As part of the DIGIFABS SME Goes Digital Challenge, students and educators from project partner AUAS and HvA, including students on the MSc in Global Sustainable Business, have been working with food brand deHiro, a fast-growing Indonesian-inspired brand expanding across BE/NL and into the UAE. deHiro uses natural ingredients and sustainable sourcing to deliver protein-rich meals and snacks with authentic Asian flavours.
Working with DeHiro through the DIGIFABS programme has highlighted how much impact structured digital consulting can make for an SME in the Food & Beverage sector. DeHiro faced three core challenges: low brand visibility, limited web shop conversion, and manual supply-chain tracking all common issues across F&B SMEs.
Using the DIGIFABS Sensing → Seizing → Transforming approach, the AUAS team co-developed targeted prototypes, including:
- AI-assisted digital marketing workflows to streamline content creation for Instagram/TikTok.
- Web shop UX improvements based on customer journey mapping, trust signals, response automation, clearer shipping/refund policies, and improved packaging communication to reduce friction.
- A real-time inventory dashboard concept connecting Odoo to Power BI for better supply-chain visibility and reduced manual workload.
Across these sessions, DeHiro’s case reaffirmed several patterns seen in DIGIFABS research:
- SMEs often know what must improve, but lack integrated digital workflows to execute.
- Trust-building elements, fast response rates, transparent policies, and packaging information significantly influence conversion.
- Even low-fidelity prototypes can accelerate strategic clarity and prepare SMEs for scalable digital solutions.
DIGIFABS continues to demonstrate that digital transformation succeeds when technology, process redesign, and storytelling come together with the right support.