Dairy farm Den Eelder is thriving. Over the past decades, this combined farm and dairy producer has built a strong reputation by supplying high-quality dairy products to both retail and foodservice sectors. Professionalising business operations is part of that growth. The implementation of Aptean Food & Beverage ERP is helping the company make that next step.
Founded in 1983 in Well, Gelderland, the family-owned Den Eelder began producing dairy in 1990 under the leadership of Ernst and Jacomine van der Schans. Their buttermilk, milk, yoghurt, custard, and butter are now distributed nationwide to major retailers and foodservice providers. What makes the company unique is its tightly integrated setup: the dairy production facility is located directly next to the cow barn. The milk that’s collected in the morning is processed and packaged on-site the same day.
Photo f.l.t.r. Jasper, Esther en Dafke
To better manage operations within this unique setup, the Van der Schans family sought a partner to support their transition. “Our system worked, but involved a lot of manual tasks. We also relied heavily on Excel spreadsheets – a very analogue way of working,” explains Esther van der Schans, wife of Willem (eldest son of the founders). Together with Dafke van der Schans, Willem’s younger sister, Esther spent the past nine months working to streamline internal processes and implement the ERP system. “It was a valuable and educational experience for all of us. Every bit of data we had collected over the years passed through our hands and was re-entered into the system.”
To continue meeting demand for their high-quality dairy products, an efficient workflow is essential. “That’s why we chose to work with Aptean, a partner that offers industry-specific software and a complete platform tailored to the food and beverage sector,” says Esther. “We were drawn to Aptean because of their background in our industry.”
The collaboration has been a success. Jasper Koogje, Lead Consultant at Aptean, guided the team through the system. “Together with the Aptean and Den Eelder teams, we implemented ERP functionalities that now support many of the business processes. These include automated creation of sales orders via EDI, shipment tracking, automated sales invoice generation, and data analysis by sales volume and revenue,” Jasper explains.
The benefits were immediate. “In 2025, health, food safety, traceability and allergen control are more important than ever,” says Dafke. “It’s a huge relief that we now have real-time insight into stock levels and can track exactly where our milk, yoghurt, butter and custard are at any moment.”
The system also automates tasks like generating purchase orders and scanning and matching incoming invoices. Both Dafke and Jasper are very pleased with the collaboration. With the ERP system in place, Dafke and Esther can now focus on optimising and expanding automation even further. “They picked up the system very quickly,” Jasper adds. “That makes it easier for them to train other colleagues in the new way of working.”
Photo f.l.t.r. Esther, Jacomine, Jasper en Dafke
The ERP went live in December 2024, and the first results were quickly evident. “We recently had an audit,” Dafke says. “Within fifteen minutes, we were able to trace all deliveries to customers. In the past, we would have had to dig through folders to find and verify the correct information.”
Aptean will continue to support the next phase of automation as well. “The next step is production support,” Jasper explains. “We’ll be training three teams on what happens in the dairy production area and how to work with the software.”
The production process will soon be fully ERP-supported — including the production of Den Eelder’s signature product: traditional buttermilk, which has been voted the tastiest in the Netherlands multiple times. “We still churn it the traditional way,” Esther says with pride. “That’s why it’s rich, creamy, and has that slightly tangy flavour.”
But while the taste may be traditional, the business process is anything but. “We’re ready for the future,” Esther and Dafke conclude. “And we hope to keep providing the Netherlands with the very best dairy for years to come.”
Photos: ©Bart Nijs
Source: vakblad Voedingsindustrie 2025
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