Origin Coffee: Brewing a Better Fulfilment Operation with Helm
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Origin Coffee: Brewing a Better Fulfilment Operation with Helm
As one of the UK's leading specialty coffee roasters, Origin Coffee has built a reputation on traceability, ethical sourcing, and quality. But as their Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) channel expanded rapidly, it placed growing pressure on the fulfilment team - and their existing systems began to show their limits.
"We had been looking to replace our paper-based process for some time," explains Tim Salmon, Head of Projects at Origin Coffee. "As we grew, the importance of digitalising our D2C fulfilment increased considerably.
After speaking to multiple providers and conducting thorough research, Origin chose Helm. What stood out was the platform's flexibility and ability to streamline the exact processes that had become bottlenecks.
"We instantly recognised that the flexibility and automated processes Helm offered suited our need to simplify what we were doing."
The Challenge: A Manual Process Struggling to Scale
Behind the scenes, the D2C team at Origin were relying on a combination of Excel spreadsheets and paper pick notes to manage thousands of orders each week. As volume grew, so did the complexity - and with it came issues like mis-labelled orders, increased admin, and the occasional lost or misrouted shipment.
What once worked for a small, tight-knit team was now creating inefficiencies, raising the risk of mistakes, and slowing down fulfilment. The team needed a digital solution that could scale with them, without adding unnecessary complexity.
The Solution: Simplify D2C Fulfilment with Helm
Origin implemented Helm to replace their manual process with a streamlined, digital-first workflow. Orders that were previously managed manually could now be automatically organised into clear, manageable batches - saving time and reducing errors.
The implementation itself was designed to be as smooth as possible. Helm's on-demand sessions allowed the team to learn the platform at their own pace, while the support from the Helm team played a key role in getting the system up and running quickly.
"Working with Arda and Harry was the perfect introduction to the software for the team," said Tim. "Their responsiveness, patience and expert knowledge of the software made sure we set off the right way and built the system to work for us as soon as it could."
The Results: A Leaner, More Reliable Fulfilment Operation
Since adopting Helm, Origin Coffee has seen a marked improvement in both efficiency and fulfilment quality. Tasks that once required manual oversight are now handled automatically, allowing the team to focus on delivering a better experience to customers.
Fewer mistakes, faster turnaround times, and a clearer view of the fulfilment pipeline have all contributed to stronger operational performance and improved customer service.
"Our efficiency has increased considerably, and the quality of fulfilment has improved - meaning a much better customer service provision."
Conclusion: Built to Grow
For Origin Coffee, Helm has done more than just replace spreadsheets and paper. It's enabled the team to take control of their fulfilment operation and prepare for future growth with confidence.
What began as a necessary change has become a competitive advantage - one that supports their mission to deliver exceptional coffee, with service to match.