A premium Australian bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer engaged Fragile to Agile after rapid growth outpaced its IT services. With increasing demands across production, kitchens, supply chain, and multi-channel retail, the organisation sought a forward-looking technology roadmap to better support its future operations and customer experience.
What Prompted Change?
As the organisation expanded its reputation as a premium bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer, its IT services struggled to keep pace. Rapid growth across production, kitchens, supply chain, and multi-channel retail placed increasing pressure on systems that were not designed for the scale or complexity of current operations.
This created risks to both efficiency and the ability to consistently deliver the brand’s high standards of quality and customer experience. To address these challenges, the organisation sought a forward-looking technology roadmap that could provide a clear target state, guide investment decisions, and ensure IT was positioned to support the next phase of growth.
Strategy in Action
Fragile to Agile was engaged for its proven two-stage technology roadmap approach, designed for medium-sized organisations.
In the first stage, we assessed the organisation’s existing capabilities and solutions, working closely with key stakeholders and the executive leadership team to agree on the outcomes expected from the target state architecture.
The second stage focused on designing the target state itself and sequencing the initiatives required to achieve it. A conceptual design and strategic technology roadmap were delivered, including realistic cost and time estimates for each project. These were informed by industry consultation, analyst insights, and Fragile to Agile’s extensive library of benchmark projects.
Following the roadmap, Fragile to Agile continued its support by helping to realign the IT department with the growing demands of the business, and by assisting in the appointment of a new head of technology to lead the uplift of IT services.
Delivering Meaningful Impact
The target state architecture and roadmap was welcomed by the executive team, providing a well-defined, consensus-based path forward with clear visibility of costs, risks, and benefits.
When the global pandemic forced the closure of chocolate retail stores, the organisation was able to pivot seamlessly. With a fully developed roadmap in place, attention shifted from postponed manufacturing and point-of-sale upgrades to fast-tracking the e-commerce initiative.
This rapid reprioritisation allowed the business to strengthen its online ordering and customer experience, ensuring continuity during lockdowns and positioning the organisation to resume its supply chain and manufacturing uplift as conditions improved.
