Improving Fressnapf’s Transport Planning Efficiency for Increased Flexibility

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

As one of Europe's leading pet retail companies, Fressnapf depends on a highly efficient logistics operation to keep stores supplied and customers served. However, transportation planning relied heavily on old software, manual processes and spreadsheet-based workflows that made scaling increasingly difficult and increased operational costs.

To support its continued growth, Fressnapf partnered with Accesa to create an integrated transport management platform that connects planning, scheduling, transport execution, and administration in a single environment. The result is a more efficient and scalable logistics operation that reduces manual effort, improves planning accuracy, and provides greater visibility across the transportation lifecycle. The platform is expected to save approximately €700,000 annually in freight costs while reducing fleet operator effort by around 800 hours per year.

BUSINESS CHALLENGES

Transport management is one of the most operationally critical functions in Retail. Every day, goods must move efficiently between warehouses, distribution centres, and stores while balancing delivery requirements, vehicle availability, route constraints, and transportation costs.

At Fressnapf, many of these activities relied on Excel-based processes that had evolved over time to support increasingly complex logistics requirements. While functional, these manual workflows created operational inefficiencies, increased the risk of planning errors, and made it difficult to maintain and evolve transportation logic as the business grew.

The fragmented approach also limited integration possibilities with other planning systems and reduced visibility into transportation activities across the organisation. As logistics volumes increased, the business needed a more robust, scalable solution that could support future growth while maintaining operational efficiency and cost control.

Maintaining the status quo would have meant increasing administrative effort, higher operational risk, and reduced flexibility in responding to changing logistics demands. In short, it was not sustainable as the company grew.

ACCESA'S ROLE AND APPROACH

Fressnapf already had a vision for a modern transport management platform, which influenced the solution's architectural direction. Accesa joined the project as a long-term development partner, bringing together expertise in software engineering, user experience design, and quality assurance.

The first priority was to understand Fressnapf’s workflows and the end users’ operational experience. Rather than focusing solely on technical requirements, the team worked closely with business stakeholders to see how planners, dispatchers, and administrators interacted with existing tools and identify inefficiencies.

This user-centric perspective led to the introduction of a stronger UX focus, helping simplify complex planning activities and reduce unnecessary manual work. At the same work, Accesa ensured that Fressnapf has a stable and scalable platform that can grow with their needs.

Besides simplifying the inclusion process for new stores and warehouses from possibly months to mere minutes, Accesa added new features, such as the ability to generate transports in advance, and integrated the platform with other software to reduce the need for manual data entry.

Working as an autonomous cross-functional team, we collaborated closely with Fressnapf’s team throughout the development process, continuously refining the platform based on user feedback and evolving business needs.

SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS

Rather than replacing one manual process with another digital workflow, the solution automates repetitive activities, standardises planning logic, and gives users greater visibility and control over transport operations.

Key capabilities include:

  • Automated transport generation, reducing manual planning effort and input errors.

  • Centralised management of supply chain entities and operational master data through configurable administration modules.

  • Automatically adjusted deliveries around public holidays and operational constraints.

  • Tour creation and streamlined route planning, loading schedules, and transportation execution.

  • Vehicle assignment validation rules, ensuring operational feasibility.

  • Real-time visibility into vehicle availability and transport capacity.

  • Highly configurable workflows that allow users to add new locations, transport areas, and operational parameters.

  • Integration-ready architecture that supports future expansion with additional planning capabilities.

BUSINESS OUTCOMES

The platform has transformed how transportation planning is managed across the organisation, replacing time-consuming manual processes with automated workflows that support operational expansion.

By automating key planning activities and standardising transportation workflows, Fressnapf reduces fleet operator effort by an estimated 800 hours annually. At the same time, improved route planning and transportation optimisation are projected to generate around €700,000 in annual freight cost savings.

Beyond efficiency gains, the platform provides greater operational transparency and control. Planners can make faster decisions using real-time information, while configurable business rules reduce the likelihood of costly planning errors and improve consistency across logistics operations.

The platform also strengthens Fressnapf’s ability to scale. New locations, transportation requirements, and future integrations can be incorporated without significant redevelopment efforts, ensuring the solution can evolve alongside the business.

An additional strategic benefit emerged from the decision to build a tailored platform rather than adopt a commercial off-the-shelf alternative. According to project evaluations, a comparable third-party solution would have introduced substantial recurring licensing costs, whereas the custom-built platform provides long-term flexibility and ownership while supporting the retailer’s specific operational requirements.

Fressnapf now has a transportation management foundation capable of supporting future growth while improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enabling a more responsive supply chain.