Columbus signs one of the largest ERP Initiatives in Norway’s Food and Grocery Industry

BAMA Gruppen AS has signed one of the largest deals with IT consultancy Columbus to develop and roll out a new group-wide ERP system based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management. The new platform will replace a patchwork of ageing systems and give the company a standardised, scalable backbone for its operations.

“We need a modern, integrated ERP platform to operate more efficiently, profitably and transparently. Our current systems are fragmented and costly to maintain. Dynamics 365, together with Columbus as our partner, gives us a stronger foundation for everyday operations and future growth,” says Trine-Lise Jensen, Group Director for Technology and Digitalisation.

The fresh produce giant employs just over 3,000 people, including around 1,000 internationally. Next year BAMA marks 140 years in business, and in 2024 the company reported revenues of NOK 24.2 billion. Each year, around half a million tons of goods flow from BAMA to more than 12,000 customers nationwide.

“Another breakthrough for Columbus in Norway”

For Columbus, the agreement marks a milestone.

“BAMA choosing us to build its new ERP system is a significant vote of confidence. This is another important breakthrough for us in the Norwegian market and a reference project we intend to build on,” says Søren Krogh Knudsen, CEO for Columbus.

Eivind Hagen, VP for Dynamics at Columbus highlights the strength of the company’s Nordic team:

“We’re deploying a combined Nordic team with deep experience in Dynamics 365, logistics and the food industry. Our job is to ensure a smooth transition from today’s complex systems to a platform that gives BAMA lower complexity, stronger data foundations and room to innovate for years to come,” says Eivind Hagen, VP for Dynamics at Columbus.

One system, unified processes

Today BAMA runs several different ERP solutions. All of them will be phased out in favor of a single system serving key areas such as grocery, industrial processing, sourcing, foodservice and flowers.

The project aims to cut technical debt and reduce operational risk, while strengthening BAMA’s capabilities in analytics, reporting and artificial intelligence.

“Bringing our data and processes together in one system gives us tighter control, more consistent quality and greater execution power. A modern, cloud-based platform delivers better integrations, more reliable reporting and a much stronger basis for advanced analytics and AI. That directly affects our competitiveness, sustainability efforts and profitability,” Jensen says.

About BAMA

BAMA Gruppen AS is Norway’s leading supplier of fruit, vegetables, berries and flowers. The company has just over 3,000 employees, including around 1,000 abroad. Next year BAMA celebrates its 140th anniversary. In 2024 the company reported revenues of NOK 24.2 billion, delivering more than 500,000 tons of goods to more than 12,000 customers across Norway.

About Columbus

Columbus is a consultancy that brings business and tech together, delivering digital value through human intelligence to enable customers to innovate and grow. With more than 1,500 employees, we guide our customers through their digital transformation and deliver lasting value within the food and beverage, manufacturing, retail, distribution, and life sciences industries. We advise, implement, and manage business-critical solutions within Cloud Services, ERP, Data & AI, Digital Commerce, Business Process Automation, Enterprise Information Management, Cybersecurity and more. With headquarters in Denmark and a global presence, we ensure local delivery of our services on a global scale.