Founded in 2016, Top Glaciers is a collective of master ice cream makers who joined forces to share their know-how, expertise, and brands. Over the years, growing demand for their products and the opening of new production lines led the company to rethink its internal management. To support this rapid growth, Top Glaciers undertook a major digital transformation by implementing Fidelio ERP. Discover the motivations behind this project, the key deployment stages, and the tangible benefits observed since implementation.
Top Glaciers brings together several passionate artisan ice cream makers who produce a wide range of premium frozen desserts. In just a few years, the company experienced strong expansion, marked by the opening of a second plant and the addition of new production lines. This rapid growth, however, highlighted the limitations of the existing management system.
Until then, operations relied on Microsoft Access, a tool that allowed only one user at a time. Teams had to juggle manual processes and spreadsheets to manage sales, inventory, and costs. This approach made coordination complex, reconciliations time-consuming, and financial analyses unreliable.
Top Glaciers’ main challenge lied in the lack of visibility and data reliability. While planned operations data was available, it was difficult to obtain an accurate picture of actual operations. Reconciliations were done manually, and management had to spend considerable time consolidating information rather than analyzing performance or correcting inefficiencies.
It also became essential to better understand the profitability of each product. In an industry where margins are generally tight, this information is critical to validating operational performance and guiding business decisions. However, without reliable and centralized data, it was difficult to accurately measure actual costs and margins by product line.
With the multiplication of warehouses and production lines, inventory management also became a challenge. The company now had to track raw materials, finished goods, and batches across multiple locations, something the existing system could not do effectively.
In short, the existing tool was slowing Top Glaciers’ growth and compromising its ability to maintain a high level of rigor and profitability.
In response to these limitations, Top Glaciers’ management defined clear objectives:
Support company growth by adopting a system capable of managing multiple plants and warehouses.
The search for a new ERP system had begun before the arrival of the director of finance and administration, Christine Versailles. The company wanted support to properly compare available solutions. A consultant was therefore brought in to analyze business processes, draft a statement of work, and guide Top Glaciers through the selection process.
Six solutions were evaluated, and three finalists were selected, including Fidelio. After the demonstrations, Fidelio stood out for its ease of use, competitive value for money, and specialization in the food industry.
“There was real ease-of-use factor with the platform. We found it accessible, easy to use and user-friendly. During the demo, we could easily envision how we would use it.”
— Christine Versailles, Director of Finance and Administration
The first phase of the project focused on finance and sales, two departments considered priorities to support growth. The main objective was to improve finished goods inventory tracking and simplify the production of financial reports.
The Top Glaciers team benefited from ongoing support from Fidelio. A dedicated business analyst worked closely with internal teams to fully understand their processes, specific requirements, and needs. Several meetings were held to exchange information, document data flows, and ensure the solution was perfectly aligned with the company’s reality.
Once this preparation phase was completed, an extended testing phase was implemented to test the system under real-world conditions and identify necessary adjustments before going live. This approach, marked by constant collaboration and open communication, proved to be a key factor in the project’s success.
The second phase integrated manufacturing and planning functions. With the opening of a second plant and the addition of new production lines, it became essential to standardize processes and strengthen operational rigor.
Fidelio introduced structured tools to better coordinate activities between production, purchasing, and inventory.
Specifically, this phase made it possible to:
Optimize raw material usage by closely monitoring actual consumption and losses.
The system go-live marked a major milestone. New users were trained, and ongoing communication between Fidelio and the production teams facilitated a smooth transition. This phase enabled the company to reach a higher level of control and standardization, essential for supporting long-term growth.
“From a production standpoint, Fidelio has given us access to high-quality, highly relevant information, and most importantly, in real time. We don’t need to wait until the end of the month to know whether it was a good period. By the end of the day, we already have that visibility.”
— Louis Houde, Assistant Controller
The first full month of system use confirmed Fidelio’s added value. The company now benefits from reliable, accessible data, allowing for a detailed understanding of costs and margins by product.
Financial statements and production reports are generated much more quickly, freeing up time for analysis and decision-making. Teams in finance, purchasing, production, and quality control all benefit from improved visibility and stronger coordination.
“Fidelio has allowed us to achieve a solid level of rigor across the organization and a better understanding of our operations.”
— Christine Versailles, Director of Finance and Administration
Thanks to Fidelio, Top Glaciers has fundamentally transformed its management and operational structure. The company is now better equipped to support its growth, optimize profitability, and ensure exemplary traceability. This digital transformation marks a key milestone in its development and paves the way for new ambitions.