Food and commodities distributor, Derrimon Trading has gone hi-tech and will be beefing up its online presence and Information Technology systems with state-of-the-art software, Enterprise Resource Programme (ERP).

This ERP software will provide Derrimon Trading with the scalability it needs to bump up its online presence and ordering systems and prevent last year’s occurrence in which the company’s online system was overwhelmed on three occasions. This was due to a ‘virtual flood’ of orders, which started to back up.

Derrimon’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Derrick Cotterell boasted about the new ERP system and what it can do to further grow the business, which has grown to have an international presence. Speaking at a recent Jamaica Observer Business Forum, Cotterell remarked, “We are using the most modern technology available so that the business can benefit from the latest technology,” in reference to the ERP system.

He explained that the software is international and very scalable. Cotterell told Sunday Finance that at present Derrimon is rolling out the new system and is about 70%-75% complete, promising that the system will be live in the second quarter of 2021 based on the current phased roll out that is being done.

Versatility of new ERP system

Commenting on the versatility of the new software system, Cotterell explained that, “the technology will give us the opportunity if and when we desire for a self check-out, as is being done in North America.” He stated that this self-checkout mechanism is being utilized in the two Brooklyn grocery store businesses, Foodsaver New York and Good Food for Less, which Derrimon Trading recently acquired majority interest.  

The Derrimon Chairman and CEO made the point that one of the benefits of the acquisitions is that the company can learn from the experience from this ERP at these two subsidiaries, noting that based on the experience gained this mechanism can easily be pivoted to Jamaica.

He contended that this ERP system is not only fast but now Derrimon Trading has more than 200 per cent capacity than it had before.

There is also the added advantage of scaling the system even further to cater for future unexpected needs. Referring to last years’ experience, Cotterell remarked with a chuckle, “we are now in a situation to prevent a recurrence because we have the added capacity than we need.