Quadrant Beverages and Oracle NetSuite: Behind the scenes of the largest ERP project implemented by Balkan Services

When one of the largest beverage manufacturers and distributors in the country was looking for a way to accelerate its digital transformation, the solution came through the Cloud – and through a Bulgarian consultant.

Quadrant Beverages AD (Quadrant) is the Bulgarian branch of the Czech group Mattoni 1873. It is responsible for the production and distribution of some of the most recognisable soft drink brands in Bulgaria: PepsiCo – Pepsi, Mirinda, 7UP, Evervess, and Prisun. The company is also the official distributor of Lipton iced tea and, since 2021, has been expanding the market presence of RILANA spring water in Bulgaria.

At the group level, Mattoni 1873 is a leading producer of mineral and spring waters in Central Europe, with a presence in eight countries, 11 production facilities, and over 3,000 employees. In the context of the need for modernisation and better integration between systems and processes, Mattoni 1873 began searching for a new ERP platform for Quadrant. The reason was the limitations of the solution used until then. The company had naturally reached a point where it was imperative to choose between a complete reimplementation of the existing software and implementing another ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system.

A key factor in the decision to implement an entirely new software system was not only the system’s functionality but also the implementer. A strategic priority for the company was to have the system sustainably maintained and developed by a local company, as this would ensure faster response times, a better understanding of local tax and accounting requirements, and long-term stability of the solution.

It was important for us that the new system also meet the requirements for the adoption of the euro in Bulgaria,” added Krasimir Kondov, Chief Financial Officer of Quadrant Beverages.

After analysing the options, Mattoni 1873 opted for the Oracle NetSuite cloud ERP solution and entrusted the project implementation to the Bulgarian consulting company Balkan Services.

This choice of partner was based on the consulting company’s team’s ability to manage complex projects and provide full resource support, including on-site.

The choice of system was based on Oracle NetSuite’s high adaptability and customisation options. The cloud-based ERP solution is distinguished by its easy integration with other applications and systems, which enables it to connect with existing business solutions. The platform offers rich customisation options that allow it to meet the specific requirements of each business.

One of the key advantages of the software is the availability of a wide range of built-in modules and functionalities, including the warehouse management module (WMS), which is particularly important for Quadrant.

An additional convenience of the system is that users can access it from any device and from any location, directly through a web browser.

Two primary objectives of the project

Task 1 in the project to implement NetSuite at Quadrant was to replace the existing ERP system. This had to be done in parallel with the implementation of new SFA (Sales Force Automation) software, with full integration with this solution. The Balkan Services team successfully achieved this goal, and from the very start of the SFA system, it has been fed entirely with data from the new ERP.

The second key objective of the project was to ensure full batch traceability through the system, which, until the software was implemented, was achieved through manual checks.

In a business such as food and beverages, there are traceability requirements. This means that in the event of a problem with a particular batch, companies must not only know to whom they sold it and recall it, but also trace it back through the supply chain—when the batch was produced, from what materials, and from which batch those materials came,” explained Slavi Slavov, Principal Consultant and Partner at Balkan Services.

Scope of Oracle NetSuite: from production to group reporting

The implemented ERP solution covers all of Quadrant’s core business activities: production, commercial management, commercial policies, promotions, warehousing, sales, purchasing, accounting, and finance.

A key module of NetSuite is the warehouse management system (WMS). During project implementation, integration with the ERP system was implemented to track materials and goods by batch and expiration date. In this regard, new smart devices for working with this module of the ERP system were introduced at Quadrant.

Automation of transfers between the EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) channel of 6 customers (large retail chains) and the ERP system.

With the project implementation, the loading of sales information for distributors (Sell Out data) into the ERP software has been automated. This includes preparing and submitting sales data to SFA and transactions to NetSuite, automated calculation of SellOut promotions, procedures for identifying data discrepancies, credit notes for bonuses and discounts to distributors.

