YETI Coolers Selects Epicor Distribution Software to Support Continued Growth

Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced that YETI Coolers, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of high-end coolers based in Austin, Texas, selected the Epicor® next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to replace existing homespun systems with a fully integrated ERP solution designed to meet the increasing demands of its growing business.

YETI Coolers was born out of necessity in 2006 when founder Roy Seiders saw a weak link in the chain of outdoor recreation. Seiders found there was a lack of high-quality coolers in the U.S. market, so he reengineered the design of a standard cooler to meet the demands of outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. While the
YETI Coolers products were initially sold out of Seiders’ garage, the “YETI Nation” has since grown to over 1,500 dealers nationwide, in addition to several international dealers. YETI Coolers now has a main office facility in Austin with over 35 employees.

With such rapid expansion, YETI Coolers’ homespun systems and QuickBooks® software were soon bursting at the seams due to the number of products and users.
“We had altered the systems in every way possible to try and make them perform in the way we needed, but we knew we would need something better to keep up with our growing demand,” said Rick Wittenbraker, vice president of marketing at YETI Coolers.

The homespun systems had severe limitations for what YETI Coolers needed from a bandwidth perspective and were crashing on a regular basis, limiting the efficiency of employees. As YETI Coolers began its search for an integrated ERP solution, Epicor became the frontrunner, due to its comprehensive capabilities and functionality.

“We wanted a system that gave us all the power and functionality that we currently need to continue growing, but we didn’t want to lose the small-business feel of our company,” Wittenbraker said. “We wanted an ERP system that would enhance our daily operations, while not having to change the way we do business.”

Epicor’s robust tool set provides YETI Coolers with cross-departmental applications, which will enable YETI Coolers to accomplish more with the human resources they already have in place. Instead of manual copy-and-paste processes and exporting information across multiple programs, Epicor’s solution will provide one unified system that functions across all areas of the business.

Wittenbraker said that one of the features YETI Coolers is most excited about is Epicor’s business intelligence (BI) offering, which will help to integrate the entire business operation, from manufacturing to distributing, customer service and marketing. Epicor BI will also help YETI Coolers generate better metrics so that they can track improvements after implementation.

“We are looking forward to optimizing the great team we have and Epicor ERP will allow us to do that,” Wittenbraker said. “By reducing our system inefficiencies and empowering ourselves with the capability to do what we do better and faster, we will be able to focus on our most important asset—our customers.”

“YETI Coolers is a great example of how Epicor ERP can help a small business transition through a time of great expansion,” said Mike Tatara, product marketing manager for Epicor. “Epicor will enable YETI Coolers to eliminate issues with back office management so that they can focus on the delivery of great products and service.”