{"id":4610,"date":"2026-05-11T15:54:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T13:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yellowground.eu\/?p=4610"},"modified":"2026-05-11T15:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T13:56:16","slug":"sligro-future-proof-data-platform-stibo-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yellowground.eu\/en\/sligro-future-proof-data-platform-stibo-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Sligro builds a future-ready data platform with Stibo Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Back to inspiration<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Customer case<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

Sligro builds a future-ready data platform with Stibo Systems<\/h2>
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With more than 75,000 products, over 1,500 suppliers and dozens of locations across the Netherlands and Belgium, Sligro Food Group<\/a> is one of the largest foodservice wholesalers in the Benelux. But that growth also had a downside: more than 100 acquisitions had created a fragmented IT and data landscape that was reaching its limits.<\/p>\n

Sligro decided to address that complexity at the source. Together with YellowGround, the company implemented Stibo Systems STEP<\/a> as its central MDM platform: one consistent data layer as the foundation for better governance, smoother collaboration and future growth.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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The Challenge<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sligro\u2019s growth over the years had created a fundamental challenge. Every new company brought its own systems, data models and processes. What started as pragmatic integrations gradually became a structure that was difficult to scale and manage. The expansion from the Netherlands into Belgium added another layer of complexity, with local legislation and country-specific data requirements to take into account.<\/p>\n

This led to:<\/p>\n

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    Product data spread across multiple systems and data sources<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Duplicate products, creating unnecessary data management work<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Manual processes and workarounds, including spreadsheets and disconnected workflows<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Limited visibility into data quality and inconsistencies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Slow and complex integration of new acquisitions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    At the same time, the pressure on product data increased sharply. Digital channels were growing fast, while physical sales remained just as important. Product information therefore needed to be accurate, consistent and available across every channel.<\/p>\n

    Stricter regulation added further complexity. GDSN, EUDR and CSRD all increase the need for product data that is not only accurate, but also complete, traceable and available on time. That data often has to come from a large and diverse supplier network.<\/p>\n

    For Sligro, the core question was clear: how do you move from a fragmented landscape to a central, manageable data layer? And how do you make sure complex product information, such as packaging data, is managed once in a central place instead of being recreated and maintained separately in every system?<\/p>\n

    Our Approach<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Together with YellowGround, Sligro chose a clear direction: centralise product data in one MDM platform, with Stibo Systems STEP as the foundation.<\/p>\n

    One central data model<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    YellowGround helped design and implement a central data model where all product information comes together. Data from internal systems and many external sources, including GS1, Superunie via GDSN, Brandbank and PS in Food, is captured, validated and converted into consistent golden records.<\/p>\n

    Standardised workflows bring structure to key processes, including:<\/p>\n

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    • Creating product records<\/li>\n
    • Processing and structuring data from different sources<\/li>\n
    • Integrating supplier data through datapools<\/li>\n
    • Managing product photography<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Phased transformation without disruption<\/strong><\/h4>\n

      Sligro chose a phased approach. The integration of Metro Belgium after its acquisition in 2023 became the first concrete test case. It quickly showed that Stibo can help integrate acquisitions faster and in a more controlled way.<\/p>\n

      In parallel, Sligro started phasing out legacy systems without putting daily operations at risk.<\/p>\n

      More autonomy, less dependency<\/h4>\n

      Team autonomy was a key principle from the start. YellowGround set up the implementation so Sligro\u2019s internal team could take ownership early on.<\/p>\n

      Today, both operational and development teams work from one central environment. This speeds up change and reduces dependency on external parties.<\/p>\n

      Results & Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      The implementation changed how Sligro works with product data across the organisation.<\/p>\n

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        Centralised data management
        \n<\/strong>All product data is managed in one platform, based on a consistent data model and supported by clear processes and workflows that safeguard data quality and consistency.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Better handling of external data
        \n<\/strong>Data from different datapools can now be reliably ingested and processed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Improved performance
        \n<\/strong>The migration to Microsoft Azure resolved earlier performance issues when processing large datasets.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Faster integration of acquisitions
        \n<\/strong>New companies can be integrated into the data landscape faster and in a more structured way.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • Phasing out legacy systems<\/strong>\n

        Moving to a central SaaS solution makes it possible to gradually retire fragmented legacy systems.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>

        Ready for further growth<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        Today, Sligro manages more than 75,000 products from one central MDM platform, with less manual work and more control. New acquisitions can be integrated faster, regulatory requirements are handled structurally, and teams work from one environment instead of multiple disconnected systems.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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        Need more control over your product data and an MDM platform that grows with your organisation? Get in touch and discover how YellowGround supports you from strategy to implementation.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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