Case Study: Dean Foods achieves enterprise-wide product data accuracy and faster item launches with Software AG's webMethods product suite

The webmethods Product Suite Drives Dean Foods’ Demand-Driven Initiative

Dean Foods, a leading U.S. food and beverage company and the largest processor and distributor of milk and other dairy products, faced inconsistent product data across newly acquired, independently run business units. Multiple SKUs and UPCs, layered product descriptions, and complex flavor formulas made item maintenance slow and error-prone, lengthening the process to find and validate the data customers needed.

Using Software AG’s webMethods suite, Dean Foods implemented a Master Item Synchronization Process with a single item canonical and BPM-driven workflows that engaged end users across 32 business units. The solution aggregated data into one repository, automated validation, and improved collaboration—cutting new item introduction from five days to one, enabling management of 35,000 products and support for 360,000 customer locations, reducing overhead and saving about $60,000 per year in VAN fees while increasing data accuracy and customer responsiveness.

Dean Foods

Keith Markbreiter

Manager, Business Process Integration