G’s Fresh: Cultivating Connectivity Success in Rural Agriculture

Sector

Private sector | Fresh produce

Location

Barway (Ely), United Kingdom

Revenues

£500 million

About

G’s Fresh: Cultivating Connectivity Success in Rural Agriculture – G’s Fresh is renowned for cultivating the highest quality salads and vegetables. With an extensive selection of fresh produce, G’s proudly serves major UK retailers and numerous European markets.

Outcome

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A budget friendly solution that supports future growth

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12 farms implemented with full resiliency

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High capacity, secure and resilient Next Gen Network

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Farm in a box solution that allows for easy integration of new farms

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Swift implementation

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Fully managed

Executive Summary

Cultivating Connectivity

In just 8 weeks, we successfully transformed G’s Fresh’s 12 rural farms, which were struggling with poor network connectivity and outdated firewalls. Our solution not only enhanced security and resilience but also proved to be cost-effective. By integrating bonded 4/5G data sims, we significantly increased their internet capacity and ensured full resiliency. Moreover, our solution provided the necessary flexibility and agility for future expansion. By choosing our managed solution, G’s Fresh was able to reduce their internal IT workload and achieve substantial cost savings.

The Challange

Tackling Poor Connectivity in Rural Farms

G’s Fresh faced a significant challenge in modernising their rural farms’ network infrastructure. The 12 farms, located near Cambridge in the UK, were plagued by poor network connectivity due to the absence of fibre optic availability in these rural areas. Managing outdated firewalls was becoming increasingly burdensome, and there was no circuit resiliency in place. G’s Fresh also had a limited timeframe to implement a cost-effective network solution.

The Solution

Providing a Future-Ready Network Solution

We tackled the challenge with a well-thought-out approach. Initially, we meticulously crafted a comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) to thoroughly assess the market and explore potential solutions. Our collaboration extended to multiple suppliers, resulting in the delivery of a cutting-edge Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solution custom-tailored to meet G’s Fresh’s unique requirements. Moreover, we devised a seamless technical roadmap, seamlessly integrating the new network into the existing infrastructure.

To overcome bandwidth challenges, we took a proactive step by implementing bonded 4/5G data sims, leading to a significant augmentation in internet capacity. This dynamic solution not only addressed these challenges but also assured resiliency, guaranteeing uninterrupted operations. The entire technical implementation, including SD-WAN configuration, was executed with precision and expertise.

The Success

G's Fresh's Network Transformation

G’s Fresh has greatly benefited from our innovative network solution. Firstly, the solution has proven to be cost-effective, effectively addressing immediate challenges and paving the way for future scalability and growth. The network itself has undergone a transformation, becoming a secure, resilient, and high-capacity system, equipping G’s Fresh to meet the demands of modern agriculture.

Known as a “Farm in a Box,” this solution showcases impressive flexibility and agility, enabling G’s Fresh to seamlessly incorporate new farms and make necessary network adjustments to adapt to evolving needs. The project’s implementation efficiency is remarkable, as it went from the inception of the Request for Proposal (RFP) to full execution in just 8 weeks. Lastly, G’s Fresh’s decision to opt for a fully managed solution has significantly reduced the workload on their internal IT team, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives while we effectively manage the network.