Lerøy Norge: Accelerating B2B Seafood Commerce

In 2022, Lerøy Norge, a leading Norwegian seafood wholesaler, embarked on a digital transformation to modernize its B2B commerce platform and better serve its 5,000+ restaurant and catering customers. Facing outdated ordering processes and growing customer expectations - particularly for mobile-first, on-the-go solutions - Lerøy Norge partnered with Mennt to implement a modern, headless commerce solution using DynamicWeb.

The project aimed to eliminate manual workloads, provide a seamless mobile experience, and ensure robust integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP. After evaluating multiple vendors, Lerøy Norge selected DynamicWeb for its standard connector to Dynamics 365, advanced B2B ecommerce features, and strong track record. Mennt, as the implementation partner, played a crucial role by conducting user research, designing a mobile-first interface, and delivering a reliable, cloud-based headless platform built on Next.js and Azure.

Key features of the new solution include an intuitive customer portal with favorites lists, repeat orders, tailored promotions, and the ability to continue processing orders even if the ERP system is temporarily offline. As a result, Lerøy Norge’s share of online orders skyrocketed from 10% to 60%, significantly reducing manual effort, improving customer satisfaction, and enabling efficient, round-the-clock ordering.

The collaboration with DynamicWeb & Mennt was characterized by professionalism, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of Lerøy Norge’s business. The success of the project demonstrates how a forward-thinking approach - combining DynamicWeb’s leading eCommerce technology, headless possibilities, strong partnerships, and a focus on user needs - can drive substantial business value and digital growth in B2B commerce.

By 2021, Lerøy Norge’s digital ordering infrastructure no longer matched the pace and expectations of its customer base. The company had been a digital pioneer in its sector, launching its first custom build eCommerce platform as early as 2000.

However, the legacy system had become a barrier to growth and efficiency:

• Manual Workload: Chefs and buyers placed most orders by phone or email, creating unnecessary manual processing for staff and increasing the risk of errors.
• Limited Digital Experience: The existing web solution was custom-built and lacked critical eCommerce features such as product images, dynamic pricing, and personalized customer experiences.
• Inadequate Mobile Support: The system was not optimized for mobile devices - a critical shortcoming given that many customers (busy chefs and restaurateurs) needed to order “on the fly,” often late at night or during off-hours from their phones.
• Disconnected Systems: Integration with core business systems, particularly Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP, was limited, forcing manual synchronization and reducing overall transparency.

With a growing product catalog, more demanding customers, and increasing competition, Lerøy Norge needed a flexible, modern B2B commerce platform - one that could automate manual work, offer a seamless mobile experience, and support further digital ambitions.

Recognizing the need for a major upgrade, Lerøy Norge launched a market search in late 2021. They considered several options, including both standard and bespoke solutions, but found none that fully met their needs out-of-the-box. While the original web shop was built by a niche vendor, it was completely customized and not easily extendable.

Selection Criteria:

• Seamless ERP Integration: The top priority was a robust, standard connector to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, ensuring data accuracy and real-time synchronization.
• Modern eCommerce Capabilities: Support for B2B features such as a customer B2B portal, personalized assortments, contract pricing, repeat orders, and promotions.
• Mobile-first Design: A platform that would work just as well on smartphones as on desktops.
• Reliability and Scalability: The ability to maintain operational - even if the ERP system experienced downtime.

After evaluating four different suppliers, Lerøy Norge selected DynamicWeb, implemented by local experienced partner Mennt. The decisive factor was DynamicWeb’s proven standard connector to Microsoft Dynamics 365, its B2B-focused commerce capabilities, and Mennt’s flexible approach and technical expertise. Neither DynamicWeb nor Mennt were previously known to Lerøy Norge, but the solution and team stood out in both capability and cultural fit.

The project, kicked off in early 2022, was ambitious: to deliver a modern B2B commerce experience built on a headless architecture, fully integrated with Microsoft Dynamics 365, and optimized for the demanding routines of busy chefs and restaurant buyers.

User-Centric Design Process

Mennt started by conducting qualitative user research - interviewing chefs, restaurant managers, and buyers to map their day-to-day challenges. Key insights included:

• The need for frictionless, mobile-friendly ordering at any hour
• Instant visibility into product assortments and current promotions
• The importance of having a customer B2B portal for repeat ordering, favorites lists, and easy navigation

Sketches and prototypes were iterated with end-users to ensure the new platform would deliver on real-world needs.

