Adams Extract and Spice, LLC

About Adams Extract and Spice, LLC
Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, is an industry leader in food-flavor solutions that provides a wide range of consumer products, from basic pantry spices, seasonings, and extracts to culinary spices, blends, and herbs from around the world. Best known for its world-famous Adams Best, the company manufactures its own brands and many private-label spices, blends, and extract items sold in retail locations nationwide. Founded in 1888, Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, is one of the oldest extract-and-spice companies in the United States.

Growing Pains
Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, began its ERP selection process out of a need to improve efficiency and accuracy. The company was using multiple systems to track data, including spreadsheets and outdated software that lacked integration capabilities. As the business grew, the numerous systems and processes became increasingly difficult to maintain.

Among its outdated tools was Edible Software, which Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, used to manage its direct store delivery (DSD) processes. The Adams brand, which makes up 40 percent of the business, is a DSD business. This means that the company’s sales team delivers its product directly to the grocery store. Built on an obsolete language, the legacy system became incapable of processing DSD orders in-store, which caused delays and inaccuracies in data.

Inaccuracies in data, outdated tools, and decentralized software were holding the company back. So the decision was made to search for a robust ERP system to manage all its business processes in one place.

A Centralized Solution
Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, selected Infor CloudSuite Industrial as its fully integrated ERP system in 2018. The implementation has been a great success for the extract-and-spice manufacturer. Inventory management functionality and the addition of Infor Factory Track allow Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, to track and allocate materials in real time, issue materials, track time and attendance, and more within a centralized system. Forecasting allows the company to predict demand and plan its inventory accordingly. Finally, Baus Systems was implemented as a third-party DSD tool. This tool integrates with CloudSuite Industrial, allowing the sales team to process orders remotely and reflect those sales in the ERP system—a function that simply wasn’t possible with the legacy system.

In addition to the manufacturing and sales functionality, Infor CloudSuite Industrial includes functionality for departments like finance and human resources that were working in QuickBooks, spreadsheets, and paperwork. Prior to implementation, it took the finance department an average of two weeks to close a month using manual processes. Following the implementation of Infor CloudSuite Industrial, the finance department is averaging three days to close each month. Overall, having a centralized system has been the number one benefit Adams has seen.

A Scalable Solution
Infor CloudSuite Industrial has also opened the door for future growth of Adams Extract and Spice, LLC. “Our ownership is on a path for growth,” said Annie Ortega, vice president of operations at Adams Extract and Spice, LLC. The company has not only invested in new software but also in new equipment, people, and facilities—all with the goal of promoting growth. A scalable ERP that could expand and upgrade as the company grew was a necessity. “We will be able to continue to grow into this system,” Ms. Ortega said. “It is very future-forward.”

A Supported Solution
The implementation of Infor CloudSuite Industrial opened up a whole new world of support for Adams Extract and Spice, LLC. With the legacy DSD and accounting systems, getting support from the vendor was not an easy task. With Infor CloudSuite Industrial, there is built-in assistance with the Infor Help Library, which has come in handy as users continue to expand their knowledge of the ERP. The built-in help library provides guides that teach users how to navigate the system and complete both basic and specific tasks. When customer service is required, Infor Xtreme allows users to submit tickets and connect directly with customer service representatives at Infor.

It was not just the software that Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, was sold on. The viability and longevity of Infor and Decision Resources as well as the experience, knowledge, and expertise of the Decision Resources team, were also influencing factors. Furthermore, the proximity of Decision Resources consultants and a nearby Decision Resources office in Austin, Texas, increased confidence in the company’s selection. In short, Decision Resources covered all the bases: functionality, expertise, convenience, and sustainability.

The Results
Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, went live with Infor CloudSuite Industrial ERP in October 2019, and the timing couldn’t have been better. 2020 saw a renewed interest in baking during the global pandemic, resulting in increased sales at Adams Extract and Spice, LLC.

Having an integrated and centralized solution that provides the data users need, when they need it, across the organization has helped Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, improve efficiency in its order fulfillment and on-time delivery capabilities. In addition, the sales and client relationship management (CRM) functionality gives Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, a competitive advantage in the field, allowing its sales team to see real-time information to quote lead times and pricing details accurately. Adams Extract and Spice, LLC, looks forward to continued growth with an ERP that can sustain the company for years to come.

“We will be able to continue to grow into this system. It is very future-forward.”

Annie Ortega, Vice President of Operations
Adams Extract and Spice, LLC