Global agribusiness and food company with approximately 32,000 employees in 30+ countries, drives lean transformation and reduces costs

Bunge Limited, a global leader in agribusiness and food with a workforce of approximately 32,000 employees across more than 30 countries, set an ambitious goal to become the world’s best-integrated food and agribusiness company. This goal was to be measured by high levels of farmer and customer satisfaction, operational excellence, employee motivation, and strong financial returns. To achieve this, Bunge faced the challenge of creating a consistent, company-wide culture of quality and continuous improvement (CI). Furthermore, they set a demanding 5-year target to achieve $150 million in cost savings, requiring a cohesive approach to embed CI principles and drive significant operational efficiencies across diverse global operations.

Challenge: The company had a 5-year profit improvement target of $150M in cost savings.

To achieve this, Bunge faced the challenge of creating a consistent, company-wide culture of quality and continuous improvement (CI). Furthermore, they set a demanding 5-year target to achieve $150 million in cost savings, requiring a cohesive approach to embed CI principles and drive significant operational efficiencies across diverse global operations.

Solution: Create and rapidly internalize a multi-phase enterprise-wide culture of quality and continuous improvement (CI) across a global footprint.

We implemented a multi-phase, enterprise-wide initiative to rapidly internalize a culture of quality and CI across its global operations. This initiative was crucial in standardizing business practices and maintaining a competitive edge in the industry.

The process began with a thorough assessment of the company’s value stream, organizational capability, and financial performance objectives. This evaluation provided critical insights that informed the development of a comprehensive CI program framework. The framework outlined a pilot process, followed by a detailed plan for a full-scale rollout across Bunge’s global footprint.

Key improvement priorities were identified to fuel growth and drive the company's long-term goals. 
Senior leadership participation and a culture of continuous improvement fueled the success of this lean transformation.

Results: The Continuous Improvement (CI) program was launched and internalized in 28 facilities – 2 countries/4 divisions – in two years. $100M total program savings and $220M of future potential savings identified.

The CI program was successfully launched and internalized across 28 facilities within two years, spanning two countries and four divisions. This rapid deployment led to impressive financial outcomes, with $100 million in total program savings realized and an additional $220 million in potential future savings identified.

To sustain and expand these gains, Bunge established the Bunge Continuous Improvement Organization, which now holds global responsibility for driving CI initiatives across all operations. Implementing standard work, best practices, and enhanced communication significantly boosted employee engagement and support, further embedding a culture of CI throughout the company. This strategic approach not only delivered immediate financial benefits but also positioned Bunge for sustained operational excellence and long-term growth.

Topics in this Case Study

Continuous Improvement Lean Transformation