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JBS Foods: SAP Modernization for enhanced efficiency and reduced risk
Syskoplan Reply is leading JBS USA's SAP modernization initiative deploying SAP S/4HANA globally, while streamlining financial structures, introducing innovation, and dramatically reducing custom code. And all of the above while minimizing operational disruptions.
THE CHALLENGE
The sheer scale of JBS's operations , complexity of processes and conversion of large volume of custom code was the biggest roadblock.
Scenario
Transitioning to a more effective way of doing business with S/4HANA
With a global workforce of over 245,000 team members, JBS ($70b+) is the largest protein producer in the world. They operate over 400 production plants, and their products provide meals for customers across 190 countries. Core operations for their pork, chicken, and beef businesses have been supported by a single global instance of SAP ECC 6.0.
As a long-time SAP customer, JBS started to plan for SAP S/4HANA in 2019. While JBS understood the benefits of an S/4HANA conversion - in particular the ability to run the business more effectively and process its vast amount of data much more seamlessly and faster - the company was hesitant about making the leap due to several factors.
Risk in large-scale
upgrades
The system size, transaction volume, customizations, and custom code made a traditional brownfield upgrade very risky, requiring a prolonged global outage, which is not feasible for JBS’s 24x7 operation.
An initiative with
high costs
Starting new with a greenfield approach was also not an option as this would have resulted in a longer, high cost initiative that would have likely not delivered measurable results for several years.
Risk of business
disruption
Making sure there was no disruption to any of its businesses and needing to limit operating in dual environments as the systems were being migrated into the new S/4HANA environment was a key goal that was not negotiable.
THE SOLUTION
Strategic approach to a multi-year transition that was cost-effective and fast
The Syskoplan Reply and JBS teams quickly concluded that a greenfield implementation would be too complex, would take too long and consume too large of an investment. A brownfield conversion would be considered high-risk as a single-instance ECC system requires conversion as a whole in one single, global big bang. To mitigate these challenges, selective data transition was chosen as the preferred approach. A selective data transition would help manage the risk by breaking up the S/4HANA transformation into more manageable waves while allowing a reduction of the overall data footprint, transformation of financial structures and still being able to introduce and leverage many S/4HANA innovations.
To achieve this, Syskoplan Reply’s process experts worked with JBS to modernize and simplify several business processes, reducing complexity in workflows and process steps, while leveraging S/4 innovations and a new user interface with FIORI. In addition, Syskoplan Reply partnered with JBS in the deployment of entirely new analytics platform on BW/4HANA.
Leveraging Expertise from cbs and smartShift
Under Syskoplan Reply’s leadership and to reinforce the technical side of the partnership, Syskoplan Reply engaged two of its long-time partners: cbs and smartShift.
cbs
cbs is a Syskoplan Reply and SAP partner who also has a toolset called “Enterprise Transformer”, which allows the Selective Data Transition approach. With that, JBS was in the position to select only the data that they still needed to continue their business in S/4 and didn’t need to bring all history. Obsolete legal entities (company codes), sites (plants) and other unwanted data were simply left behind and only the relevant most recent history was brought forward to S/4.
smartShift
SmartShift is recognized leader in automated, rule-based SAP custom code transformations. It was smartShift’s role to execute all code remediation and ensure that JBS’ custom code worked perfectly in the upgraded environment. smartShift’s patented Intelligent Automation™ analyzed all of JBS’ almost 2.8 million lines of sprawling custom code, and then remediated it for guaranteed S4/HANA compatibility.
THE IMPACT
Unlocking Enhanced Efficiency and Growth Opportunities
Under the guidance of Syskoplan Reply and with the first two waves completed, JBS successfully transitioned its pork, prepared foods and beef businesses in the US and Canada to SAP S/4HANA with minimal disruption.
2,800 end users are now live on S/4HANA, paving the way for continued modernization waves through 2026.
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Streamlined processes, enhanced data management, and improved reporting capabilities for JBS.
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By removing outdated custom code and adding over 120 FIORI apps, JBS streamlined its system and is now ready for future growth and innovation.
JBS
With locations in 15 countries and over 400 production units and commercial offices on five continents (the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania), JBS serves around 275,000 customers, in over 190 countries, ranging from supermarket chains to small retailers, wholesale clubs and food service companies. JBS USA is a leading global provider of diversified, high-quality food products, including a portfolio of well-recognized brands and innovative, value-added premium products.
Syskoplan Reply
Syskoplan Reply is a global SAP Gold Partner, focused on business process consulting, supported by SAP products. Syskoplan Reply delivers business and SAP consulting globally with a strong focus on the Americas and Europe. Syskoplan Reply’s SAP team has approximately 900 consultants world-wide. The SAP competency focuses on clients that manufacture discrete and repetitive products.