How SADAFCO Reduced its Artwork Approval Time by 50% with Artwork Flow

Mitha Shameer

October 14, 2024

Other Stories

Industry:
Food and Beverage

How SADAFCO Reduced its Artwork Approval Time by 50% with Artwork Flow

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Workflow visibility

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Faster approvals

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Regulatory compliance

Since 1976, Saudia Dairy and Foodstuff Company (SADAFCO) has been a leader in the food industry, manufacturing and distributing products under their flagship brand, Saudia. As the market leader in Saudi Arabia for long-life milk, tomato paste, snacks, and ice cream, their success depends not only on product quality but also on meeting strict regulatory requirements for their packaging and labels.

But the company's labeling process wasn't always smooth, and the lack of a centralized system meant that artwork files were scattered across different departments, making it hard to find the most up-to-date versions, leading to losses in artwork management. Recognizing the need for a more efficient solution, SADAFCO implemented an artwork management system, which streamlined the entire process, improved collaboration, and enhanced compliance. Now, Sameerah AlZahrani, the Regulatory Affairs Manager at SADAFCO, notes that their labeling operations run much more smoothly, with fewer errors and quicker turnaround times.

“Before, approvals would drag on for weeks. With Artwork Flow, I now set a two-week timeline for my team, and we're able to complete a lot of projects within that time.”

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Sameerah AlZahrani, Regulatory Affairs Manager, SADAFCO
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The challenge:

Manual labeling and email-based approvals

Before using Artwork Flow, the SADAFCO team managed labels through email. “It was difficult,” Sameerah shared. “You’d lose track of the latest version, and files would sometimes go to print with  a few mistakes.”

For a company that had to follow both Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) standards, these errors weren't just inconvenient—they could lead to regulatory fines or delayed product launches. Plus, with over 100 products, each requiring a review by multiple departments like marketing, quality, and R&D, managing approvals across teams was a logistical nightmare.

The SADAFCO team found it difficult to manage labels in the regulatory function because they used to rely on emails. If a regulatory requirement was overlooked, it became a real challenge.

The solution:

Why Artwork Flow?

That’s when Artwork Flow came into play. For SADAFCO, it was a game-changer for their entire label management process.

Automated workflows and notifications: One of the key features SADAFCO found helpful was automated workflows. Team members receive notifications for approvals, eliminating the need for back-and-forth email communication. The platform also stores label history via version control, so teams can track any updates and changes easily.

Checklists for regulatory compliance: Artwork Flow allowed SADAFCO to create custom checklists for each task, ensuring that no regulatory requirements are missed. These checklists include essential details such as intendants, allergen declarations, storage conditions, nutrition facts, and barcodes, ensuring nothing is overlooked and saving the team valuable time.

Reduced errors: “Before, if I missed something, it would just get passed on, and we’d only find out later. Now, others can flag it immediately, and I get to fix it right there,” Sameerah says. The collaboration is tighter, and the chances of an error slipping through have drastically dropped.

One central platform for everyone: Artwork Flow centralized the approval workflow, enabling all teams—from marketing to regulatory—to review and approve labels on a single platform. Artwork Flow's library gives teams quick access to files, improving labeling and streamlining asset storage for other teams such as marketing and social media. 

The result:

With Artwork Flow, SADAFCO has significantly improved its artwork and labeling management process. The team reduced its artwork approval time from over 4 weeks to just 2 weeks by moving away from email-based approvals. 

With the platform’s centralized system and automated features, SADAFCO has achieved improved accuracy, better communication, and faster project turnaround, ensuring their products are always ready and compliant with local regulations.

"I highly recommend Artwork Flow to other companies because it has significantly improved our compliance with regulatory requirements. The platform has streamlined operations across all stakeholders and enhanced visibility throughout the entire label management process."

Sameerah AlZahrani
Regulatory Affairs Manager, SADAFCO

"I highly recommend Artwork Flow to other companies because it has significantly improved our compliance with regulatory requirements. The platform has streamlined operations across all stakeholders and enhanced visibility throughout the entire label management process."

Sameerah AlZahrani
Regulatory Affairs Manager, SADAFCO

About Artwork Flow

Artwork Flow has been the go-to solution for all things creative management for brands like LesserEvil, Jones Dairy, and Trinchero. Artwork Flow’s user-friendly interface and AI-led features including digital asset management, creative collaboration, online proofing, and project management can streamline the creative lifecycle for any organization. Let Artwork Flow take the complexity out of your creative projects and help your team deliver top-notch results with ease.

Transform your own creative operations with Artwork Flow today