Asahi
Transforming offline ordering into an intelligent eCommerce platform with SAP integration
We were selected by Asahi Europe to build a completely new B2B eCommerce platform. SM5 integrates with Asahi Europe’ SAP product database, enabling the website to display product availability and customer account information in real time, and also provides enriched eCommerce capabilities such as promotions and supplier access to address emerging market opportunities.
The challenge
The project required the creation of a brand-new digital platform that would bring an established offline ordering system online for the first time.
The new solution needed to be simple enough for traditionally offline customers moving online, while also delivering the robustness and reporting capabilities required by a major drinks brand operating at enterprise scale. The challenge was therefore not just technical integration, it was digital transformation at both the customer and organisational level.
A critical technical requirement was full integration with SAP, Asahi’s sales order processing and stock distribution system. The website needed to reflect live stock levels, account information, pricing structures, and order histories in real time, while ensuring all online transactions flowed seamlessly back into SAP without disrupting operational workflows.
Asahi had recently acquired Nectar, a long-standing Redwing client of over 10 years. The measurable commercial success achieved through the Nectar platform positioned Redwing as the natural partner to deliver Asahi’s new eCommerce environment.
Do any of these challenges sound familiar?
Let's talkOur solution
01
Integrating with SAP
We delivered a fully integrated eCommerce solution that connects directly with Asahi’s SAP system, ensuring complete operational alignment between the website and internal infrastructure. The platform receives live customer data, including account status and historical order records, alongside accurate product pricing, customer-specific discounts, stock availability, and pack-level product data. Orders are transmitted directly back into SAP, maintaining existing fulfilment processes without duplication or manual intervention. While core commercial data is governed by SAP, the CMS enables enriched product content to be layered on top, giving Asahi greater marketing flexibility without compromising data integrity.
02
Submitting payments or paying on account
The platform was designed to align with Asahi’s existing financial processes within SAP. Most accounts continue to be settled via bank transfer, with payment status synchronised from SAP to the website and displayed within customer dashboards and CMS reporting. A payment gateway was also integrated to support card transactions where required. During checkout, the system determines whether a customer should pay on account or by card based on SAP account data, automatically directing them to the correct payment route. This ensures flexibility while maintaining enterprise-level financial control.
03
An assisted shopping experience
To support customers transitioning from offline to online ordering, we designed a shopping experience that prioritises clarity and simplicity. The interface guides users through logical product categories, highlights frequently ordered items, and provides clear pricing and account visibility.
04
Enhanced promotion management
The new platform introduces advanced promotional capabilities, allowing marketing teams to manage and deploy offers directly within the CMS, positioning promotions strategically across the product pages and checkout process. Promotional logic is tied to customer accounts or specific groups, ensuring complete commercial control.
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Let's talk05
Advanced product searching
Using Meilisearch, we implemented a high-performance search experience designed for speed and relevance. Customers are always served an appropriate result, even if an exact product match is unavailable, reducing dead ends and abandoned journeys. Intelligent ranking ensures priority brands and strategic products can be surfaced consistently within results. For time-sensitive trade customers, fast and reliable search functionality is critical, transforming search from a simple utility into a powerful commercial tool.
06
"Top up" feature
To encourage larger, more efficient orders, we developed a top-up feature that compares a customer’s current basket with their recent purchasing history. If commonly ordered items are missing, the system prompts users to add them, particularly where doing so would qualify the order for free delivery. This increases the average order value while helping Asahi reduce fulfilment costs through fewer, higher-volume deliveries.
07
Supplier portal
A dedicated supplier portal was developed to streamline product data management. Suppliers can upload nutritional information, dietary details, and imagery directly into the system, with updates automatically linked to relevant CMS product records once approved. This reduces internal administrative workload, improves data accuracy, and accelerates time-to-market for new or updated products.
Do you want to improve your digital offering?
Let's talkAsahi uses our in-house CMS
SM5
Our powerful custom-built and configurable CMS using the latest technologies on open source code.
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Redwing Interactive transformed our customer eCommerce system with their SM5 platform. We now deliver a secure, fast, and seamless experience that replaced our outdated, fragmented solution, dramatically improving its overall performance and how we serve and engage our customers.
Asahi Direct
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