How Harbor Food Service Achieved 75% Digital Order Adoption with Cut+Dry's Seamless Platform Transition

Challenge

Harbor faced significant technology challenges when they reverted to an older version of their ERP online ordering product. The outdated system simply didn't meet modern customer expectations - lacking product pictures, accurate data, and inventory levels. The customer experience was suffering, and the company needed a solution that would modernize their ordering process while maintaining the high-touch service they are known for.

Strategy

Harbor Food Service evaluated multiple options, including their sister company's home-built application. However, they recognized that, as a food service distributor, their focus should be on what they do best, rather than developing IT solutions. After comparing the main players in the space, they chose Cut+Dry over competitors due to the personal touch, flexibility, and cultural alignment that matched their high-touch business philosophy.

Results

The results have been extraordinary. Harbor Food Service achieved $15.7M in Cut+Dry platform revenue by May 2025, representing an explosive 2,100% growth in 11 months. The platform now serves 1,085 active customer locations and saves the company around 1,000 hours monthly in labor costs. The transition was described as "the easiest rollout of any system in 19 years" by their team, and customer adoption has been seamless. The platform has enabled direct customer communication through boost features and in-app chat, creating an interactive and collaborative tool that benefits both Harbor and their customers.

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Harbor Food Service has built its reputation on providing exceptional service to their foodservice customers. However, their technology infrastructure wasn't keeping pace with modern expectations. When they became part of Harbor Food Service, the company had to revert to older ERP ordering platform that lacked the visual appeal, data accuracy, and inventory visibility that today's customers demand.

The old system created friction in the ordering process. Customers couldn't see product images, inventory levels were unreliable, and the overall user experience was frustrating. This technology gap was beginning to impact Harbor's ability to deliver the high-quality customer experience they prided themselves on.

Choosing the Right Partner Over Building In-House

While Harbor Food Service had access to their sister company's home-built application, leadership made a strategic decision to partner with a specialized e-commerce provider instead. "It gets back to doing what you do and doing it well. What's your focus point? We are not an IT company”, explained Darrin Soderberg, Vice President of Merchandising at Harbor Food Service.

The decision came down to two main players in the foodservice e-commerce space. Harbor chose Cut+Dry over the competition because of the personal touch and flexibility that aligned with their own high-touch business philosophy.

"We felt a little bit more of a personal touch and a little bit more flexibility with Cut+Dry versus your competitor. We pride ourselves on being a high-touch company ourselves for our customers. So that appeals to us." - Darrin Soderberg, Vice President of Merchandising

A Remarkably Smooth Implementation

What set this implementation apart was its simplicity and speed. Michelle May, who led the rollout, described it as "the easiest rollout of any system I've rolled out in 19 years."

The key factors that made the transition so smooth included:

• Excellent communication throughout the process

• Clear prioritization of critical issues versus minor tweaks

• Strong partnership approach with Cut+Dry's team

• Intuitive platform design that customers adopted immediately

"Honestly, it's been really easy. We just have to show the app. We show the customers and sign them up and they run with it." - Michelle May, Tech Training & Systems Manager

Impressive Adoption Results

The numbers demonstrate unprecedented growth: Cut+Dry platform revenue exploded from $712K to over $15.7M in just 11 months, representing a staggering 2,100% growth rate. The platform now serves 1,085 active customer locations, up 376% from the initial launch, proving sustained value delivery even during market fluctuations.

Beyond revenue growth, the operational impact has been transformative. Cut+Dry saves Harbor around 1,000 hours monthly in labor costs, freeing teams to focus on strategic growth initiatives rather than manual order processing.

Customer Experience Transformation

Customers have enthusiastically embraced the new platform. Key features driving adoption include:

• Easy product discovery with visual catalogs and search functionality

• Direct communication tools, including in-app chat with sales reps

• Boost features that allow Harbor to market directly to customers within the platform

• Mobile accessibility that works seamlessly across devices

One large customer with 50 account numbers has become particularly engaged, even providing feedback on potential improvements - a testament to how invested customers have become in the platform.

Sales Team Empowerment

The platform has transformed the role of Harbor's sales representatives. Instead of being order-takers, they can now focus on strategic relationship building and business development.

"If they're not having to sit there and take the order, then they're able to talk to the customers on other things that make a better partnership between the customers and the reps and the company." - Michelle May, Tech Training & Systems Manager

Sales reps who have fully adopted the platform report that it's:

• Simple and efficient - getting jobs done faster

• Mobile-friendly - accessible on phone and computer

• Educational - they can teach customers to self-serve

Expanding Capabilities with Yes, Chef!

Harbor Food Service has recently implemented Cut+Dry's 'Yes, Chef!' prospecting tool, which provides their sales team with powerful territory mapping and lead generation capabilities.

The tool allows sales reps to:

• Visualize their territory and identify new opportunities

• Conduct preliminary research on prospects before making contact

• Optimize route planning by identifying prospects along existing delivery routes

• Build confidence for newer team members approaching cold prospects

"Being able to go zoom in on an area that they do business and see what other opportunities are out there that maybe they aren't thinking of", May explained about the tool's value.

Looking Toward 100% Digital Adoption

Harbor Food Service has ambitious plans to reach 100% digital order adoption. The final 25% of orders still processed through legacy systems will be transitioned once Cut+Dry enables a few customizations.

This would allow Harbor to completely sunset their old customer-facing tools and operate entirely within the Cut+Dry ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

• Harbor Food Service's decision was ultimately driven by finding a partner whose values and approach matched their high-touch philosophy.

• When systems are intuitive and well-supported, both internal teams and customers adopt them quickly and enthusiastically.

• Rather than replacing human connections, the right technology platform enables sales teams to have more strategic, value-added conversations with customers.

Harbor Food Service's success with Cut+Dry demonstrates that when technology and partnership align, digital transformation can deliver explosive growth - with 2,100% revenue growth and 376% customer location expansion proving that the right platform can simultaneously enhance relationships and drive unprecedented business results.