Yates Cider Mill is a well‑known Michigan cider mill, producing fresh apple cider, cider donuts, and seasonal food products that are sold both on‑site and through wholesale channels.As their wholesale business grew, Yates needed a better way to manage orders, inventory, and deliveries without disrupting their highly seasonal retail operations. They already had systems in place for point‑of‑sale and website orders, but wholesale fulfillment was becoming increasingly manual and difficult to coordinate.
Traction partnered with Yates to implement Odoo as a centralized platform for wholesale orders and inventory, bringing structure and visibility to a critical part of the business while keeping the solution focused and practical.
The Challenge: Growing Wholesale Without Adding Chaos
Yates’ wholesale orders were coming in from multiple places:
- Website order forms
- In‑person and phone orders
- Their existing EPOS system used for retail sales
Inventory was tracked across systems, delivery updates were handled manually, and order status often lived in people’s heads. As volume increased—especially during peak cider and donut season—this created real operational risk.Yates did not need a full ERP overhaul. They needed a reliable system that could:
- Centralize wholesale orders
- Keep inventory accurate and visible
- Support local deliveries
- Reduce manual re‑entry and follow‑up
The Approach: A Focused Phase 1 Odoo Implementation
Traction implemented Odoo Sales and Inventory as the backbone for wholesale operations, deliberately limiting scope to what would deliver immediate value.Phase 1 included:
- Sales order management
- Inventory visibility
- Delivery workflow and notifications
- Integration with existing website and POS tools
By keeping the implementation tight, Yates was able to improve control quickly without disrupting day‑to‑day operations.
Centralizing Wholesale Sales Orders
Odoo Sales was configured with a simple, structured quote‑to‑order process tailored to Yates’ wholesale workflows.Key outcomes:
- All wholesale orders are now created and managed in one system
- Order status is visible to the team at any time
- Automated email confirmations are sent when orders are placed
This gave the team a consistent, dependable way to manage wholesale demand—especially during busy seasonal periods.
Inventory as a Single Source of Truth
Odoo Inventory was configured to act as the single source of truth for wholesale stock.Configuration included:
- A single‑warehouse inventory setup
- SKU consistency across Odoo, the website, and the EPOS system
- Inventory updates driven directly by orders and deliveries
Because Yates has a manageable product catalog, products and opening inventory were set up directly in Odoo, keeping the rollout fast and clean.
Website Orders Integrated via Gravity Forms
Wholesale orders submitted through the Yates website are integrated into Odoo using a standard Gravity Forms connector.This integration:
- Automatically creates sales orders in Odoo from website submissions
- Eliminates duplicate order entry
- Ensures inventory is updated as soon as orders are received
Using a supported connector reduced complexity and long‑term maintenance.
POS Integration to Keep Systems Aligned
Yates continues to use their existing EPOS system for retail sales. Traction integrated the POS with Odoo so wholesale and retail activity remain aligned.This ensures:
- Inventory movements stay consistent across systems
- Wholesale fulfillment reflects real‑time retail activity
- The retail experience remains unchanged
The result is a connected but pragmatic setup that supports both sides of the business.
Delivery Workflow and Automated Notifications
Odoo was configured to support Yates’ delivery process with built‑in structure:
- Delivery dates assigned directly on orders
- Deliveries validated in Odoo as they are completed
- Automated email notifications sent for order confirmation, out‑for‑delivery, and delivery completion
This reduced manual follow‑up and improved communication with wholesale customers.
Testing, Rollout, and Handoff
The engagement included:
- End‑to‑end testing of orders, inventory, and deliveries
- Validation of website and POS integrations
- Clear documentation for day‑to‑day users
- Rollout support and post‑go‑live assistance as needed
This ensured the system was usable immediately, even with seasonal staffing.
The Takeaway
For Yates Cider Mill, this project was about putting structure behind a growing wholesale business—without losing the simplicity that makes seasonal operations work.By implementing Odoo as a centralized wholesale order and inventory platform, Yates now has clear visibility into orders, stock, and deliveries. Website orders, POS activity, and inventory are aligned, and customer communication is handled automatically.The result is a system that supports wholesale growth while staying flexible enough for a business built around fresh cider, warm donuts, and peak‑season demand.
Want to know more about how Traction can help your business scale with Odoo?