Streamlining business processes at Leksands Knäckebröd
Leksands Knäckebröd is a family-owned business that has been baking traditional, Swedish crispbread since 1817. With a long history deeply founded in tradition, the bakery still uses the same recipe and raw materials. Leksands Knäckebröd has managed the transition from a small, family-owned, local bakery of the 19th century to a fullscale bakery factory and a well known brand to generations of Swedes. Their production today runs on impressive six parallel production lines, doing three shifts a day, seven days a week, and is still located in Leksand - where it all started.
In addition to being at the forefront of digital maturity, the company also has an impressive track record of being climate friendly, in running the bakery fossil free since 2013 and taking pride in using solely locally sourced raw materials.
As one of the few remaining independent bakeries in Sweden, Leksands Knäckebröd found itself facing increasing digital demands from the retail industry. To meet the strict requirements, Leksands Knäckebröd chose Logiq as its partner to help streamline its business processes, particularly in ensuring the smooth exchange of electronic business documents through EDI (Electronic Data Interchange).
The Challenge
Leksands Knäckebröd’s growth in the competitive retail environment brought new challenges in managing their order-to-cash processes. With increasingly stringent requirements for flawless order, delivery, and invoicing documents, the company needed a reliable solution to avoid delays that could cause operational bottlenecks—like trucks sitting idle due to document errors.
Fredrik Hellqvist, , who at the time was a consultant for Leksands, explained: "One mistake in document processing, and we risk delayed deliveries. When you're dealing with operations on this scale, there’s no room for error."
The Solution
To address these complex challenges, Leksands Knäckebröd turned to Logiq and ERP provider M3CS. The project involved setting up a fully integrated EDI solution to handle all business documents, including orders, order confirmations, delivery notifications, and invoices. Ensuring a seamless transition without any disruptions to daily operations was crucial.
Lena Magnberg, Project Manager at Logiq, emphasized the importance of rigorous testing to ensure every document was accurately processed: "We understood the pressure Leksands was under. During the Christmas rush, everything had to work perfectly - there was simply no margin for error."
Logiq’s tailored EDI service ensured that Leksands’ documents met the high-quality standards required by grocery retailers, while also optimizing their internal processes to minimize manual handling and reduce errors.
The Results
The implementation was a resounding success. Despite the high-pressure environment, the system went live without a single disruption. Hellqvist prepared the CEO for sleepless nights - all in vain, since the launch went smoothly in all aspects.
With the structured approach to testing, combined with Logiq’s vast experience in managing business documents, the result was a fully functional digital and automated system from day one, and the staff of Leksands could focus on producing and delivering their traditional products without worrying about their back-end systems.
"The transition to Logiq’s solution has been a game changer for us. We can now meet all the digital demands of the grocery trade efficiently and without the stress of potential delays," Fredrik Hellqvist noted.
In addition, all employees have direct and digital access to data concerning the production, such as status of raw materials and products - a huge improvement from the paper sheets they previously had in the production hall.
Looking Forward
With the modernized EDI solution in place, Leksands Knäckebröd is now well-positioned to tackle future challenges and maintain their position as a reliable supplier in the market. The company's commitment to innovation and collaboration with partners like Logiq ensures its continued success and growth.
Fun fact: Fredrik Hellqvist started his career with Leksands Knäckebröd as a hired consultant, found a friendly environment among the staff - and one year later he has a fixed position as a Logistics Development Manager.
