Their portfolio includes such names as Kulcha King, Nom Nom Asia, El Greco, Ghinwa Café, and SDG Catering. The company also produces and distributes food brands in local grocery stores and supermarkets.
Through their interactions with business partners, shareholders and customers, they have built a solid reputation as a hub of food experts.
Business case
When it started, Wakira managed its business using G5, a local POS system. As the company acquired more brands, they realized the limits of the system, which was only a POS and did not provide strong enough functionality for their growing needs.
Some of the problems Wakira encountered included:
- Managing and planning inventory across multiple locations was complex. “When we started the process of changing our system in Wakira, our main agenda was to control our inventory processes and our wastage,” recalls Mr. Nader, CEO at Wakira. The company needed a solution that would understand the industry’s challenges and bridge the gap between the front and back offices. The ideal solution would also help them purchase the right amount of stock and distribute it optimally, to reduce food waste.
- No recipe management or production module. Wakira owes its success to the variety of cuisines served daily by its brands, which range from Indian food and Asian cuisine to Greek food and grab-and-go wraps and shawarmas. With such versatility in cuisines, tastes, ingredients and cooking methods, the company needed a system that could effectively manage their recipes across the operation.
Solution
Wakira considered multiple software solutions, but after an in-depth evaluation, they realized most were not suited in terms of functionality and support for growth. The team decided to implement LS Retail’s unified restaurant system to cover all the scope of their operations within just one platform.
Wakira required a scalable technology infrastructure that could support all their locations, stores, and restaurants alike. Two of the primary reasons for selecting LS Retail software were the system’s robust inventory management and its flexibility, crucial to quickly prioritize customers’ needs and offer superior customer service. In an industry with quick turnaround times, reducing manual processes and time spent managing the system put Wakira at a competitive advantage.
The system was implemented with the technical support and expertise of local LS Retail partner Trident Information Systems. The implementation was initially planned to spread over 4 to 5 months, but Trident Information System rolled out the system in the first location in only 70 days.
Benefits
Since implementing the new system, Wakira can benefit from a timely, accurate and seamless flow of information across the company. The new system can finally keep up with the business and its ambitions. Some of the key benefits for Wakira include:
- Increased efficiency in operations - Service is quicker, manual input and time spent by staff managing the system were significantly reduced
- Better inventory management with the planning and replenishment functionality in LS Retail software
- Reduced food waste - Improved data control has led to less spoilage
- Complete food service and recipe management solution from back office to front of house
- Efficient data replication between back office and POS
- Seamless management of deals and discounts
In the future, Wakira plans to:
- Increase customer loyalty by improving customer service. The company is in the process of finalizing their customer loyalty program.
- Include Business Intelligence tools to capture more data and strengthen their planning and analytics.
- Acquire other brands and open new locations in Paris, London and New York.
They know that LS Central will support their ambitions and that LS Retail partner, Trident Information Systems, will assist in deploying the solutions smoothly and effectively.
