Grão de Ouro bets on ERP Siagri to stimulate growth

Grão de Ouro, a distributor of agricultural inputs, has 13 stores that supply seeds, fertilizers and pesticides in Minas Gerais. The company also arrived in the state of São Paulo and serves producers of soy, coffee, corn, beans, sorghum, fruit and vegetables, among others. In addition to the marketing of products, also carried out in the Barter modality, Grão de Ouro has research and development activities and has a seed analysis laboratory. The company is part of the select group of distributors that make up Agro Galaxy, a platform run by the Aqua Capital investment fund. To manage its operations, Grão de Ouro chose AgriBusiness software, from the Siagri Group. 

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The investment in technology is directly linked to the restructuring of the company's processes, which needed to reduce rework to overcome its biggest challenge: efficient supply chain management. According to Bruno Freitas, operational director at Vector Consulting and one of those responsible for the project at Grão de Ouro, “control of operations, from supplier selection, portfolio definition, to effective storage and shipping so that products arrive on time at the field, is undoubtedly the biggest challenge, but also the determining factor for the success of the distribution business”.  

Freitas highlights that having all these steps automated within specialized software contributes to bringing more decision-making power to those in charge of the business. “Today, we can say that we spend less than 20% of our time processing transactions and the other 80% is dedicated to analysis. This brings more quality and assertiveness to the business”, he explains. 

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The AgriBusiness ERP was already the solution adopted by two other companies on the Agro Galaxy platform, from the Aqua Capital fund. “Agro Galaxy’s partnership with the Siagri Group lasts more than 14 years. It began in 2006 with Rural Brasil and was consolidated in 2012, when another investee, Agro100, adopted the solution. Specialization in the agricultural input distribution segment and knowledge of the platform's business were decisive factors in choosing ERP Siagri”, says Sérgio Constantini, Technology Operating Partner at Fundo Aqua Capital. 

The decision was also supported by Grão de Ouro leadership. César Coelho, CEO of the company, reinforces that the security provided by the Siagri Group and the connection with the Agro Galaxy platform were decisive. “We invested in ERP Siagri to implement shorter, more intelligent processes. We hope to gain in speed and reliability to make information available for the Agro Galaxy platform.”  

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The technology transition project began shortly before social isolation rules due to COVID-19. For implementation in the Group's 13 stores, some steps were adapted to the remote model and others were carried out in person, following safety protocols and distancing rules. “Even with the pandemic, we managed to maintain the engagement of the Siagri and Grão de Ouro teams, going into production with a very well-trained team to deliver the project on time”, says Rodrigo Barbosa, consultancy and services manager at the Siagri Group. 

For CEO César Coelho, another highlight was the Siagri Group's adaptation to the Grão de Ouro culture. “It was a job done with mastery, with the Grão de Ouro way of being. Our expectation is to continue growing and the Siagri Group is one of Grão de Ouro’s transformation proposals. We are confident that this software will help us to remain increasingly connected with the market.”