Digital Transformation

Zespri’s new cloud platform accelerates claims processing by 60% with SAP integration

Tuesday, 13 January 2026 12:12AM UTC

Zespri has launched a cloud-based claims platform built on SAP technologies, significantly speeding up claims resolution and setting a new industry standard for customer service in the fresh produce sector.

Zespri has rolled out a cloud‑based customer claims platform built on SAP technologies, a move the company says has dramatically accelerated processing and brought greater consistency to decisions across its major markets. According to the report by CFOTECH, the kiwifruit marketer, which handles more than 40,000 quality claims a year valued at over NZD $70 million (about 1% of sales), moved from a largely manual workflow to a centralised claims portal and self‑service submission model. "By combining intelligent automation with human expertise, we've built a platform that reinforces our brand promise and sets a new industry standard for service," said Rahul Badge, Head of In‑Market Supply Chain, Zespri, and Adrian Griffin, Managing Director, SAP New Zealand, commented: "Zespri has set a new benchmark for customer‑centric innovation in the fresh produce industry." The CFOTECH piece also quoted project partners and Zespri staff on rapid adoption and the platform’s customer impact.

Independent coverage confirms the platform’s scale and performance claims. Fruitnet and FreshPlaza report that eligible claims can be resolved in seconds, multi‑delivery claims created in under 30 seconds, and more than 1,000 deliveries processed in under two minutes, reflecting the centralised SAP Commerce Cloud front end and integrated real‑time supply‑chain data from SAP S/4HANA.

Zespri describes the operating model as "human‑in‑the‑loop", with around 80% of claims now receiving automated recommendations alongside human review; the company says this reduces processing times and errors while preserving auditability and freeing assessors to focus on complex cases. Reseller.nz highlighted the same balance, noting the platform is intended to deliver fast, consistent outcomes without compromising quality control.

SAP and Zespri materials place the programme in a wider digital transformation. According to SAP collateral, the Commerce Cloud integration has automated certain claim validations, helping cut fraudulent and erroneous claims and standardise approvals globally; SAP states the initiative has expedited claims processing by around 60%. Zespri’s earlier SAP S/4HANA work is reported to have delivered measurable infrastructure and productivity savings, with company figures cited for avoided infrastructure costs, hours saved and P&L benefits as it moves into the next phase of its multi‑year Horizon transformation programme.

The technical stack combines SAP Commerce Cloud as the customer interface, SAP Business Technology Platform as an orchestration layer applying business rules, and SAP Fiori apps giving assessors end‑to‑end visibility of supply‑chain and inspection data. CFOTECH and ChannelLife report that integration with partner products removed repetitive data entry and reduced human error, while Accenture New Zealand and FAIR Consulting Group are credited with delivering the platform across Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, India, the United States and Europe.

Project partners emphasised business‑centric design and rapid adoption. "We set out to make things simpler for everyone. The new system is easy to use and gets claims sorted more quickly, which is good news for both customers and Zespri's teams," said Pete Devereux, Accenture Business Architecture Manager, in comments published by CFOTECH, and Christiaan Du Plessis, SAP & Cloud Director, FAIR Consulting Group, said the partner teams were "excited to keep building from here."

Zespri has signalled further ambitions to layer predictive analytics and computer vision on top of the claims platform to reduce defects before they occur and to strengthen traceability, linking those capabilities to its stated goals on quality, sustainability and customer experience. Industry observers note that such steps reflect a broader push in fresh produce supply chains to balance faster, customer‑centric service with traceability and quality control requirements.

While Zespri and SAP quantify efficiency gains and operational savings, the account remains company‑led; independent verification of long‑term impacts on customer satisfaction, claim‑fraud reduction and supply‑chain resilience will be visible only after sustained operation and external measurement. For now, Zespri presents the platform as a foundational element of its digital strategy and a stepping stone toward predictive, preventive quality management across its global network.

