Brazilian Food Major BRF Wins SAP Innovation Award in Cloud ERP Champion and Industry Leader Category

ITAJAÍ, Brazil, Aug. 19, 2025 — Food giant BRF recently won the SAP Innovation Award in the category Cloud ERP Champion and Industry Leader with its supply chain management solution based on SAP Integrated Business Planning (SAP IBP).

According to a press release, as a global leader in the food industry, BRF is renowned for its commitment to quality and innovation. By using AI and advanced analytics, BRF improved forecast accuracy, optimized inventory, and fine-tuned planning. Collaborative forecasting and real-time data alignment now increase operational efficiency, enabling BRF to manage its extensive operations in over 127 countries and adapt quickly to market changes.

Headquartered in Itajaí, Brazil, BRF owns well-known brands such as Sadia, Perdigão, and Qualy, and employs nearly 100,000 people. The company’s dedication to sustainability and excellence has made it a trusted name in households worldwide.

What are the Project Outcomes That Scale

With 44 production units and 103 distribution centers delivering more than 500 million deliveries per month to over 415,000 customers, representing 5 million tons of food produced annually, the scale of the achieved improvements is immense.

“BRF is transforming efficiency and productivity standards in the production chain, developing solutions that make processes more agile, simple, and efficient,” said Gilberto Andretta, executive technology manager at BRF. “We are one of the leading SAP IBP organizations, achieving daily demand planning and sensing, statistical modeling, forecast accuracy, embedded analytics, time-series analysis, and exception management, all of which are integral for our more than 400 planners.”

Using SAP IBP, the process of accurately accessing and analyzing demand and forecast data is 33 percent faster.

Award-Winning Solution You Should Know

AI for Supply Chain: For BRF, seeking innovative solutions is essential to advancing digital transformation and driving growth. AI is fundamental to overcoming supply chain management challenges.

“The transformation of BRF’s supply chain through SAP solutions has made it easier to integrate processes, predict future trends, and respond quickly to market needs,” said Miriam Hahn, customer success manager for SAP Brazil. “This journey highlights the strong partnership between SAP and BRF.”

Benefits of IBP: Using SAP Integrated Business Planning for Supply Chain, BRF can analyze vast data sets, improve forecast accuracy, monitor order trends, and enable proactive decision-making. Accurate forecasts and delivery deadlines require detailed, flexible planning, enabling quick responses to changes and increasing operational efficiency. Consolidating real-time information, aligning financial and operational planning, and improving interdepartmental collaboration are also fundamental to BRF’s operations.

Use of AI: BRF is a recognized early adopter of SAP Business AI and SAP’s AI copilot Joule. By integrating AI-driven insights, the company can forecast demand accurately, optimize inventory levels, and ensure timely product delivery. This advanced technology helps BRF anticipate market trends, adjust production schedules, and reduce waste, ultimately improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Within SAP IBP, BRF uses demand planning and sensing, statistical modeling, forecast accuracy and embedded analytics, time-series analysis, and exception management. AI algorithms combine time-series forecasting, regression and predictive modeling, and machine learning to produce more precise daily forecasts. For master data analytics, AI enhances data quality, improves planning processes, and supports better decision-making.

More in the Pipeline

BRF is among the first customers to incorporate SAP IBP with Joule, leveraging the SAP Help Portal and a chatbot to assist employees. The company is deploying a “brownfield” SAP S/4HANA Cloud upgrade of its existing SAP ECC system, incorporating new features while retaining much of the existing infrastructure and core data services.

In addition to SAP S/4HANA and the cloud-based SAP Ariba solution for procurement, BRF runs SAP SuccessFactors software for human capital management (HCM).

“BRF is an early adopter of many SAP AI services and our strategic partner in the region,” said Caio Granzotto, account director for BRF at SAP Brazil. “Next, they plan to use SAP IBP’s AI assistant to improve supply chain processes and simplify the work of their planners. The company is also considering order-based planning using additional AI algorithms.”

We are one of the leading SAP IBP organizations, achieving daily demand planning and sensing, statistical modeling, forecast accuracy, embedded analytics, time-series analysis, and exception management, all of which are integral for our more than 400 planners.

Inputs from Saqib Malik

Editing by David Ryder