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How k-ecommerce Helped Sauces Piquantes Pivot to a Successful B2B Model

In partnership with 

Bringing Artisan Foods to the B2B Market

Sauces Piquantes was started in a Quebec City convenience store back in 2004. The company gave consumers access to hot sauces, BBQ sauces, marinades, rub spices, snacks, and other condiments crafted by Quebec artisans. 

Since its origin, Sauces Piquantes has expanded its product line to include nearly 1000 different artisan products. The company is a proud ambassador of products from Quebec and sells to more businesses across Quebec and Canada. 

In 2015, the brand launched its ecommerce platform on SaucesPiquantes.ca. After Samuel Leclerc acquired the brand and signed on as co-owner, the focus shifted from B2C to B2B. Now, B2B food distribution makes up the core of the business, reaching 600 points of sale in the largest chains.

Challenge

Sauces Piquantes had built their accounting practices and ecommerce store to support B2C sales. But, as the brand shifted its focus to serving B2B customers, they had new business needs that their current solutions couldn’t meet. 

Their original ecommerce platform, Magento, was built for B2C. If Sauces Piquantes wanted to implement B2B features like variable pricing and customer-specific rules, they would need to purchase additional plugins and use multiple customer support teams instead of one. 

Instead of forcing a B2B store onto a B2C platform, the company decided to look for a new ecommerce platform that:

  • Included B2B features such as customized pricing and customer rules 
  • Eliminated the need for third-party plugins
  • Streamlined accounting, online sales, and customer support

Solution

Sauces Piquantes chose k-ecommerce as their ecommerce platform because of its native integration with Acomba, the company’s inventory and invoicing software. They wanted to avoid the extra costs involved with using a third-party integrator. 

Since k-ecommerce connects directly to Acomba, the company was able to seamlessly connect inventory and invoicing with their ecommerce platform, giving them:

  • Quick time to market for their B2B website
  • Bi-directional data integration
  • Real-time updates on prices, orders, and invoices

How k-ecommerce helped Sauces Piquantes make a successful pivot into B2B sales

When Sauces Piquantes needed to transition from one ecommerce platform to another, k-ecommerce helped them make a seamless change. Leclerc describes working with k-ecommerce’s ERP-integrated platform as fast and easy to set up. In particular, Sauces Piquantes benefited from:

Bi-directional integration with Acomba

Sharing data both ways eliminated the need for manually entering orders into a second system and reduced data entry errors.

Real-time inventory and pricing on their B2B website 

B2B customers can order online without needing to contact a sales rep for help because the prices and inventory are always up to date.

Self-service online B2B sales

Sauces Piquantes makes a better first impression with B2B customers, and clients can place orders at any time.

Improved control over finances

By connecting inventory, invoices, and their online store, Sauces Piquantes has better insight and control over their finances.

Support for B2B sales

The sales and accounts teams can easily send B2B account statements with k-ecommerce’s ERP-integrated platform.

Improved sales and efficiency

Sauces Piquantes can process more orders, and with real-time updates on pricing, orders, and invoices, the sales team is more efficient.

Results

When Sauces Piquantes switched platforms, they knew they needed to get their B2B ecommerce site up and running as soon as possible. With the help of k-ecommerce, they were able to launch their web store within one month of implementing Acomba. 

Samuel describes the process of creating an online B2B store with k-ecommerce as fast. In particular, he says that the product catalog is “very helpful. Our clients can order online at any moment without our help. They get access to the right prices and an up-to-date inventory.”

While switching ecommerce platforms, the company worried about losing its SEO positions. But after launching their store on k-ecommerce, organic traffic improved. 

The company was also able to process more sales and automate its billing process to improve efficiency. As Leclerc puts it, “We went from total disorder to orderly.”

About k-ecommerce

k-ecommerce is mdf commerce’s platform for SMBs, providing all-in-one ecommerce and digital payment solutions integrated to Microsoft Dynamics and SAP Business One. We simplify and accelerate online growth, offering a complete omnichannel ecommerce solution supporting both B2B and B2C engagement.

Strengthening our market position

By combining k-ecommerce and Orckestra, mdf commerce is strengthening its market leadership position in the digital commerce landscape.

The Orckestra headless commerce platform is designed to serve the complex needs of enterprise-level retailers and global brands as they unify omnichannel operations and shopping experiences online or in-store.

k-ecommerce provides SMBs with intuitive, all-in-one ecommerce and digital payment solutions that seamlessly leverage ERP data for automation, security and speed.

About Acomba

Acomba has been serving SMBs for more than 35 years. More than just accounting software, Acomba is a vast management ecosystem that allows everyone to build a solution truly adapted to their needs: invoicing, inventory, online payments, payroll, etc.

Your Acomba solution is the start of a partnership. For you, it’s a step towards the realization of a business project that is close to your heart. For our team, it’s a chance to contribute to the success of a local business. For you and for us, it’s an opportunity to proudly do what we do best!