Technical Implementation

The solution leverages a headless* commerce architecture, combining a custom-built frontend (Next.js, based on Vue) with DynamicWeb’s eCommerce as the backend, seamlessly connected via oData to Dynamics 365. The infrastructure is cloud-native, using Azure Static Web Apps and Azure API Management for performance and reliability.

Key Features:

• Mobile-first experience: The B2B portal is optimized for smartphone use, recognizing that customers often order from kitchens, storage rooms, or even while commuting.
• Favorites & repeat orders: Customers can build personal “favorite” lists, save recurring orders, and quickly reorder in their personal B2B portal - dramatically reducing friction for regular clients.
• Personalized product assortments: The platform supports region-specific catalogs and contract pricing.
• Promotions & product news: News and special offers are highlighted on the B2B portal’s landing page, driving engagement and upsell. Promotional links are also sent via SMS to boost open rates among busy chefs.
• Resilient integration: Orders can be placed at any time - even if the ERP is temporarily offline. The DynamicWeb eCommerce solution holds orders and syncs with Dynamics 365 once connectivity resumes, ensuring zero downtime for customers.

*Headless architecture is a core component of the MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) approach to modern software development. In a headless setup, the front-end user experience is decoupled from the back-end commerce logic, enabling businesses to build flexible, customized interfaces tailored to different devices and customer needs. As part of MACH, headless empowers organizations to innovate faster, integrate best-of-breed solutions through APIs, and deliver seamless, consistent experiences across all digital touchpoints. This architectural freedom is particularly valuable for companies like Lerøy Norge, who require both agility and scalability in their B2B commerce operations.

Agile Collaboration with Mennt

From start to finish, Mennt worked closely with Lerøy Norge through workshops, pilot testing, and ongoing iterations, ensuring the platform aligned with Lerøy’s needs. The collaboration also served as a technical pilot for Mennt, allowing them to explore and implement the full potential of DynamicWeb’s composable and headless commerce capabilities.

CEO Tom Nordby of Lerøy Norge praised the partnership: “The cooperation with Mennt is very, very good. We can warmly recommend them – they understand what we ask for and deliver on time.”

Lerøy Norge emphasized that Mennt’s ability to translate complex requirements into practical, user-friendly solutions stood out. Their proactive communication, professionalism, and deep technical know-how helped ensure a smooth implementation and ongoing success of the B2B portal - always going the extra mile. Lerøy Norge credits Mennt as a key partner in their digital transformation journey, one they confidently recommend to others in the industry.

Since the solution’s launch in 2022, Lerøy Norge has experienced a dramatic digital transformation in their B2B order management:

• Online sales adoption soared from just 10% of total orders (pre-DynamicWeb) to 60% within three years - a sixfold increase that has streamlined operations and freed up internal resources.
• Manual workload for staff has been significantly reduced, as more customers now self-serve through the B2B portal, leveraging features like recurring orders, favorites, and automated product updates.
• Enhanced customer experience: Busy chefs and buyers can now order whenever and wherever they need, with a mobile-friendly interface and instant access to current assortments and promotions.
• Business continuity: The system’s resilience ensures that orders keep flowing, even if ERP connectivity is temporarily lost - critical for a business where most orders are placed late at night and any downtime would mean chaos by morning.
• Sales enablement: The ability to highlight new products and promotions on the B2B portal’s homepage (and via SMS) has directly boosted cross-sell and upsell, with customers often making spontaneous purchases after browsing “window shopping” style.

On the technical side, the headless approach has given Lerøy Norge and Mennt the flexibility to rapidly iterate on the user experience and implement new features as customer needs evolve. The cloud-native setup provides scalability and strong performance, while integration with Dynamics 365 remains robust and reliable.

The Lerøy Norge case is a prime example of how a forward-thinking B2B company can modernize its digital infrastructure by combining DynamicWeb’s powerful eCommerce engine, Mennt’s agile and customer-centric implementation, and a headless architecture designed for flexibility and performance. By focusing on the specific needs of their customer base - especially mobile-first chefs and restaurant buyers - Lerøy Norge has set a new standard for digital commerce in the seafood wholesale industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Project completed in 2022, delivering a modern, headless B2B commerce solution
• Online order share grew from 10% to 60%, driving efficiency and customer satisfaction
• Mobile-first approach matched the real-world needs of customers
• DynamicWeb’s standard connector to Microsoft Dynamics 365 was a critical success factor
• Robust B2B portal supports favorites, repeat orders, promotions, and zero-downtime operations
• A strong, ongoing partnership between Lerøy Norge, Mennt and DynamicWeb underpinned the project’s success