Managed IT services for growers in a complex agri-food chain

Roger & Roger is part of a family group that processes vegetables and potatoes for retail, food service and industry. Behind this production is a network of almost a thousand farmers who supply large volumes every year, including quality measurements, contracts and payments. To digitize this information flow, Roger & Roger worked with Xplore Group, part of the Cronos Group. Xplore Group supervised the process and brought together the right expertise within the Cronos ecosystem for the development of a digital grower application that supports these processes.

Before the launch of the application, a lot of communication was done by telephone and e-mail. Growers regularly inquired about volumes, quality, contract status or payments. This resulted in a lot of repetitive follow-ups among agronomists and administrative teams. Moreover, contracts were still processed on paper, which sometimes meant that there were weeks between signing and registration.

In addition, there is a strategic reality: in a "sellers market", growers no longer choose solely based on price. Smooth cooperation and transparency will become at least as important. The organization therefore wanted to focus more on unburdening and professionalism.

The chosen approach was deliberately simple: not a cumbersome total solution, but a lean application that does exactly what growers and internal teams need. User-friendliness was key. That is why 180 growers were personally surveyed, providing valuable insights into their daily reality. The first version was built on that basis: quickly deployable, but with a scalable technical basis.

The application is now being used intensively: 850 growers log in regularly, which indicates strong adoption. As a result, calls and emails about deliveries and payments have been greatly reduced, giving internal teams more time for guidance and relationship management. Contract processing has also been fully digitized: what used to take weeks is now done almost in real time, especially with digital contract drafting and electronic signing.

Today, the application delivers immediate value: faster information flows, less administration and a stronger partnership with growers thanks to transparency. At the same time, the platform is ready for further growth, such as digital field monitoring and automated compliance processes.

The growers' application shows that digitization in the agri-food chain is much more than IT: it is a lever for efficiency, scalability and stronger relationships. By starting with focus, intensive user surveying and robust architecture, a solution was built that works today and is ready for the future.