D2C food brand, Bremen

Interim CTO for a D2C Food Brand in Bremen

Without permanent technical leadership, shop and ERP decisions the company needed had stalled.

IndustryE-Commerce
ServicesFractional CTO

Situation

A D2C food brand in Bremen had no permanent technical leadership at a time when decisions on the shop platform and the ERP were due. Both systems are tightly linked in a D2C business with physical delivery. Without someone owning both sides, the decisions kept getting stuck.

Task

As interim CTO, we were to take on technical leadership, assess the existing shop platform, define a new architecture, and lead the ERP migration, with full decision-making authority for the duration of the mandate.

Implementation

  • Technical leadership on a fixed term

    Decision-making authority and responsibility for the duration of the interim mandate.

  • Shop evaluation

    Assessment of the existing platform with a clear recommendation.

  • New architecture

    Target architecture for the shop and adjacent systems.

  • ERP migration

    Guided transition, aligned with the company's operating calendar.

Approach

Decision-making authority sat with the interim CTO from day one, not with an external recommendation someone else would have had to implement. The shop evaluation was measured against the company's actual growth and operations, not a generic checklist.

The shop and ERP decisions were made together, because they interlock in a D2C food business with orders, warehousing, and delivery. The migration was timed so it did not hit ongoing operations during a critical phase.

Result

The company had continuous technical leadership throughout the transition. Shop and ERP decisions were made and implemented instead of staying open, and the company could keep operating on the new architecture.

Transferable lessons

  • An interim CTO closes a real gap

    It is about decisions made, not a transitional arrangement on paper.

  • Shop and ERP need to be decided together

    Looked at separately, you miss how tightly both systems interlock in operations.

  • Plan migration around the operating calendar

    Orders, warehousing, and delivery must not stall because of a migration.

First conversation: 30 minutes, concrete.

We talk about whether an interim CTO closes your current gap.