Lallemand launches digital commerce portal to cut £3m costs

Lallemand has moved its North American Baking business unit to a digital commerce platform supported by composable technology from commercetools, replacing its reliance on traditional email and phone ordering systems.

Lallemand, founded in the late 19th century, operates production plants, distribution centres, and offices in more than 50 countries, employing over 5,000 staff worldwide. The company has historically used offline sales channels, but changing market dynamics and rising operational costs presented growing challenges.

Lallemand aimed to establish a global commerce platform that could handle over 1,000 products across various brands and currencies and also position the business for further expansion. The decision was made to partner with commerce tools and EPAM to develop a digital commerce experience capable of meeting these requirements.

"Lallemand is a family business, and we see our customers as an extension of our family. To continue delivering exceptional service—something we've proudly upheld for over 100 years—we needed a commerce solution capable of managing complex business scenarios while scaling alongside our global growth. We chose commercetools because it became clear to us that no other provider could better enable the flexibility to serve a wide range of use cases, touchpoints, business units, and regions," Caroline Fortin, Director of Customer Experience at Lallemand, explained the rationale behind the selection of commerce tools:

The new digital ordering portal, based on a composable commerce architecture, eliminates manual sales processes and provides customers with a user-friendly interface, personalised dashboards, and improved access to sales teams. Sales representatives are equipped with tools designed to enhance value for their customers as well.

The system, built on MACH principles, supports Lallemand's operations in managing multiple brands, currencies, and geographic regions. It is also intended to provide greater operational agility and to open opportunities in new markets and business models.

"Lallemand's transformation is a powerful example of how a company with deep-rooted heritage can embrace digital transformation and innovation while remaining true to the core values that define their business. The trust Lallemand has placed in commercetools to build its digital commerce platform is a testament to our commitment to driving innovation. It highlights the importance of partnering with a reliable technology provider that not only helps businesses meet evolving market demands but also preserves their connection to their customers," Eric Speciel, Chief Customer Officer at commercetools, commented on Lallemand's adoption of the new technology.

"Lallemand's journey from an initial business idea to a fully realised, future-ready digital commerce platform is a powerful testament to what strategic collaboration can achieve. From early strategy definition and implementation planning to development, launch, and ongoing growth, EPAM has been proud to support Lallemand throughout this transformation. By leveraging commercetools' flexible and scalable technology, Lallemand now has a robust, future-proof platform that supports their business today and prepares them for tomorrow. This collaboration has been a great success for everyone involved — Lallemand, EPAM, and commercetools — and stands as a strong example of what's possible with the right partnership and technology," Julie Synave, Account Manager for Lallemand at EPAM, addressed the collaborative process.

The new B2B platform arrangement offers over 1,000 product selections, supports multiple currencies, and facilitates instant ordering. It also provides smart tools for both Lallemand's sales teams and its buyers, marking a significant departure from legacy technology previously underpinning its commercial baking supply chain.

Studies cited by the companies suggest that businesses in the industry typically spend nearly £3 million per year maintaining outdated systems. Lallemand's move to a digital portal is intended to reduce reliance on such legacy systems and associated costs.

Looking ahead, Lallemand intends to widen the platform's reach by including more business units and will eventually introduce support for B2C brands as part of its future expansion plans.