The world in a cup – CAFE FREI and EDI

Many people cannot do without coffee

CAFE FREI is one of the most successful coffeehouse chains in Hungary and wanted to bring its specialty coffees to supermarket shelves. The company achieved this goal with the help of EDI.

What sets CAFE FREI apart is the fact that it offers high-quality coffee specialties from all over the world at affordable prices. The company’s products are available at their cafés as well as at large retail stores, allowing consumers to enjoy the “taste of the world” in the comfort of their homes. Therefore, it was key for the company to supply large supermarket chains, which in turn required the company to go digital. Up to this point, CAFE FREI sent orders and invoices the traditional way by e-mail and mail.

“Since we implemented EDI, a lot of things have become easier,” said Mariann Holman, administrative manager at CAFE FREI. “As we expand, we are seeing the need to implement an electronic data interchange system. EDI enables us to provide quick and reliable services to our partners.”

Another reason for the decision to digitize corporate processes was the increasing expectation from business partners to use EDI.

The first step towards digitization was the collaboration with kifli.hu, who is a partner with its own system. Retail chains Auchan and Spar soon followed, and the company is currently in the process of introducing the system at TESCO retail chain. This responds to the need to record data in the company’s own system as well as in the partner’s system. CAFE FREI understood that making processes more efficient is key. This is where EDITEL came in. Orders and invoices are now exchanged between business partners exclusively via EDI, making manual entries redundant.

Support by EDITEL

CAFE FREI and EDITEL Hungary started working together in February 2022. The company uses the Navision ERP system and EDI was integrated into it to allow for seamless communication.

Ms. Holmann had years of experience with EDI systems and is very pleased that she was able to convince her colleagues that the transition was worth the effort. Mariann Holman on working with EDITEL: “We received a lot of help from EDITEL right from the beginning, for example for getting a GLN number”, she said.

Today, CAFE FREI uses the EDI communication solution by EDITEL for data exchange with the company’s major partners and for legally compliant data archiving. Business processes now run faster and more smoothly, which had a positive effect on employee satisfaction. Last but not least, having an EDI connection is also highly useful for working with new business partners.