Food companies usually have their affairs in order: smart people, well-designed processes, and a genuine passion for their products. But put ten of these businesses side by side, and you'll notice the same IT puzzle every time: an ERP system here, a webshop there, a planning module on top, and somewhere in the mix, a handful of Excel files and standalone lists to fill the gaps.
Some of these systems talk to each other. Others don’t. Some are overly connected through a mess of twenty APIs, originally “thrown together quickly”, and now forming a jungle that no one can navigate without a guide, a machete, and a credit card.
So who’s benefiting from this situation? That’s right: the software suppliers. They’re making serious money off this patchwork of integrations. Any new request from the business — “can we automatically push order statuses to the webshop?” — means yet another invoice. And it's not usually driven by bad intentions. At Axians, we’ve been on the supplier side often enough to know: it’s largely a matter of leadership. Both on the client and supplier sides, there’s rarely a long-term vision for the application landscape.
The result? Solutions are developed with no real strategy behind them — they’re not scalable or future-proof — so you keep calling… and paying.
We believe it’s time for that to stop.
At Axians, we’re challenging this business model — not with fluffy marketing or whitepapers nobody reads, but with something simple and practical: a free tool called KoppelCheck. In just 5 minutes, you enter which applications you use and how (or whether) they’re connected. That’s all it takes to get a clear report: where are you losing money, time, and data security? Where are you paying ongoing fees for things that could’ve been solved properly the first time? More importantly: what are your options?
Axians is developing a free tool that shows where you're leaking money to IT suppliers — without even realising it.
KoppelCheck isn’t being developed for the food sector, but with it. Because you know exactly where the pain points are. Our role is to create a solution that not only provides insight, but also offers you a concrete path forward. And it’s not a one-off report — this is a tool you can use to model your optimal application landscape, whenever you need to.
Once you’ve mapped your situation with KoppelCheck, it’s time to act. In many cases, low-code integration can be the way forward. You’ve likely heard the term: middleware — the layer that turns your chaotic stack of apps into one cohesive system. It gives you a central place to manage logic, build connections, and make changes — all without needing a supplier every time. No more six-week lead times. No more surprise invoices. Suddenly, your time to market improves, and your application landscape can grow as much as needed — without ever losing oversight.
The truth is, until recently, middleware was still a bit of a black box. Only the middleware supplier truly understood how to manage that layer — which meant you were still stuck in the same cycle of dependency. But the market has matured. Today’s low-code integration platforms put control fully back in the hands of the customer. Industry leader Boomi, for example, delivers tools that are so intuitive, they’ve been named the world’s best middleware technology by Gartner — for eleven years running.
Let’s say you’re running eight applications, with twelve integrations between them. If each connection costs €10,000 to build, you’re already looking at €120,000 in upfront costs. Maintaining and updating each custom-built API adds another €1,000 to €2,500 per year — per connection. That’s roughly €20,000 a year just to keep things running.
With those numbers, you’ll recover the cost of a low-code integration platform within a few months. And that’s without even factoring in the gains you’ll see in your supply chain efficiency, reduced reliance on Excel workarounds, and lower data protection risks.
KoppelCheck also helps tackle another recurring issue. Many food companies are wary of business consultants — and not without reason. Too often, you end up paying premium rates for some colourful diagrams and vague process charts. And yet, IT managers know how crucial those visuals are: without process insight, your application landscape simply can’t function.
That’s where KoppelCheck comes in. It acts as a neutral translator. You don’t need an expensive advisor to explain to the business where things are going wrong. The tool automatically provides the visuals, reports, and language you need to bring both leadership and operations along with you in the change process. So you cut out the consultant invoices — while keeping the insights that are essential for gaining real control.
Want more control over your application landscape and an end to the flood of one-off invoices? Request early access to KoppelCheck via [email protected].
Source: Axians
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