Hela Thissen embraces data-driven production

In 2025, Hela Thissen will focus even more on health and sustainability. Additionally, there’s growing attention for more efficient inventory management and production processes. To achieve this, the Venlo-based producer of sauces and dressings plans to streamline its operations. Aptean Food & Beverage ERP is set to play a key role in this transformation.

The family-owned company Hela Thissen in Venlo is thoroughly preparing for what’s ahead. The well-known sauce specialist aims to serve its customers even more accurately while also easing the workload for its staff. Perhaps most importantly, it is prioritizing salt and sugar reduction, sustainability, and continuing to surprise consumers with delicious products. Co-owner Dominic Thissen explains that the company’s core values are crystal clear. “We are building a food culture that’s ready for the future, and in doing so, we want to be kind to both people and the planet,” he states from the company’s headquarters in Venlo.

Third generation

Dominic Thissen represents the third generation of this family business, which traces its roots back to Germany. On May 13, 1905, young merchant Herman Laue took over Carl H. Rose & Co in Barmbek. In 1906, he changed the company’s name to Hermann Laue, shortened to Hela. From that point on, Hela became a company dealing in herbs and spices. On November 1, 1967, Dominic’s grandfather, Harry Thissen, signed a contract with the German company to sell 200 boxes of Hela Curry Spice Ketchup the following year. To cut a long story short, this eventually grew into the well-known brand it is today.

To continue achieving today’s ambitions, tasks such as order processing and inventory tracking need to be even better organized. For years, the spice supplier has relied on IT systems from Aptean, which develops industry-specific software and has launched a comprehensive platform for the food and beverage industry. In 2024/2025, attention to health, food safety, traceability, and allergen management is crucial. The latest available applications can be instrumental in meeting these needs.

Sawan Mahabier (left) and Dominic Thissen

Real-time

Hela Thissen will use various Aptean Food & Beverage modules tailored to production. “Employees will enter production orders in real time via an easy-to-use interactive touchscreen, including details such as ingredients and labeling information,” consultant Sawan Mahabier of Aptean explains concisely. This approach prevents paper work orders from being misplaced and minimizes the risk of errors. “After a long day at work, staff no longer have to deal with administrative hassle,” Dominic explains. “It’s all entered during the workday itself. The benefit for me is that I can access insights into production processes anytime and anywhere, gaining detailed visibility into workflows,” he adds. This allows Dominic to make faster and more informed decisions, as the information is immediately available in digital form. “I can keep a close eye on the progress of work orders while also maintaining control over production costs. Our next step will be making even more data-driven decisions next year,” he explains. “When a retailer plans a big barbecue promotion in the summer, I need to ensure we have the right raw materials in stock well in advance. Think of packaging materials, sunflower oil, or mustard seeds. Historical data can help me with this because I can rely on the information in our ERP system to base my decisions. The more data we collect over the years, the better I can forecast and manage.”

From left to right: Sawan Mahabier (Aptean consultant), Martine Vrolijk (Senior Account Manager, Aptean), and Dominic (COO, Hela Thissen)

Cloud

By adopting Aptean’s cloud-native Food ERP system built on the Microsoft Business Central platform, the COO will gain even greater insights. Nowadays, this cloud solution comes equipped with built-in AI capabilities from Microsoft, “because that’s booming,” Mahabier adds. The solution not only improves efficiency but, when used properly, also increases profitability. Last year, Mahabier conducted a scan at Hela Thissen to gather information critical for this cloud migration. Dominic believes the cloud is absolutely the future. “We still have a physical server, which requires significant maintenance. Cybersecurity is also a concern these days. That’s why it’s reassuring and important that we’ll be moving to Microsoft’s cloud next year. ERP really forms the heart of our company,” he explains.

As with this year, Mahabier will regularly visit Venlo next year to work with Hela Thissen’s employees and management to ensure a smooth transition and implementation of the new systems. Together with Aptean, Hela Thissen has established two project groups to oversee the process.

Hela.nl
Aptean.com

Photos: © Bert Jansen