casa Serrano, Pioneer Canyon and
Creole Queen.
MX Foods import the finest fresh and frozen foods from around
the world. Using their comprehensive distribution system, they
deliver goods to order throughout the UK. The company operates
a fleet of 7.5 tonne and 17 tonne, single and dual temperature
refrigerated vehicles to ensure the product reaches the customer
in the best condition.
Key Achievements
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Landed Costs handling results
in easy to see Profit Margins. |
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Automated Load Planning and comprehensive
document printing implemented. |
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Increased efficiency in Warehouse Stock
and Location Control. |
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