Building a Scalable Microsoft Technology Foundation for a Food and Beverage Distributor

As food and beverage distributors expand their operations, the demands placed on technology infrastructure, business applications, and data management become increasingly complex. For this growing produce distributor, aging infrastructure, fragmented management tools, and legacy business systems were creating operational constraints that limited scalability, increased administrative effort, and complicated ongoing technology initiatives.

To support continued growth while improving performance, security, and operational continuity, a growing produce distributor collaborated with Citrin Cooperman’s Microsoft Practice to modernize its technology environment and establish a more resilient foundation for the future.

Our Team’s Role: Modernizing Technology Across the Enterprise
Citrin Cooperman worked with the organization to execute a broad technology modernization initiative encompassing infrastructure, cybersecurity, endpoint management, cloud services, and enterprise applications. The engagement was designed to address immediate operational needs while establishing a long-term technology framework to support continued expansion.

The organization’s technology environment had evolved over many years, resulting in a mixture of legacy systems, on-premises infrastructure, cloud services, and business applications that required greater alignment and modernization. At the same time, leadership sought to complete a strategic migration from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Business Central while preserving website functionality and maintaining uninterrupted business operations.

Citrin Cooperman developed and implemented a coordinated modernization strategy that included migrating infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, strengthening security and device management, deploying Windows 365 Cloud PCs, and designing a custom API framework to support Business Central integration requirements. Through careful planning and phased execution, the organization successfully modernized critical technology platforms while maintaining business continuity and positioning itself for future growth.

Citrin Cooperman’s Approach

• Migrated on-premises infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, including virtual machines, storage, and web applications
• Modernized web application hosting through Azure App Services to improve reliability, scalability, and performance
• Provided ongoing Azure management, performance optimization, and cost optimization assessment cleanup on unused Azure resources
• Strengthened security through Microsoft Defender for Cloud, firewall management, certificate management, and secure network connectivity
• Delivered Microsoft 365 licensing, identity management, and cloud administration services
• Implemented Microsoft Intune to centralize workstation and mobile device management
• Consolidated endpoint management platforms and retired legacy management tools to reduce complexity and cost
• Deployed Windows 365 Cloud PCs to improve access and performance for business-critical applications
• Designed and implemented a custom API integration framework to support the migration from Dynamics GP to Business Central
• Developed custom Business Central extensions and automated financial posting processes to improve efficiency and audit visibility
• Leveraged Microsoft Power Platform technologies to support automation, integration, and data connectivity across cloud and on-premises environments

Results

• Modernized Infrastructure: Successfully migrated legacy on-premises systems to Microsoft Azure, improving system reliability, scalability, and operational performance
• Seamless ERP Transition: Completed the migration from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Business Central while maintaining uninterrupted website operations and critical business processes
• Improved Security and Governance: Enhanced security controls, monitoring capabilities, certificate management, and device governance across the organization’s technology environment
• Reduced Technology Complexity: Consolidated endpoint management platforms through Microsoft Intune, reducing administrative overhead and eliminating unnecessary vendor dependencies
• Lower Cloud Operating Costs: Conducted an Azure cost optimization assessment that identified unused and underutilized resources, resulting in approximately $8,000 in annual savings while improving overall resource efficiency
• Stronger End-User Performance: Improved application responsiveness and accessibility through the deployment of Windows 365 Cloud PCs
• Greater Operational Efficiency: Automated key business and financial processes through Power Platform solutions, custom integrations, and automated batch posting capabilities
• Enhanced Scalability: Established a cloud-aligned Microsoft ecosystem spanning Azure, Microsoft 365, Business Central, and data platforms capable of supporting future growth initiatives
• Improved Business Continuity: Implemented a modern technology architecture that provides greater flexibility, resilience, and long-term support for evolving operational requirements