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://cfotech.co.nz/story/zespri-speeds-nzd-70m-claims-with-sap-automation-push - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.fruitnet.com/asiafruit/zespris-new-portal-fast-tracks-customer-claims/270165.article - Zespri has introduced a new online customer claims portal, part of its broader effort to transition from manual systems to fully integrated, cloud-based operations. The platform processes over 40,000 quality claims annually, valued at NZD $70 million, representing about 1% of total sales. Customers can submit claims through the portal and receive outcomes in seconds for eligible cases. The system can handle multi-delivery claims in under 30 seconds and process more than 1,000 deliveries in under two minutes. This initiative aims to enhance efficiency and consistency in claims processing across major markets.
https://www.reseller.co.nz/article/4115215/zespri-rolls-out-sap-cloud-customer-claims-platform.html - Zespri has launched a fully digitised claims platform built on SAP’s integrated cloud technologies, aiming to set an industry benchmark for speed, accuracy, and customer trust. The platform offers customers a simple self-service claims process that resolves issues in seconds, while smart automation helps Zespri's teams deliver fast, consistent outcomes without compromising on quality or control. Managing over 40,000 quality claims annually, valued at over NZD $70 million, Zespri sought to revamp its previously slow, manual claims process. The new system delivers an intuitive, self-service experience through a centralised claims portal based on SAP Commerce Cloud.
https://www.freshplaza.com/africa/article/9800101/kiwifruit-marketer-digitises-global-customer-claims-process/ - Zespri has implemented a fully digitised claims platform using SAP cloud technologies to streamline customer claims management across its global supply chain. The new system replaces a previously manual process and is designed to support faster and more consistent handling of quality-related claims. Zespri processes more than 40,000 quality claims annually, with a combined value exceeding NZD 70 million (US$43 million). The platform introduces a centralised, self-service claims portal that allows customers to submit claims linked to multiple deliveries in under 30 seconds. More than 1,000 deliveries can now be processed in under two minutes.
https://channellife.co.nz/story/zespri-speeds-nzd-70m-claims-with-sap-automation-push - Zespri has launched a digitised customer claims platform built on SAP cloud products, reporting faster processing and more consistent decisions across major markets. The company handles more than 40,000 quality claims annually, valued at over NZD $70 million, accounting for about 1% of sales. The new system uses a central claims portal and self-service submission, allowing customers to submit claims and receive outcomes in seconds for eligible cases. The platform can create multi-delivery claims in under 30 seconds and process over 1,000 deliveries in under two minutes.
https://www.sap.com/latinamerica/asset/dynamic/2025/04/7ea49d59-077f-0010-bca6-c68f7e60039b.html - Zespri is expanding its use of SAP Customer Experience (SAP CX) solutions to improve customer experiences. The company has started using the SAP Commerce Cloud solution to empower customers with self-services for product claims through an intuitive customer portal. By integrating with and tapping into data from other systems, SAP Commerce Cloud creates better experiences for customers and improves outcomes for the business. For Zespri, this has automated claim validation to cut down on fraudulent and erroneous claims, standardized claim approval globally, and expedited claims processing by 60%. Zespri hopes to continue boosting these outcomes by delivering on its digital-first strategy with SAP solutions.
https://news.sap.com/sea/2024/10/zespri-upgrades-sap-s-4hana-digital-core-and-begins-next-stage-of-supply-chain-digital-transformation/ - Zespri has initiated the second phase of its digital transformation with SAP, following the completion of its first tranche of work that resulted in avoiding more than NZD $1 million in infrastructure costs over six years, saving 15,000 hours in productivity, and achieving $2.2 million in profit and loss savings. The focus on a 'clean core' – cloud-based ERP infrastructure that separates core applications from custom modifications – enabled a seamless upgrade of its SAP S/4HANA platform. This successful establishment of the core technology to digitally enable its finance and supply chain processes will see Zespri move into the second stage of its ambitious, multi-year Horizon transformation programme.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative was published on January 12, 2026, and aligns with recent developments in Zespri's digital transformation efforts. The earliest known publication date of similar content is October 2, 2024, when Zespri announced the upgrade of its SAP S/4HANA digital core and the initiation of the next stage of its supply chain digital transformation. ([news.sap.com](https://news.sap.com/sea/2024/10/zespri-upgrades-sap-s-4hana-digital-core-and-begins-next-stage-of-supply-chain-digital-transformation/?utm_source=openai)) The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: The direct quotes from Rahul Badge, Head of In-Market Supply Chain at Zespri, and Adrian Griffin, Managing Director of SAP New Zealand, are consistent with their previous statements in related press releases. No significant variations in wording were found. The absence of earlier matches for these specific quotes suggests potential originality or exclusivity.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from CFOTECH, a publication that appears to be a single-outlet entity. This raises some uncertainty regarding its reliability. However, the content is corroborated by other reputable sources, such as SAP's official news center and FreshPlaza, which enhances the overall credibility.

Plausibility check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims about Zespri's implementation of a cloud-based customer claims platform built on SAP technologies are plausible and align with the company's ongoing digital transformation initiatives. Independent coverage confirms the platform’s scale and performance claims, with reports indicating that eligible claims can be resolved in seconds, multi-delivery claims created in under 30 seconds, and more than 1,000 deliveries processed in under two minutes. ([freshplaza.com](https://www.freshplaza.com/asia/article/9800101/kiwifruit-marketer-digitises-global-customer-claims-process/?utm_source=openai)) The narrative lacks specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, or dates, which reduces the score and flags it as potentially synthetic.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative presents a plausible account of Zespri's recent digital transformation efforts, supported by corroborating reports from reputable sources. However, the reliance on a single-source publication and the lack of specific factual anchors in the narrative warrant a medium confidence level. The absence of paywalled content and the factual nature of the report contribute positively to the assessment.

Digital transformation
Supply chain innovation
Customer claims
SAP technologies