The solution covers a wide range of business activities, including manufacturing processes, automated certificate issuance, pallet labelling (SSCC), and full forward and reverse batch traceability. It also includes commercial management (with a focus on commercial policies and promotions), warehouse logistics and deliveries, sales, purchases, and financial and accounting reporting. In addition, the system provides analytical reports necessary for internal control and group-level reporting.

As the next step in the project, the ERP system will cover Quadrant’s contracts with indirect customers.

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Traceability and automation of document exchange and reporting

The project not only facilitates but transforms the daily work of Quadrant’s internal teams. There are 75 direct users of the system. Still, across the other systems (SFA and WMS modules), most of the company’s team now relies on higher levels of automation, complete transparency, and significantly increased efficiency.

Thanks to its integration with SFA software, Oracle NetSuite provides clear visibility into the market for PepsiCo products.

We now have much greater visibility into what is happening with every product that is delivered to our customers, regardless of whether they are large or small,” explained Krasimir Kondov.

Slavi Slavov illustrated this integration with the following example:

Imagine a neighbourhood store with a display case featuring PepsiCo products. The Quadrant sales representative takes a photo of the display case, and his device uses artificial intelligence to count everything in stock.
In addition, the system provides information on whether the display is arranged according to requirements, whether there is sufficient stock, which current promotions are appropriate for this store, the store’s contractual relationship with the manufacturer, and to what extent the quarterly, six-monthly, or annual targets have been met. This allows the salesperson to communicate easily and effectively with the store manager and even take an order for a new delivery on the spot.
This automation is possible because the ERP system collects and summarises all data, then transfers it to the SFA software.“

The WMS implemented within NetSuite also has a significant impact on the company’s operations, enabling effective tracking of batches and deliveries.

The integration with the EDI system, which provides automated electronic document exchange with large customers, also brings significant benefits. It prevents discrepancies in the sending and receiving of invoices, resulting in improved accountability and cash flow.

From a financial perspective, the new system facilitates document access. Each invoice is digitally archived and accompanied by scanned attachments (contracts, delivery notes), eliminating the need for manual searching and scanning.

If I want to see an invoice or accounting entry, I can track the entire process in the system,” explained the company’s CFO.

Reporting to the group is another significant relief for Quadrant, as it is largely automated.

As big as it is, it is challenging

The combination of complex business requirements, interrelated dependencies, and NetSuite’s system features presented the project with several consulting and technical challenges. They required a rethinking of the initial plan, including the scope, stages, and way of working. As a result, a new, realistic schedule was drawn up, taking into account both the need for additional development, training, and testing and the seasonal characteristics of the business.

The partial Go-Live on April 1, 2024, successfully supported the launch of the SFA system, and the full productive implementation of NetSuite took place on October 1, 2024. It is important to note that the Quadrant team demonstrated a high level of commitment and partnership, which was key to maintaining focus on delivering a stable and complete solution within the calendar year — a strategically important deadline for both parties.

Project management behind the project

During the project replanning, the Balkan Services team took several strategic measures to optimise the scope and accelerate implementation.

“In such complex, challenging, and lengthy projects, we understand that many of the difficulties we face as a team are related to the way we interact and rely on each other. We have tried to increase the benefits of feedback, especially in challenging situations related to specific business requirements, where new insights and solutions arise during the course of the project and require rapid adaptation, sometimes even reworking or rewriting the entire implemented logic for a particular process,” explained Nairi Masihi, Head of Project Management at Balkan Services and part of the project’s project management team.

In this context, she added that during the NetSuite implementation at Quadrant, some functional requirements were simplified and specific business processes were rethought.

The working methodology was transformed through the implementation of agile practices and rituals—a Backlog (prioritised list of tasks) was created as a Kanban board to visualise tasks, and daily team meetings ensured better synchronisation. Requests for changes to the project were carefully managed.

