25 Years of Trust: Orkla Saves the working time of an Entire Department with Telema

Orkla and Telema’s partnership began when paperless business processes were still in their infancy. Today, after 25 years of collaboration, nearly 10,000 of Orkla’s documents move automatically through Telema’s systems every month. This enduring relationship is built on trust and a shared commitment to evolving solutions.

“Telema has been a partner that keeps pace with change. They are always solution-oriented and ready to support us,” says Andrei Holm, Sales Director at Orkla.

 

 

 

Reliable Data Exchange as a Business Hygiene Factor

According to Holm, the quarter-century partnership is built on stability and trust.

“For Orkla, the most important qualities in long-term partners are reliability, stability, and adaptability. Telema exemplifies these values by consistently delivering a comprehensive, high-quality service and a sense of security throughout our cooperation. As a result, our risks are managed,” he explains.

Today, automated data exchange and e-invoicing are a natural part of Orkla’s daily operations. “EDI has essentially become a hygiene factor. Without it, things simply would not run as smoothly,” says Holm.

EDI and e-invoicing also make work processes more efficient. “We no longer need to invest in data processing and transmission ourselves. Telema provides the right digital solution – efficient, reliable, and time-saving.”

Because Orkla operates in the supply chain both as a buyer and a seller, its expectations for data exchange are high. Telema met these needs with a 99.9% SLA performance last year.

He also emphasises the importance of flexibility: “Business and the IT environment are constantly changing, so a partner must be able to keep up with these developments.”

To adapt the system to its specific needs, Orkla uses several tailored Telema solutions. For example, if a document includes only the recipient code, Telema adds the recipient’s address. Or if an order line includes a product code but no product name, Telema automatically looks it up in Orkla’s product catalogue and adds it to the document.

Orkla and Telema’s Cooperation in Numbers

Orkla uses six Telema solutions daily: EDI Supplier, EDI Buyer, VMI Buyer, Supplier Visibility, and e-invoice sending and receiving. Each plays a specific role in delivering concrete value.

The benefits Orkla gains from EDI are most clearly reflected in time savings:

• Orkla exchanges approximately 10,000 documents per month with customers and suppliers.
• Without automation, processing this volume would take around 3,300 working hours, equivalent to the workload of 20 full-time employees.
• With EDI, Orkla saves more than 3,000 working hours every month – the equivalent of an entire department’s workload.

In addition to EDI, Orkla also uses Telema’s e-invoicing service integrated with its SAP business software. The automatic transfer of e-invoices saves the company from manually processing 800 purchase invoices every month.

Real-Time Visibility Supports Better Decisions

Orkla uses Telema VMI Buyer to monitor stock levels and sales in its stores, replenishing goods based on demand.

“Using the service has increased visibility and helped us make faster, smarter decisions. It also allows us to better analyze which activities work and which do not,” Holm explains.

Additionally, Orkla has introduced the Supplier Visibility solution, which provides a 24-hour overview of product sales and stock levels in Selver stores. Information from cash register systems helps the company respond to demand, identify trends, and ensure product availability during campaigns.

Orkla started using the Supplier Visibility solution with Selver in February 2026. Holm notes that “the more market participants use such solutions, the more opportunities there are to optimize the entire supply chain.”

Looking Ahead

Telema and Orkla look to the future with confidence that their long-standing partnership will continue in the same spirit, developing together.

“We believe that Telema will continue to keep pace with developments and technological progress, and will continue to provide a service with a well-balanced price-to-quality ratio,” says Holm.

Orkla Eesti AS

Orkla Eesti is a leading food industry company in Estonia. Its portfolio includes many well-loved brands, such as Kalev, Felix, Taffel, and Pai. They also operate ten chocolate shops and have a subsidiary OÜ Maiasmokk.

In the first quarter of 2026, Orkla employed 398 people, with a projected annual turnover of 91 million euros. They manage their daily operations using SAP, Buum, and Power BI.