Puratos - Comprehensive Odoo Implementation for Vietnam's Largest Cocoa Procurement, Processing, and Bakery Ingredients Distribution Plant

Overview

Industry: Retail, Fashion Services, Manufacturing, Garment Industry.

Product:

·       Chocolate & Cocoa

·       Bakery Mixes & Yeast

·       Creams & Fillings

·       Coatings & Decorations

Services:

·       R&D & Product Innovation

·       Training & Technical Consulting

·       Production & Business Support

·       Consumer Trend Analysis

Website: https://www.puratosgrandplace.com/

Some figures - 2014: 

·       100+ years of growth

·       9,000+ employees

·       93 research centers

·       65 production sites

·       Operating in 81 countries

·       1,300+ farmers

Introduction:

From humble beginnings in Belgium, Puratos has grown into a multinational corporation, pioneering the chocolate, bakery, and patisserie industries. Beyond providing ingredients, Puratos delivers innovative solutions, inspires creativity, and partners with bakeries, chocolatiers, restaurant and hotel chains, supermarkets, and industrial and semi-industrial manufacturers worldwide. With over 100 years of development, Puratos has expanded from a small European workshop to a global enterprise with more than 9,000 employees, 93 research centers, and 65 production sites in 81 countries. Every step has been guided by a relentless spirit of innovation, the courage to push boundaries, and a commitment to delivering the finest products to the world.

Puratos Grand-Place Indochina (PGPI) is a joint venture between Puratos Group and Grand-Place Holding, both headquartered in Belgium. Since establishing its presence in Vietnam in 1994, PGPI has specialized in producing chocolate coatings and decorations, with an annual output of approximately 3,000 tons. The company supplies premium hotels, bakeries, confectionery stores, and ice cream manufacturers, while also exporting part of its production to North America and Asia.

In 2011, PGPI launched Vietnam’s first fully locally produced chocolate, from cocoa cultivation to final product. As the first domestic manufacturer to integrate the cocoa industry into its production process, the company has helped reduce reliance on imported raw materials while maintaining strict quality control at every stage.

Challenges

Project 1: Sustainable Cocoa Collection and Processing System in Bến Tre

Bến Tre is one of Vietnam’s key cocoa-growing regions, with favorable climate and soil conditions for cocoa cultivation. However, local farmers often face challenges in accessing markets, modern farming techniques, and financial resources to invest in production. In an effort to enhance the quality of Vietnamese cocoa and build a sustainable supply chain, Puratos Grand-Place has established a cocoa collection and processing system that closely links with farmers. This project not only ensures a stable supply but also improves farmers' livelihoods and increases the commercial value of Vietnamese cocoa in the global market.

To achieve this goal, Puratos Grand-Place has developed a sustainable cocoa collection and processing center in Bến Tre. This cooperative model provides financial support, fertilizers, and advanced farming techniques while guaranteeing a transparent purchasing process. The purchase price is determined based on the London Stock Exchange cocoa index and daily updated exchange rates. Once collected, fresh cocoa is processed into dry beans following strict standards, extending shelf life and enhancing the product’s commercial value.

1. Data Management & Pricing

• Manual cocoa price updates are prone to errors and lack transparency.

• Dispersed data storage makes inventory tracking and control difficult.

2. Production Monitoring & Control

• No centralized system, leading to overlapping records or material loss.

• Manual counting increases errors, affecting procurement planning.

3. Quality Control

• Lack of standardized processes makes traceability challenging.

• Quality data is not recorded for product improvement.

4. Payment & Financial Support Management

• Difficulties in tracking farmer transactions and debts, increasing financial risks.

• No automated alerts for payments and price fluctuations.

5. Traceability & Compliance

• No digitalized system, making export compliance difficult.

• Paper-based records are easily lost, reducing transparency in the supply chain.

Project 2: Food Ingredient Warehouse Management System in Bình Dương

With the rapid growth of the food industry, the demand for high-quality raw materials continues to rise. Puratos Grand-Place has invested in a state-of-the-art warehouse system in Bình Dương to ensure efficient management of the supply chain for bakery and chocolate ingredients, including imported cocoa. This project plays a crucial role in inventory optimization, waste reduction, and enhanced logistics efficiency.

1. Quantity & Quality Control

• Manual inventory checks are error-prone and make it difficult to track expiration dates.

• Poor control over storage conditions affects ingredient quality.

2. Warehouse Inbound & Outbound Optimization

• Manual processes are slow and cause stock imbalances.

• Lack of tools to determine optimal inventory levels.

3. Inventory Forecasting & Optimization

• No demand analysis leads to shortages or excess stock.

• Poor expiration date tracking results in waste.

4. Food Safety & Compliance

• No automated alerts for expiration dates or storage conditions.

• Time-consuming traceability makes inspections challenging.

5. Operational Efficiency & Scalability

• No performance measurement tools to optimize warehouse space.

• Expanding warehouse capacity is costly and time-consuming.

Project 3: Implementing Audit Software for Quality Control in Remote Areas

In quality control at the source, Puratos Grand-Place must collect real-time data from farms where raw ingredients are produced. However, many cocoa plantations are located in remote areas with limited internet access, making inspections and reporting challenging.

To address this, Puratos Grand-Place is developing an offline-capable audit software.

• Inspectors can use the software to access pre-set questionnaires and quality assessment criteria, recording data directly on-site.

• Once they return to an area with internet access, the system will automatically sync the collected information to the central platform.
  

Main features and customizations 

• Based on native features of Odoo

• Farmers directory

• Purchase

• Invoicing and payments

• Traceability with serial numbers

• Custom developments

• Quality control: configurable quality control forms with tolerance thresholds

• Standard purchasing price calculation based on London Stock Exchange

• Coming in next iterations

• Manufacturing management with full traceability from the farmer to the bag of dry beans

INTERFACE WITH THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE COCOA INDEX // CONFIGURABLE QUALITY CONTROL FORMS