Priorities were reviewed dynamically, but within strict controls. Components that were not critical to the successful Go-Live were identified and planned for implementation during the extended Hypercare phase, which was extended from two months to three.

Training focused on key users who took on the responsibility of preparing the rest.

During UAT (User Acceptance Testing), a high level of organisation and accountability was maintained, and after initial testing, it was decided not to conduct end-to-end testing but only to perform regression testing of the changed or newly introduced components. To ensure capacity and pace, new resources were added to the team.

The project management team focused on promoting good practices based on the principles of iterative work with regular feedback, active collaboration, and visibility at every stage of implementation. These principles guided decisions on adapting to the project’s dynamic conditions, including changes in scope, priorities, and the pace of work.

The project was highly complex. As soon as it became clear that things were not developing as expected, a collective decision was made to change course, and the Project Management team at Balkan Services played a key role.
With their timely intervention, high level of professionalism, and excellent process structuring, the project was back on track. Thanks to a focused and competent approach—across budgets, task management, deadlines, and blocking factors—the necessary transparency and control were achieved. Communication was constant and focused, every obstacle was addressed on time, and the interdependence between tasks was managed with care and proactivity,” summarised Krasimir Kondov.

Professionalism, teamwork, continuity

With the implementation of this project, Balkan Services’ consultants demonstrated a high level of business, financial, accounting, and technical expertise in adapting the system to meet specific, non-standard business requirements.

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As a Project Manager, I consider the team to be a key factor for success in a project. Let’s not forget that people make projects for people,” noted Nairi Masihi, adding: “In managing the project, we worked closely with Krasimir Kondov, who proved to be a responsible and reasonable product owner, defining and prioritising Quadrant’s requirements and acting as an active project manager partner.”

Slavi Slavov also noted the high level of professionalism of the Quadrant team as a factor behind the success of the project:

It is important to emphasise that it was not only Quadrant’s management team that demonstrated an impressive level of dedication and responsibility towards the project. I am also impressed by the other employees with whom I had the opportunity to work in the warehouse during the first days of the system launch. I met people who were constantly interested and eager to learn how to work with the new devices with the installed WMS application, asked questions, and offered ideas for optimisation, showing an incredible desire to make things better. The entire Quadrant team put in a lot of effort, were well-intentioned and attentive throughout, and showed patience and diligence in every aspect.”

Choosing a local partner to implement the business software brought a significant advantage during the hypercare period, as it allowed the project team to be physically present on site – in the company’s offices, warehouse, and production facilities.

One of the things I appreciate most after the completion of the project is the fact that the team that currently maintains the system and with whom we communicate daily is actually the same team that implemented it. This creates seamless continuity and eliminates the knowledge gaps that often arise when support is handed off to new people unfamiliar with the solution’s details.
This approach significantly facilitates and accelerates the resolution of cases, as expertise has already been accumulated and no time is wasted getting to know the system. This is particularly important because the ERP system is a living and constantly evolving platform—it does not end with the initial implementation. As the business changes and requires new processes, the system must also adapt and evolve. Having a support team that knows the architecture and logic of the solution inside out is not only practical but also strategically valuable for us as an organisation,” concluded Krasimir Kondov.

Through this challenging project, the Balkan Services team demonstrated one of the company’s values –“We always finish what we start”. We are constantly evolving and looking for ways to be a reliable partner in digitalisation, one that understands our clients’ businesses well, accompanies them on the road to future success, and grows alongside them.

Nowadays, no business can grow and be competitive without using IT systems. Choosing the right software solution and implementing it is a complex, difficult, but critically important decision.

At Balkan Services, we have expert knowledge of business, technology, and legislation, and we are fluent in all three languages. We will listen to you carefully and advise you on choosing the right business system for your needs.

Balkan Services has been supporting businesses on their path to digital transformation since 2006. We have already helped over 270 companies digitize their business by implementing proven software solutions and managing their IT infrastructure.