How Emixa supported an award-winning data strategy at Meijer Potato

24 January 2025 Consultancy.eu

Digital transformation advisory Emixa worked with Dutch potato breeder Meijer Potato to establish a comprehensive data strategy, which notably won both companies an innovation award.

The new data strategy gave Meijer Potato more power over their data quality, security, and governance. It was developed using the Boomi platform, with Boomi later on awarding the project its yearly award for the most innovative solution in EMEA on its AI-driven data platform.

Meijer Potato is a global player in breeding new potato cultivars, mostly for use in French fries and chips. The Netherlands-headquartered company has been in business for over a century, and exports its seed potatoes to countries around the world.

The process of creating new potato varieties entails a complex breeding cycle in which hundreds of thousands of potential varieties are put through a rigorous selection process. Between lab trials, field tests, and advanced genetic analyses, Meijer Potato routinely generates a colossal amount of data.

That process had become a challenge, with Meijer Potato grappling with the huge amounts of data and the fact that data was fragmented across the business and disparate systems.

Better data insights

In order to properly handle all of this data, the Dutch company sought the expertise of Emixa, a consulting firm that helps companies in industrial sectors with strategizing an delivering digital transformations.

Emixa helped to implement a robust data strategy, integrating diverse data sources such as DNA sequences, sensor data, and drone imagery through the Boomi platform. This unified data landscape empowered Meijer Potato with a holistic view of their operations.

The company also switched over to the cloud-based Microsoft Azure platform to monitor DNA analysis, which significantly reduced its reliance on external partners. The Azure platform allows Meijer Potato to conduct its DNA analysis in-house without the need for a dedicated external team.

To further optimize its processes, Meijer Potato also developed the ‘Crossing Potatoes’ app, built on the Databricks and Mendix platforms with support of Emixa. This innovative app automates and streamlines the breeding process, allowing for more efficient decision-making.

With the new way of working now live, leveraging cutting-edge technologies, Meijer Potato has been able to take its breeding cycle to the next level, enabling the company to develop high-quality potato varieties in less time. It also saves the Dutch company money by insourcing data processes through a scalable platform that will drive innovation going forward.