Hana Group
Hana Group relies on Microsoft solutions to enhance its international operations and efficiency.
The Customer
Hana Group is one of the global leaders in freshly prepared pan-Asian meals, sold as grab-and-go offerings in the retail sector. With nearly 1,500 points of sale across 12 countries, Hana Group generates over €600 million in revenue, 70% of which comes from operations in Europe. The company strives to maintain consistent service quality across its extensive international network while adapting its offerings to local specificities.
The Challenge
Hana Group faced challenges in managing its digital infrastructure with a previous integration partner, resulting in a subpar user experience. In December 2022, Hitachi Solutions was entrusted with managing the support, development, and updates of Hana Group’s Microsoft platform. The goal was to address the specific needs of each team across countries like France, Portugal, Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Italy, and the United States.
The Solution
After conducting a thorough audit of the systems and solutions in place, Hitachi Solutions designed a tailored approach with a team of dedicated consultants. They first developed detailed functional and technical documentation of the system to streamline application support. Subsequently, specific functionalities were developed to meet Hana Group’s unique needs.
Support is now provided by teams strategically located in several European countries (Bulgaria, Portugal, France, and Germany), ensuring enhanced proximity and efficiency.
Additionally, Hitachi Solutions introduced a training program for Hana Group employees, including demonstration sessions on Azure DevOps and the Master Planning module in Finance & Operations, which covers Material Requirements Planning (MRP), Demand Planning, and Resource Load Planning. This ensured progressive and continuous up-skilling for the teams.
Starting in February 2023, training sessions were organised for new Hana Group employees, with a significant shift between April and July to strengthen Hana’s internal team.
The regular Microsoft One Version update schedule, which requires clients to update their systems multiple times a year, has led to five major Microsoft platform updates being deployed in collaboration with Hitachi Solutions.
Moreover, Hitachi Solutions supported the launch of a new warehouse in the United States by adapting the application. Hana Group now benefits from externalised Level 2 and Level 3 support for its operations, with key objectives:
- Operational excellence
- Reduction of the internal Level 1 support workload
Thanks to the collaboration with Hitachi Solutions, Hana Group successfully onboarded a new team member capable of managing daily operations and interacting with all internal, external stakeholders, and third-party solutions.
Hitachi Solutions’ exceptional consultancy has enabled the preparation of detailed technical and functional planning, closely monitored throughout the update projects. This has ensured great responsiveness from both sides and allowed Hitachi Solutions teams to mobilize effectively when needed.
Marie Saurel
Microsoft D365 Solution Architect at Hana Group
The Future
Looking ahead, Hana Group plans to:
- Deploy Microsoft Dynamics 365 for a new legal entity to support the group’s growth (financial reporting requirements).
- Develop new interfaces between Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations and third-party systems to automate data exchanges.
- Deploy Microsoft Azure Synapse to better structure and analyse company data.
- Explore AI use cases to further automate product recommendations and enhance the customer experience with solutions like Microsoft Copilot.
Hana Group trusts Hitachi Solutions to help maximise its investment in the Microsoft platform and adapt its digital infrastructure to anticipate future needs.