[VIDEO] How Biscuiterie Thijs bakes efficiency into every bite

Oct 14, 2025
  • operations
  • food
  • SAP

When Belgian waffle specialist Biscuiterie Thijs looked to modernize its operations, CEO Peter Janssen had one priority: lay the foundation for sustainable growth, in every sense of the word. With ambitions reaching far beyond their Herentals production site, the company needed more than just a technical upgrade. It wanted a partner who understood the food industry, operational complexity, and the realities of scaling a family business. delaware has been that partner since 2019. (Reading time: 5 minutes)

5 production plants

fully integrated into SAP S/4HANA.

31 production lines

connected to modern ERP workflows. 

1 seamless VIM rollout

with immediate value for accounting.

€240M turnover

which went up significantly from ca. €80M at project kick-off in 2019.

Challenge

Biscuiterie Thijs is anything but a traditional factory. With over 600 employees, 40 nationalities, and five production plants, it’s a complex and proudly Belgian operation. Yet in 2019, the company was still working with outdated systems, making scalability difficult and efficiency gains hard to realize.

“We’re in a permanent state of transformation,” says CEO Peter Janssen. “Our industry evolves fast. If we don’t evolve too, we won’t survive. And for me, sustainability means just that: ensuring we’re still here, thriving, in 20 or 30 years.”

The existing ERP system couldn’t support their vision. Manual processes clogged up accounts payable, integration across locations was lacking, and the team’s reliance on custom-built tools risked future viability. The goal was clear: consolidate, simplify, standardize, and scale with confidence.


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Biscuiterie Thijs wanted to grow sustainably, with scalable systems, not shortcuts. Our role was to bring the right expertise, tools and mindset to support that journey, every step of the way.
Patrick Carmans, partner at delaware

Solution

To help Biscuiterie Thijs build the digital foundation for their future, delaware stepped in as a long-term strategic partner. Each step was designed to balance robustness and flexibility, giving Biscuiterie Thijs the tools to professionalize and grow without sacrificing their pragmatic, people-first culture. Our approach focused on:

  • ERP standardization with SAP S/4HANA, tailored for food industry complexity
  • Automated warehousing, using SAP Enterprise Warehouse Management (EWM) to boost traceability and logistics efficiency
  • Vendor invoice automation with SAP VIM to streamline accounting processes


What did
we do?

ERP as a growth platform

The implementation of SAP S/4HANA replaced a fragmented legacy setup with a centralized, scalable ERP. This allowed the business to run smoother across plants, integrate a new acquisition in under three months, and gain a more complete view of operations.

Warehouse transformation

Using SAP EWM, the company built more structure into their supply chain, significantly improving ownership, transparency and traceability. This was especially critical as Biscuiterie Thijs ramped up to handle more volume and variety across international markets.

Invoice automation

With the introduction of SAP VIM and delaware’s FastVIM template, Biscuiterie Thijs automated large parts of their invoice processing flow, from scanning to approvals. The result: reduced manual workload and increasing transparency.

We didn’t just gain efficiency. We’ve become a more professional organization, with better insights, faster decisions, and systems we can build on. That’s the kind of sustainability that matters most to me.
Peter Janssen, CEO at Biscuiterie Thijs

Results

The transformation has been tangible. From a transparency boost in purchasing to faster month-end closings, the benefits of the ERP and VIM systems reverberate throughout the company.

  • Accounting teams now process invoices with far less manual input
  • Production and logistics enjoy real-time stock insights across five sites
  • Management reporting is faster, more accurate, and more actionable
  • Onboarding a new plant was completed in record time, fully integrated into S/4HANA from day one

“ERP is about more than tech,” says Peter. “It’s about professionalization. It’s a stone in the pond, and the ripples are creativity, innovation, and being ready for what’s next.” 

Zoom out: SAP VIM with FAST VIM to automate for impact

For many food companies, vendor invoice processing remains a manual headache. Biscuiterie Thijs turned that challenge into an opportunity. By implementing SAP Vendor Invoice Management (VIM), powered by delaware’s FAST VIM template, they automated the ingestion, validation, and routing of both PO and non-PO invoices.

What made the difference? FAST VIM has given them an affordable way to access enterprise-grade automation, while keeping total control over thresholds and exception handling. The solution now fits seamlessly into their SAP environment, enabling one single flow from order to payment.

read more

Biscuiterie Thijs & delaware

Founded as a family bakery, Biscuiterie Thijs has grown into one of Europe’s leading producers of waffles and biscuits; supplying major retailers across the continent under the “Belgian Waffles” brand. Still proudly independent and rooted in Herentals, the company balances ambition with humility.

“From the start, this was never just a supplier relationship,” says Peter. “delaware understands us, our values, our challenges, our market. They bring the right people, and they grow with us.”

Patrick Carmans agrees: “It’s that rare kind of partnership built on trust, cultural fit, and shared ambition. That’s what makes the difference.”

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