Loading
CASE STUDY | FOOD & BEVERAGE
Recent ActivityRecent Activity
3 minute read

Teddie Peanut Butter: A Smooth Shift to the Cloud

With real-time performance visibility, Plex ERP and MES positions family-owned company for global growth.

Share This:

LinkedInLinkedIn
XX
FacebookFacebook
PrintPrint
EmailEmail
peanut butter and inshell peanuts on a cutting board
teddie peanut butter logo

Founded in 1925 by Armenian immigrant Michael Hintlian, The Leavitt Corporation, doing business as Teddie All Natural Peanut Butter, is now a fourth generation family business producing the leading brand of all natural peanut butter in the Northeast, with global distribution to over 25 countries.

Jaime Hintlian
Jaime Hintlian
Chief Executive Officer and COO, Teddie Peanut Butter
Challenge
  • Legacy system
  • Lack of real-time operations visibility
  • Paper-based quality and production management
  • Change management issues
Solution
  • Plex MES
  • Plex ERP
  • Employee pilot and training
  • Workstations at all lines, tablets for all QC personnel, smart scanners for all material management
Result
  • Increased data access and accuracy
  • Improved performance and management
  • Easy employee transition
Video Player
Chevron DownChevron Down
Teddie Peanut Butter Implements MES to Scale Production
Download File

Media error: Format(s) not supported or source(s) not found

Download File: https://rockwellautomation.scene7.com/is/content/rockwellautomation/teddie-peanut-butter-mes-en
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

Jamie Hintlian is Chief Executive Officer and COO of The Leavitt Corporation, the family-owned and operated business that produces Teddie Peanut Butter

and packaged nut products. Hintlian’s grandfather, an Armenian immigrant, founded the company in 1925. The iconic New England brand produces 75,000 pounds of peanut butter a day.

Challenge

Legacy System Limits Global Ambitions

“We’re the number one, all-natural peanut butter in New England and growing nationally. We have an international presence as well,” Hintlian said. “We have a lot of ambition for growth, but our systems and technology just weren’t positioned for us to achieve our growth objectives.”

Previously Teddie Peanut Butter used a custom built, on-premises ERP system. While Hintlian said it served the company well, the system was no longer supported and lacked the functionality to meet the producer’s ambitions for productivity and growth.

“We were looking for greater visibility to all aspects of the business,” he explained. “Real-time performance data for what's being made, what's not being made, quality management, shipping, financials – everything.”

But, as a company about to mark its 100th anniversary, migrating to a new ERP platform was a major change management concern. Generations of employees work at Teddie Peanut Butter, some of whom have been with the company for decades.

“Moving to new ways of doing things. Not just new methods, procedures and processes, but the technology itself presented obvious challenges and opportunities,” Hintlian explained. “How would line operators and workers who were used to clipboards, checking boxes and writing numbers transition to barcodes, smart scanners, and workstations and be able to operate in a new environment seamlessly?”

Solution

Pilot Prepares Employees for Shift to the Cloud

Teddie Peanut Butter selected Plex ERP

and Plex MES.

“Literally every function of the company is now on Plex in the cloud. It runs the entire company, all of our operations – finance, accounting, customer service, sales, marketing, logistics, and quality management,” Hintlian said. “We went from an entirely paper-based environment for production and quality control to an entirely paperless environment.”

To ease employees through that transition, the company set up a large scale conference room pilot for training all functions.

“We had a miniature version of the operation. It got people used to the idea of having to scan things and track material in real time,” Hintlian explained. “This was one of the big changes. Every time you move something, it has to be accounted for and this was a different mindset from before.”

Video Player
Chevron DownChevron Down
Teddie Peanut Butter ERP and MES to Grow Business
Download File

Media error: Format(s) not supported or source(s) not found

Download File: https://rockwellautomation.scene7.com/is/content/rockwellautomation/teddie-peanut-butter-mes-onsite-en
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

Result

Information at Our Fingertips

Employees quickly adapted to the new system. “The transition went remarkably smooth,” Hintlian said. “People got it right away.”

For example, year-end inventory was completed in a fraction of time than previously and with “incredible” accuracy. That was just one of the new system’s many benefits.

“Now we’re able to measure real time productivity, line effectiveness and performance. All that information is at our fingertips for analysis, literally by the hour, day or month,” Hintlian explained. “We’re able to show what's important in terms of performance at the operational, finance and accounting level and from a quality management perspective as well.”

Change and Preparation Mindset Key to Digital Transformation

Hintlian offers a few key pieces of advice for other similar sized companies embarking on their digital transformation journey.

“First, it’s not nearly as challenging as you might think but there are a lot of moving parts. Prepare and involve everybody equally, even people you think might be more on the periphery of the operation,” he said. “Everybody should appreciate what the environment is, what the to-be world will look like, and also why it's important. Once those concepts are understood, with a mindset towards change and preparedness, implementation should go very smoothly.”

Published April 29, 2024

Topics: Accelerate Digital Transformation Food & Beverage Food Packaging Plex
Subscribe to Rockwell Automation

Receive the latest news, thought leadership and information directly to your inbox.

Subscribe Now
Recommended for You
Loading
Volga Reduces Control Panel Wiring Time by 66%
Volga Reduces Control Panel Wiring Time by 66%
Case Study
Case Study
Volga Reduces Control Panel Wiring Time by 66%
Rockwell Automation System Integrator Partner simplifies panel design and deployment with newly released EtherNet/IP™ In-cabinet Solution.
Rapid ERP Success for Leaf Infusions
Rapid ERP Success for Leaf Infusions
Case Study
Case Study
Rapid ERP Success for Leaf Infusions
Leaf Infusions transforms operations with Plex Enterprise Resource Planning software -- achieving automated inventory tracking and compliance in 73 days.
Emulate3D Brings Garvey’s Bottling Improvements to Life
Emulate3D Brings Garvey’s Bottling Improvements to Life
Case Study
Case Study
Emulate3D Brings Garvey’s Bottling Improvements to Life
Conveyor and accumulation system specialist, Garvey, brought its bottling line improvements to life with Emulate3D visualization software.
  1. Chevron LeftChevron Left Rockwell Automation Home Chevron RightChevron Right
  2. Chevron LeftChevron Left Com... Chevron RightChevron Right
  3. Chevron LeftChevron Left News Chevron RightChevron Right
  4. Chevron LeftChevron Left Case Studies Chevron RightChevron Right
  5. Chevron LeftChevron Left Teddie Peanut Butter: A Smooth Shift to the Cloud Chevron RightChevron Right
Please update your cookie preferences to continue.
This feature requires cookies to enhance your experience. Please update your preferences to allow for these cookies:
  • Social Media Cookies
  • Functional Cookies
  • Performance Cookies
  • Marketing Cookies
  • All Cookies
You can update your preferences at any time. For more information please see our Privacy Policy
CloseClose