SAP has announced SAP Ganges, a business network built on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform, offering a new platform to connect retail businesses of all sizes in real time.
Developed in India for the Indian market, SAP Ganges is a business network offering seamless connectivity for CPG companies to the last mile of their supply chain, which consists of millions of unorganized retail stores.
Almost everyone in the retail value chain—including the millions of kirana stores to the large CPG companies serving them, and the financial institutions supporting them – can take advantage of the new cloud platform, SAP said.
The cloud solution brings new value to all points along the network and empowers people to conduct businesses in a totally open, transparent and real-time way, said Vishal Sikka, member of the Executive Board of SAP AG, Products & Innovation. “
With customer demands touching new heights, it has become imperative for CPG companies to work off a foundation of optimal processes across their entire value chain. The SAP HANA Cloud Platform powers the business network with real-time data on a massive scale.
The platform enables CPG companies to gain visibility through reporting and forecasting based on sales information aggregated from the retail stores. Distributors can use the platform to take orders, track inventory at the retail stores, and receive payments digitally. Banks can assess credit eligibility of retailers and to adjust credit limit periodically based on retail store sales while retail stores can connect to business network using PoS devices and access business services.
India is a fast moving consumer goods sector consisting of personal care, household care, and food products was valued at $36.8Bn in FY2011-12; and is one of the fastest growing retail markets in the world.
Following the release in India, SAP plans to roll out SAP Ganges to other retail-intensive economies such as Brazil, South Africa, China and Indonesia.
