Refriango Drives Innovation and Product Development with the b_create Platform

Refriango is the leading beverage company in Angola and one of the largest and most prestigious references on the African continent. It boasts a portfolio of 15 brands spanning soft drinks, juices, waters, energy drinks, and alcoholic beverages, with notable names like Blue, Pura, Nutry, Tutti, Speed, and Tigra.

The company operates one of Africa's largest industrial units, equipped with cutting-edge technology and a production capacity of 1.9 billion liters per year. With over 150 products reaching approximately 10 countries, Refriango extends the flavor and quality of its offerings beyond borders.

As a result of new partnerships with Coca-Cola and Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, Refriango has expanded its portfolio to include additional brands. It has taken on the production, bottling, distribution, and commercialization of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid, Schweppes, and the sparkling wine Chandon.

Managing an expanding portfolio subject to rigorous quality standards and intricate legislation prompted the imperative adoption of a solution that would facilitate meticulous monitoring of procedures throughout the product development cycle. This involved aligning diverse departments and systems while centralizing all information and documentation on a unified platform.

With these goals in mind, the teams from b_create and Refriango collaboratively defined success criteria for the implementation of b_create. These criteria encompassed the digitization of innovation and NPD processes, seamless integration with the SAP ERP system, and the provision of real-time, integrated, and updated project information. The focus was on streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of the product development life cycle, ensuring cohesion among different departments and systems, all consolidated within a single, user-friendly platform.

"The product development process can take on varying levels of complexity, sometimes quite demanding, involving numerous activities and stakeholders. Additionally, it is often challenging to manage the multitude of projects running simultaneously. The decision to invest in b_create stems precisely from the need to manage the activities of all development projects within the company more efficiently, controlled, and rigorously. We feel that it is a tool designed and created specifically to respond to projects of this nature, with capabilities ranging from simple task management to more complex aspects like project prioritization or product analytics. All of this is integrated with our SAP data but through a user-friendly, visually appealing interface that produces relevant project information or documentation in just a few clicks."

Ricardo Cunha, Head of Innovation and Product Development at Nuvi Group