Scaling With a Purpose – Native’s Journey with Anvyl
About Native
Founded in 2015, Native is the brainchild of Moiz Ali who noticed an unsettling number of unfamiliar ingredients in his deodorant. This led him to create a product true to its name: deodorants with natural ingredients. Under the brand mission statement – “Deodorant that isn’t a chemistry experiment,” Native skyrocketed in popularity, becoming one of the fastest-growing deodorant brands in the US. This rapid growth led to its acquisition by P&G for a whopping $100M in just two years after its inception.
In 2018, to further streamline operations amidst rapid growth, the Native team integrated Anvyl’s order management platform, aiming to automate their entire PO process.
Scaling Philosophy
It’s one challenge to build brand momentum as a D2C startup, and it’s another to grow into retail while expanding your product portfolio, a challenge Native has certainly risen to. The brand has managed to retain their essence while venturing into both retail and new product categories. John Huljak, the Vice President of Operations, encapsulates this journey, saying, “Grow when you need to grow, scale when you need to scale – and always try to be a little bit ahead.”
The Native journey has been about evolution. From the early days of hand-pouring deodorants to today’s completely automated lines, the brand has grown in alignment with its needs. In addition to benefiting from new production and manufacturing technology, the team has fully integrated Anvyl into their techstack to bridge the divide between their Netsuite ERP. Their goal is to scale real-time collaboration, automate key tasks, and empower the team with deeper insights to make smarter, brand-driven decisions, faster. The approach, as John says, is about “Always listening to the brand and letting the brand tell us when we need to graduate.”
Scaling in Practice
With growth came the diversification of Native’s product lines and their entry into prominent retailers. This necessitated the incorporation of global suppliers and a renewed focus on eco-friendly packaging. The increasing complexity of the supply chain was not without its challenges.
Christian Penelton, the Senior Logistics Manager, points out, “We work with so many different vendors with source components from different countries. It’s a challenge to keep track overall. We use Anvyl to act as the single source of data for collaboration.” This single source of data is crucial for Christian, allowing her to build reports showcasing pending, active, and delivered shipments, facilitating quick action when necessary.
Managing Supplier Relationships
Working closely with suppliers to foster a mutual understanding has been a pivotal part of Native’s strategy. They believe in growing and scaling in tandem with their partners. This includes leveraging Anvyl to track, measure and report on key performance indicators that help Native identify ways to improve alongside their supplier partners.
John emphasizes the philosophy of building these relationships where both parties thrive. For John, the conversations with suppliers revolve around clear expectations and understanding, “The goal of supplier relationships is finding a way for Native to be successful and for the supplier to be successful. When we find that magic, that’s when we’re the most successful.”
“The goal of supplier relationships is finding a way for Native to be successful and for the supplier to be successful. When we find that magic, that’s when we’re the most successful.”
“We work closely with our suppliers on standard operating procedures and using Anvyl throughout the process really streamlines the workload and makes it less chaotic.”
On a more granular level, the focus has also been on aligning standard operating procedures. Christian mentions, “We work closely with our suppliers on standard operating procedures and using Anvyl throughout the process really streamlines the workload and makes it less chaotic.”
Collaborating Across Departments
As businesses scale, the complexities of order management intensify, frequently placing undue strain on personnel across various departments. With the surge of rapid growth comes the heightened demand of multiple personnel interfacing with every order, often leading to communication breakdowns and inefficiencies.
Anvyl’s integration with Native’s ERP system, Netsuite, has been indispensable in this aspect. It provides comprehensive visibility into inventory issues, facilitating seamless communication regarding changes and updates to Purchase Orders. As Christian points out, “If something is wrong on my end, I know something is wrong upstream. With Anvyl, I can review correspondence, message all parties involved, and diagnose the problem quickly.”
These capabilities are invaluable in minimizing the workload and stress on Native employees, allowing them to focus on what truly matters: delivering top-notch products and services to their customers.
Results
Native’s supply chain is a testament to constant refinement and forward-thinking. With help from Anvyl, they have managed to achieve:
35% Order Delay Reduction
Leveraging Anvyl since 2018 streamlined processes, leading to fewer hold-ups by 2023.
97% Supplier Engagement
With Anvyl’s platform, Native maximized supplier collaborations for efficient results.
Doubled Order Volume
Set to nearly 2x their 2022 figures by year-end, thanks to Anvyl’s strategic insights.
Netsuite Sync
Integration with Anvyl enhanced inventory visibility, driving operational excellence.
Conclusion
Native’s journey from a DTC brand to a retail powerhouse, all while maintaining their core values and mission, is a tale of strategic growth. With Anvyl by their side, they have seamlessly scaled, managed their inventory, and tackled every challenge head-on. The story of Native is one of ambition, strategy, and the right technological partnership.
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