Elders future-proofs operations and growth with unified business transformation

Elders, a leading Australian agribusiness with a 185-year heritage and a nationwide network of 350 branches, faced significant challenges as legacy IT infrastructure limited growth, agility, and operational efficiency. Recognizing the limitations posed by disparate systems across its departments, Elders sought to modernize its business through a large-scale digital transformation initiative. Partnering with Deloitte, Elders developed a multi-wave strategy to migrate core business functions, including procurement, finance, commerce, and CRM, to Microsoft Dynamics 365, underpinned by Azure integration. The transformation included deploying Dynamics 365 for indirect procurement, assets, and general ledger, implementing Workday for HR, replacing outdated websites, and enabling improved customer data insights via a new enterprise data platform. Subsequent waves focused on store commerce, livestock and trading settlements, financial systems, and CRM, marking the gradual decommissioning of a 35-year-old AS400 platform. The project involved approximately 130 stakeholder workshops to ensure detailed system design, change management, process alignment, and cultural fit, supported by strong collaboration between Elders and Deloitte teams. The migration to a unified, cloud-based platform provides Elders real-time data insights, enhances collaboration across branches, and allows for more agile decision-making. Ultimately, Elders can deliver consistent customer experiences, respond swiftly to market fluctuations, and set a foundation for sustainable future growth and innovation.