Customer Testimonial - Bakery Aernoudt
The recipe for growth: how Bakery Aernoudt implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Business
From Ghent to Bruges, Kuurne to Lokeren, you don’t have to go far in East or West Flanders to find a Bakkerij Aernoudt store. Behind the counters: freshly baked bread, pastries, cakes – even handmade chocolates. Everything is crafted in their artisan bakeries in Gentbrugge and Ruddervoorde.
From family bakery to regional brand
Aernoudt started out as a small family bakery near the UZ Gent hospital,” says CEO Carolien De Sutter. “Luc De Corte took over in 1993. I joined first as a student worker, then as an admin, and eventually became co-owner, with passion.”
Together, Carolien and Luc grew Aernoudt into a regional chain, first in and around Ghent, and later expanding across West Flanders. Growth has accelerated in recent years, so much so that in 2024, they opened a second production site in Ruddervoorde.
Still, their values haven’t changed. “We are not an industrial bakery,” Carolien emphasizes. “What we do now is still what I did in 1993: make everything ourselves, the traditional way.”
350 employees, 450 students, available 7/7
Carolien manages a team of 350 staff, supported by 450 student and flex workers. Around 100 people work in production alone. And with stores open 7 days a week, year-round, keeping schedules running smoothly is a real challenge.
“Workforce planning is tricky,” says Carolien. “But it’s just one of our challenges. Supermarkets are tough competitors, and ingredient and labor costs are rising. We have to work more efficiently while keeping quality high. As a food company, stock management and traceability are critical too. The bigger Aernoudt gets, the more complex it becomes.”
Solution
As Aernoudt grew, gut feeling was no longer enough. Over the years, they invested in digital tools, like a webshop, an online workforce planning platform, and even AI to forecast how much bread and pastry each store needs. But one piece was still missing: a solid, future-ready backbone to tie it all together.
Looking for the right ERP solution
“Our old custom-built system couldn’t keep up,” explains CFO Philippe Benoit. “It didn’t support a second bakery site, didn’t integrate with our POS system, and traceability and inventory management were unreliable.”
With help from an external consultant, Aernoudt mapped out their IT needs and explored new ERP platforms.
“We quickly landed on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central,” Philippe says. “It’s a powerful, stable, and flexible system, backed by Microsoft’s reliability. And since our people were already familiar with Microsoft 365, the learning curve was shorter.”
No piece of cake
Aernoudt selected the ERP platform first, then went looking for an implementation partner. The first attempt didn’t go smoothly.
“The initial partner approached things from a retail checkout perspective, while our focus was on artisan production,” Philippe explains. “That’s why we switched to Cegeka. They had experience not just with ERP in production environments, but specifically in the food sector. They also promised smooth integration with our POS systems.”
The go-live was intense. It coincided with Easter, one of the busiest times of the year and the complexity of the POS integration proved higher than expected.
“In hindsight, we hadn’t tested with enough transaction volume,” admits Thibaut Heeren, Unit Manager at Cegeka. “The scope was broad, and Easter added pressure. It was tough, but we learned a lot.”
The result: A system that supports growth
A year later, Business Central is fully operational. Around 30 people use it daily to manage production planning, stock, quality, and accounting. In every store, the POS system is seamlessly connected to the ERP.
“The first results are promising,” says Philippe. “We now have real-time insights into purchases, production, stock levels, and traceability. That gives us a solid foundation to optimize and scale, without losing control.”
Approach
Involvement of the entire team
Throughout the project, Carolien and Philippe stayed at the helm, supported by an internal project manager and key users from every department, from purchasing to production. Everything was tested thoroughly.
“The pressure was high, but the project brought us closer together as a team,” says Philippe. “After go-live, there were intense weeks of finetuning. We kept things light with humor and pizza, but everyone gave it their all.”
Lessons learned: keep it realistic
Philippe’s advice for other companies?
“Don’t try to juggle ten things at once. We were opening new stores and launching a second production site at the same time as the ERP project, and that was too much. Make time for the project, start with core functionality, and scale up later. And invest in change management. It’s crucial to bring everyone on board.”
A long-term partnership
How does Aernoudt reflect on the collaboration with Cegeka?
“Their consultants and project managers were highly skilled,” Philippe says. “Yes, there were bumps in the road, but we always talked openly and worked through it together.”
“Cegeka isn’t just a vendor, they’re a partner,” adds Thibaut. “That takes commitment and transparency on both sides.”
Philippe nods: “We’re confident Cegeka will continue to support us for years to come.”
Let’s talk about what’s possible
Looking to scale your business without losing your artisan soul? Let’s talk about how technology can support your growth, and keep your operations deliciously smooth.
Looking to scale your business without losing your artisan soul? Let’s talk about how technology can support your growth, and keep your operations deliciously smooth.

Maud D'Havé
We believe in shaping digital together. We don’t just deliver technology, we work shoulder to shoulder with our clients to ensure technology drives impact when and where it matters most.
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