A case study in building the right operations foundation from day one
The Challenge: Building a Beverage Brand with Spreadsheets
Neha Soi, BERO's SVP of Operations, understands Food And Beverage Operations. And what to watch out for. At Lemon Perfect, she'd scaled operations on spreadsheets and a basic system. It worked until the company grew past it. By then, they were managing across unconnected tools. A system existed for inventory and purchase orders, but it wasn't connected to financials. The gap became expensive when they needed true cost visibility and couldn't get it quickly.
The question for BERO wasn't whether they needed systems. It was: do we fix this later (expensive, disruptive) or build right now (risky, capital-intensive for a startup)? For context on why timing matters so much in NetSuite adoption, our broader guide on NetSuite implementation for food and beverage startups explains the full cost and timing considerations.
The Decision: Making NetSuite Work for a Start-Up Beverage Brand
Neha and CEO John decided to implement NetSuite from the start. Most peers questioned it. NetSuite felt expensive and overbuilt for an early-stage brand. But besides Lemon Perfect, Neha had worked at Starbucks, Costco, and Taco Bell. She understood what a scalable operations platform actually looked like. NetSuite offered three things BERO needed: credibility with retail partners, capacity to handle real complexity (manufacturing, 3PL, multi-channel distribution), and flexibility to adapt as strategy changed.
They brought in Luxent (a NetSuite partner specialising in Food And Beverage) and asked: how do we want to operate? What processes matter most? Where do we need flexibility? The conversation was intentional, not template-based. NetSuite was configured from day one for purchase orders, inventory management, cost tracking, and financial integration. The system became the source of truth.
Small imperfections emerged. A detailed SKU map was created on day one based on projected product lines. Those projections changed quickly as the product strategy evolved. Today, they adjust SKUs regularly. It's a minor cost for getting the big decisions right.
NetSuite Implementation Results: How BERO Scaled Retail Operations
BERO moved from inception to retail placement in major chains, expanded its product line, and launched partnerships with recognized brands. Throughout that growth, the team maintained visibility. They know what's selling, where inventory sits, and what it costs to make each product. That visibility is invaluable when decisions happen at startup speed.
Every team member understands the system and their role in it. New hires arrive to a professional, data-driven operation. An operations system signals that decisions are based on data, not opinion.
Conversations with retail partners and investors shifted. They see a company with its operations sorted, not one trying to bolt systems together mid-flight.
Key Lessons: Beverage Brand Operations and ERP Implementation
For food and beverage founders considering when and how to implement ERP:
Build with intention, not templates.
Ask: how do we want to operate? The system should fit your business, not the reverse.
Flexibility matters more than feature completeness.
Early-stage food and beverage companies will pivot. Product lines change. Sales channels shift. You need a platform that evolves with you.
Choose a partner with food and beverage depth.
Implementation partners with deep experience in your industry understand the challenges specific to your business. They know what works in the beverage and CPG space.
Start with operational clarity, not accounting theater.
Your first priority is understanding what you're selling, what it costs, and where bottlenecks sit. Financial reporting matters, but it comes after operational truth.
From Startup to Multi-Channel Retail: BERO's Growth Trajectory
Neha reflected: 'I didn't have a single regret. What we did systematically, we got right.' BERO expanded retail presence across the country, launched new products, and secured partnerships with major entertainment properties. Each move happens confidently because the operational foundation is solid. That's the power of building with intention.
Considering NetSuite for your food and beverage brand? Our implementation specialists have worked with startups, scale-ups, and established brands (including rapid-growth companies like BERO). We can help you design an ERP foundation that scales with your growth. Contact us to explore what's possible for your business.