Nestlé manages business processes with SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud

With approximately 280,000 employees and sales of 91.4 billion Swiss francs (2024), Nestlé is one of the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers. Well-known brands of the group include Maggi, the KitKat chocolate bar, and coffee specialties such as Nespresso and Nescafé.

Nestlé has been using SAP as a central platform for managing its global business processes since 2000. The upgrade to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition is the next step. The company has already implemented this ERP solution in more than 110 countries. Further locations in Europe and the Americas are to follow in the coming months.

The first migration involved more than 50,000 employees and was completed in less than 20 hours. By using a standardized technology platform, the migration could be carried out during business operations — with virtually no downtime.

Goal: Greater Agility

One goal Nestlé is pursuing with the migration to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition is greater agility. The company wants to be able to adapt flexibly to changing consumer needs and to make the most of new technologies for business success.

Nestlé S. A.

This is underscored by Chris Wright, head of IT and CIO of Nestlé SA: “With SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, we are creating a more agile, efficient, and data-driven company. This allows us to anticipate and meet our customers’ needs even better. This transformation allows us to reinvest in our brands, accelerate innovation, and deliver the quality and availability that our customers worldwide expect.”

AI, automation, and the advantage of private cloud

At Nestlé, the SAP solution serves as a “digital core.” This enables the use of AI and automation along the entire value chain. With the support of SAP’s AI assistant, Joule Copilot, Nestlé professionals can, for example, personalize interactions with consumers, such as within the framework of omnichannel strategies.

Processes can also be made more efficient. Joule agents, for example, autonomously execute tasks and collaborate across multi-stage workflows in all business areas, including supply chain, procurement, and finance. According to SAP, AI copilots like Joule reduce the time required for complex workflows by up to 75%. 

Another advantage of this edition of SAP S/4HANA is that users like Nestlé have access to a separate, flexible cloud infrastructure at SAP or another cloud hyperscaler. The provider is responsible for operation and maintenance. Users, on the other hand, can customize the software to their own requirements to a greater extent than in a public cloud, even modifying the source code. This benefits companies like Nestlé, which have a large number of complex, individual processes. 

SAP S. E.

“Nestlé impressively demonstrates how modern technology helps global brands identify trends early, optimize processes, and create exceptional customer experiences,” emphasizes Thomas Saueressig, member of the executive board of SAP SE, Customer Services and Delivery.