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Case study

The challenge

Being a key player in agricultural sales and trading involves working with farmers to ensure every harvest gets from field to plate in the most efficient and profitable way. A leading global agribusiness realized it was falling short of these objectives by not leveraging the vast amount of data held within its siloed, disparate IT systems. When unlocked, this data could be used to improve direct selling to farmers, facilitating their participation in commodity trading markets and helping the company expand its revenues and client base.

The approach

To help with digital transformation, the company worked with Cognizant's manufacturing technology experts to harmonize its systems, prepare for data analytics and deploy a new enterprise resource planning platform. Next, we proposed developing an app to help farmers get their products to market more effectively.

Traditionally, farmers had to wait for a sales rep’s visit to discuss the best way to sell their harvest and when to place seed and fertilizer orders. With input from farmers in Iowa and Indiana, Cognizant created and launched a revolutionary phone app that gives farmers direct access to grain trading for the first time.  

Farmers input information, including farm size, crop type, number of seeds sown and utilities costs, and can now make intelligent decisions about when to sell and what to buy. The app also combines this information with real-time data on market and product prices, so farmers can maximize their profits.

More customers, more efficiency, more profit

As part of its digital journey, the agribusiness wanted to leverage the latest digital technology to reach its existing and new customers. Now, with a revolutionary phone app that helps win new customers, the company is well positioned for future growth.

The app rolled out on a trial basis, and so far our client has seen:

  • A new digital marketplace for grain selling futures at a fixed prices providing farmers with access and visibility to commodity pricing.
  • A novel crop insurance product based on the data released by our team of experts.
  • Incremental sales of $10 million over a three year period for the U.S. alone.
  • Closer ties to a larger farmer customer base, at a lower cost per farm.

$10 million

in sales potential over the next 3 years in the US alone

Expanded

customer base and lowered acquisition costs

First time direct access

to grain trading gives farmers a superior experience