Wisconsin-based Clasen Quality Chocolate invests in supply chain technology via Beacon tie up
Clasen Quality Chocolate (CQC), a North American industrial chocolate and confectionery manufacturer, has invested in Beacon’s supply chain technology as it looks to bring greater clarity and consistency to its global cocoa operations.
CQC imports chocolate ingredients that support some of the world's best known retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. The standards those partners expect depend on CQC knowing exactly where every container is, and when it will arrive. Managing this previously meant teams logging individually into carrier portals and re-keying data into spreadsheets by hand - a manual process that left sourcing, supply chain, production and finance working from different, and often inaccurate, numbers.
To address these challenges, CQC has deployed Beacon, an AI supply chain workspace, across its upstream cocoa lanes. Container and ETA data that was previously scattered across portals and inboxes now updates automatically in one place, giving every team a consistent, live picture of where their cocoa is.
Casey Johannesen, Cocoa Sourcing Manager at CQC, comments: “I've spent ten years in supply chain. Most mornings, before I could even think about the day ahead, I spent an hour chasing data to find out where my supply was. That work is genuinely gone now. Beacon is one place, one picture, and it updates itself. It's the tool I've been waiting for.”
As CQC operates a high volume cocoa import flow across multiple origins and long haul ocean routes, even small delays or data gaps can ripple through to the brands and customers waiting on its ingredients.
Fraser Robinson, CEO and Co-founder at Beacon, comments: “CQC runs a serious, complex operation and holds itself to a high standard. Cocoa is one of the harder commodities to move - long ocean transits, multiple origins, variable carrier performance - and having one clean, live picture across all of that makes a real difference to how teams plan and respond.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Supply chain technology will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
