Founded in 1956, Maxim’s Group is one of Asia’s leading food and beverage companies, operating more than 2,000 locations—including Asian and Western restaurants, quick service outlets, bakery shops and cafes, and an institutional catering service.

Group of friends laughing and eating together at a restaurant

Employees:

24,000
Based in:

Hong Kong
Founded:

1956

Summary

Challenges

Rapidly evolving customer preferences and competition across Asia.
Inefficient, error-prone manual procure-to-invoice processes.
Rising operational costs and supply chain disruptions.

Solution

Automated P2I workflows with OpenText™ B2B Integration Enterprise.
Improved supplier collaboration with EDI and ezTRADE.
Boosted visibility with Oracle E-Business Suite and Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERPs.

Results

30%+ faster transaction processing
Improved data accuracy and real-time visibility
Lower operational costs and faster onboarding

Challenges

Competitive market dynamics: The Asian food and beverage industry faces new digital-first competitors and rapidly evolving consumer behaviors.
Operational pressures: Global supply chain disruptions and increasing operational costs challenge efficiency, consistency, and profitability.
Inefficient processes: Manual procure-to-invoice operations created bottlenecks, increased errors, and limited real-time data visibility.

The food and beverage industry in Asia is intensely competitive, marked by high customer expectations, rising operational costs, and the pervasive impact of digital disruption. For Maxim's, these challenges were compounded by the profound shifts in consumer behavior following the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, and increased competition, particularly from new entrants in mainland China.

Natalie Yeung, Head of ERP, BI, and Integration Solution at Maxim’s, highlighted the critical need to adapt: "The shift in customer preferences after the pandemic has impacted Maxim’s operations. With changing spending habits, it is important to reassess strategies and implement four key strategic values (customer-focused, quality excellence, sustainability, and operational automation) to support the ongoing sustainability of Maxim’s business and assist adaptation to current business conditions."

Previously, Maxim's relied on manual processing for its procure-to-invoice (P2I) operations. This labor-intensive approach led to inefficiencies, increased the risk of human error, and lacked the real-time data visibility essential for agile decision-making in a fast-paced market. The company sought a solution to streamline these processes, reduce manual intervention, and enhance data integrity across its complex supply chain.

Woman using her smartphone to make a contactless payment

With changing spending habits, it is important to reassess strategies and implement four key strategic values (customer-focused, quality excellence, sustainability, and operational automation) to support the ongoing sustainability of Maxim’s business and assist adaptation to current business conditions.

Natalie Yeung
Head of ERP, BI, and Integration Solution, Maxim’s Group, Hong Kong

Solution

Maxim's sought to transform its P2I process for minimal human intervention and superior data visibility. They optimized workflows to decrease reliance on manual tasks, enhanced operational efficiency, reduced errors, and accelerated transaction cycles.

Products deployed

OpenText™ B2B Integration Enterprise

Expedite B2B transactions with enterprise EDI and B2B managed services

A strategic partnership with OpenText

Maxim's chose OpenText for its proven track record in B2B collaboration, strong local success stories, and the ability to quickly deploy with existing trading partners. The decision to adopt a managed services approach was driven by the desire to improve operational efficiency, reduce IT costs, consolidate various B2B initiatives, support international growth, and modernize aging B2B platforms.

"We prioritize providers with a solid performance history, broad international and regional reach, and deep local market knowledge," said Natalie Yeung. "OpenText’s reliable delivery and presence in both global and regional markets, coupled with their local market expertise, ensured a dependable partnership."

Automated P2I workflows with OpenText™ B2B Integration Enterprise

Today, Maxim's leverages OpenText as a comprehensive digital platform, utilizing electronic data interchange (EDI) for seamless data input, including through ezTRADE, a GS1HK B2B platform powered by OpenText. They maintain robust communication with suppliers via EDI, a dedicated ezTRADE web portal, and OpenText™ Fax (RightFax), a secure digital fax solution. These OpenText solutions are fully integrated with Maxim's core systems, including Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) ERP and Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP, ensuring automated data flow for collecting orders across their procure-to-pay and order-to-cash processes.

Results

The implementation of OpenText Business Network solutions has delivered significant, measurable benefits for Maxim's:

Unlocking efficiency and strategic advantage

Enhanced operational efficiency and cost savings: The transition from manual processing to automated digital exchange has significantly streamlined B2B operations at Maxim's. By leveraging EDI transactions to manage a large volume of purchase orders, invoices, and advance shipment notices each month, Maxim’s has achieved substantial cost reductions. This automation has replaced labor-intensive manual efforts with a more efficient and economical process, delivering measurable savings across the supply chain.
Cost savings and focus on core competencies: By automating processes and reducing manual intervention, Maxim's has realized significant operational cost savings, allowing them to concentrate resources on their core business strengths: delivering quality dining experiences and innovation.
Improved data accuracy and visibility: The seamless integration of EDI and OpenText™ Fax ensures clean, accurate invoice data and real-time visibility into procurement and payment activities, minimizing discrepancies and supporting precise decision-making. The digital fax system, tailored for fresh food suppliers, ensures faxes are received before sunrise, critical for timely deliveries.
Agile partner onboarding and responsiveness: OpenText's B2B expertise and platform capabilities have enabled Maxim's to respond swiftly to new business partner requirements and rapidly onboard new partners across their supply chain, which spans over 400 trading partners in more than 10 countries, utilizing two EDI communication protocols and five document maps.
ERP integration success: The project ensured that ERP integration initiatives remained on schedule and within budget, thanks to OpenText's seamless integration capabilities.

"The solution allowed us to concentrate on our core strengths, reduce operating expenses, utilize OpenText’s B2B knowledge, quickly adapt to changing partner needs, efficiently onboard global partners, and keep ERP integration projects on track and within budget," Natalie Yeung affirmed.

Looking ahead: A future of digitalization and sustainability

Maxim's continues its journey towards greater transparency and streamlined B2B operations. The next phase will focus on integrating ESG (environmental, social, and governance) considerations by standardizing data and facilitating reliable data sharing within the supply chain ecosystem. This initiative aims to optimize resource allocation and further advance supply chain digitalization, aligning with Maxim's strategic values of sustainability and operational automation.

A valued partnership

Hong Kong Maxim’s Group regards its collaboration with OpenText as highly positive and impactful. "We're thrilled with our experience partnering with OpenText," said Natalie Yeung. "From our first interaction through implementation and ongoing support, OpenText has shown a deep commitment to understanding our business needs and delivering exceptional value." The OpenText Services and Support teams have been pivotal partners in Maxim's digital transformation, providing not just technical assistance but true collaboration throughout the process.

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