Quality assurance and process optimization

A new software system was introduced at the Berger butcher shop in Lower Austria with “winweb-food“

Already in the fourth generation, the Berger family runs a butcher's shop in Lower Austria. The Bergers, based in Wilhelmsburg, are a family business through and through, which is evident not least in the fact that two generations are currently working together in a leading role and with great passion. What the great-grandparents founded at the end of the twenties and what the grandparents Franz and Gertrude Berger continued (founded in 1960 as a livestock and slaughter cattle trade) has today become a modern slaughter, cutting and processing plant to EU standards as well as a country butcher's shop with flagship character.

The Bergers stand for quality and tradition, you can see and taste that in the country butcher's shop on the main square in Wilhelmsburg, where a wide variety of hearty delicacies are still produced in the old artisanal tradition. Also the finest beef and veal from their own Slaughter can be found here. Until 1996, slaughtering and sales still took place in Wilhelmsburg. In order to meet the growing demands, the Berger family built a modern slaughtering, cutting and processing facility to EU standards in neighboring Rotheau in 1996. "As important as tradition is, especially when dealing with animals and in the production of meat, you have to move with the times" explains Franz Berger Sr.

A short time ago, a new software system was introduced at Berger with “winweb-food”. The decision as to which provider is the right long-term partner was not easy, recalls Franz Berger Jr., who, as a trained master butcher, has been working in his parents' business for several years: “The decision for an ERP system is very sensitive, as all current and future company requirements must be mapped and linked with one another.”

Especially in the meat industry there are very sensitive requirements such as Traceability , Classification, Quality assurance, labeling etc., which, due to product sensitivity, must be covered without errors in the shortest possible time. Winweb offers a complete system specifically for the meat industry, which is continuously being further developed, paired with an extremely high level of industry expertise. Because, as Ms. Berger says: “It was very important to me to find an IT partner that is capable of understanding, mapping and optimizing our complex processes. Winweb keeps up with the times, has a clear industry focus and is a medium-sized company - just like us.”

High quality requirements

The topicQuality assurance is capitalized at Berger, since both conventional and beef products awarded the AMA quality seal are produced. In principle, all products are subject to the criteria of the beef labeling system (BOS), which requires a high level of control and documentation.

The AMA seal of quality also represents an officially recognized, independent quality program of Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing GmbH, which stands for conventionally produced food of above-average quality that is independently controlled and whose origin can be traced. AMA products come exclusively from Austria and are controlled at all stages, from rearing to the end product.

In this way, in addition to the Berger family, the quality manager, Ralph Zickbauer, was also included in the selection process. Zickbauer explains the special requirements that must be covered by a software company. “We slaughter and butcher cattle according to the AMA quality program, which is why seamless Traceability indispensable. When selling coarse parts, traceability down to the individual farmer must be ensured.” To meet these requirements, individual animal batches are formed during slaughter, which in winweb-food provide conclusions about the exact origin and all relevant data of each individual animal.

In Incoming disassembly is charged per Cutting day, Animal species and quality program with connection to the individual animal data a Charge formed. This allows batch-by-batch or individual animal-related labeling of the Disassembly products, as well as the recording in goods issue with output of the corresponding data on the goods accompanying documents ensured.

Furthermore, winweb-food generates a cutting yield report and an automatic AMA notification. “Winweb impressed us and presented a solution that not only meets our requirements, but is also much easier to use than our old system and saves time”, says Ralph Zickbauer.

Implementation

The implementation of a new software system cannot be compared with the commissioning of a new machine. The goal is to achieve an optimization of business processes and this creates a process that challenges the employees, as all company processes must be rethought and ultimately mapped in the software. Through this conceptual work during the implementation phase, new requirements constantly arise to which a software company must respond. At Berger, the introduction was carried out through consulting by Winweb in a transfair-oriented manner. After an initial kickoff meeting, in which the basic requirements are defined together with the customer and a schedule is created, the actual introduction begins. For this purpose, the customer's employees are directly involved and thus learn from the very beginning how to use the system. The approach of the consulting team consists of on-site appointments, online training via “TeamViewer”, and telephone support. In training sessions, it is worked out together with the employees how each process can be optimally mapped in the software and it is explained exactly how which data must be entered. Telephone support can be reached via an Austrian number and is available for any questions that arise, updates are also provided by the Support coordinated with the customer. “Winweb’s approach has proven itself many times over and you can tell. If you need a refresher a few days after a training course, you pick up the phone and are quickly back up to speed”, says Franz Berger Jr.

What stands out is the time savings. Franz Berger Jr.: “These time savings arise, for example, in goods issue, order entry and labeling as well as during the import of slaughter data”. For example, labeling is generated automatically and exactly by piece directly from the cutting list. In goods issue, the products are scanned and no longer have to be entered into the system manually. “We feel ideally positioned with Winweb for the requirements of tomorrow”, says Regina Berger.

www.berger-fleischer.at
www.winweb.de