AUSTIN, TX — Undercover Snacks, an innovative woman-owned snack manufacturer known for its healthy chocolate snacks, is using Oracle NetSuite to support its rapid expansion throughout the US and globally.
With the help of NetSuite, Undercover Snacks has been able to integrate its critical business operations so that it can seamlessly connect customer, supplier, production and warehouse data. Since implementing NetSuite, Undercover Snacks has gained both visibility and control over inventory, business operations and financial planning.
Diana Levy launched Undercover’s flagship line of Chocolate Quinoa Crisps in 2017, inspired to create a delicious chocolate snack that was gluten-free and allergy friendly for her daughters diagnosed with celiac disease. She initially made small batches in a rented commercial kitchen and personally delivered them to Whole Foods stores in the Northeast. But as sales and demand grew rapidly, Levy realized she needed to increase production.
After searching unsuccessfully for co-manufacturers, Levy — joined by her husband Michael — designed and opened a state-of-the-art SQF-certified manufacturing facility capable of producing more than 40,000 bags a day. This investment enabled Undercover Snacks to expand its sales rapidly, with distribution increasing from 2,000 to more than 10,000 stores globally in the last two years.
Undercover Snacks’ ability to innovate quickly has enabled the company to expand into alternative channels including United Airlines, which now offers Undercover Snacks on flights across the globe. As the company expanded, existing systems and manual processes were no longer providing the level of functionality or visibility the company needed. To address these challenges and establish an integrated platform to help scale in the future, Undercover Snacks replaced QuickBooks with NetSuite.
“As demand has soared, so did the complexity of our business. We knew we were being held back by the systems we were using and we wanted a solution that could support our sales growth and operational expansion plans.” —Michael Levy | chairman and co-owner | Undercover Snacks
“As demand has soared, so did the complexity of our business,” said Michael Levy, chairman and co-owner of Undercover Snacks. “We knew we were being held back by the systems we were using, and we wanted a solution that could support our sales growth and operational expansion plans. With NetSuite, we’ve automated critical business functions and gained greater insight into every aspect of our business. This is allowing us to fine-tune our operations, improve efficiencies, and ensure we maintain the highest level of food safety and quality as we continue to build our business.”
With NetSuite, Undercover Snacks can manage its entire business — from manufacturing to sales to accounting— on one unified platform. Undercover Snacks has optimized its order fulfillment and invoice processing by centralizing all order and sales data from major distributors, direct retailers, Amazon and its own ecommerce site.
NetSuite has also helped the Undercover team improve demand planning by enabling automation of its inventory management process, sorting products by inventory level and expiration dates, and creating automated alerts and notifications. This has become critical as the demand for better-for-you (BFY) snacks accelerates.
“With a uniquely delicious taste and texture, combined with a healthier nutrition profile, Undercover Snacks is experiencing strong demand from consumers,” said Diana Levy, CEO and co-owner of Undercover Snacks. “They’re seeking better-for-you snacks that taste even better than conventional choices.”
Additionally, NetSuite facilitates the company’s programs to monitor and maintain the highest operational standards related to on-time deliveries, food quality and safety, and other important KPIs, while providing visibility into its customers, suppliers and carriers through electronic data interchange (EDI) integrations. To build on its success with NetSuite, it also recently implemented the NetSuite Warehouse Management System to further streamline its business as it continues to expand its operations to support expansion.
“Undercover Snacks has achieved impressive growth in just a few short years,” said David Rodman, SVP of customer success at Oracle NetSuite. “By centralizing manufacturing processes and integrating operations on NetSuite, Undercover Snacks is reaping the rewards of its business insights and is well positioned for future growth.”
