Fixmer, a leading wholesale distributor of FMCG-products such as tobacco, beverages, and confectionary has chosen The Reference to guide them trough a technological challenge.
The Reference guides Fixmer in shifting towards a composable architecture with a state-of-the-art B2B commerce webshop
February 26, 2025 | Matthias Theys, Account Manager at The Reference
In light of being in business for 175 years and having a well-established B2B e-commerce website, the company felt the need to look at a new story in terms of technology and functionality. This to stay competitive and maintain their leading market position.
The team at The Reference started the project by conducting an extensive (functional and technological) discovery phase, including (inside-out and outside-in) customer research, information architecture, wireframing and graphic design. This allowed them to understand Fixmer's customer's needs and create a comprehensive MVP (minimal viable product).
Together with the client, a decision was made towards a MACH composable technology and include commercetools (commerce engine), Algolia (search solution), and Storyblok (headless CMS) as some of the main components. This solution offers the flexibility and scalability needed to meet their current, but also future goals.
"Our partnership with The Reference is moving forward in a positive direction. Thanks to the combined efforts of our E-commerce and Digitalization Manager and the Project Manager from The Reference, we are making significant progress.
Our IT Manager, in collaboration with the technical team from The Reference, is currently implementing many items from our wishlist. We are excited about the new features and growth opportunities this collaboration is bringing. This project is paving the way for Fixmer's growth, with significant expansions planned for the coming years to further this progress."
- Erik Haegeman, Managing Director of Fixmer
The Reference's agile approach and mature mindset aligned well with Fixmer's needs. As the client was pleased with the understanding of their challenges and the progress that was made in the discovery phase, they decided to partner with The Reference for the build project as well. Both a clearly defined scope and expectations on both sides resulted in a fluent consolidation between their corporate website and webshop into a single, cohesive B2B platform.
"At The Reference, we're proud to guide Fixmer on their journey toward a modern, composable commerce architecture. From discovery to full implementation, our collaboration is rooted in a deep understanding of Fixmer’s business goals and customer needs.
By integrating top technologies, we've developed a flexible, scalable platform that boosts Fixmer's customer experience, streamlines operations, and future-proofs their digital strategy. This project showcases how the right tech foundation can propel business growth. Fixmer now enjoys the agility to evolve and expand their offerings, maintaining a competitive edge in a tough market.
As their digital partner, we're dedicated to long-term support, ensuring their platform stays innovative, customer-focused, and primed for future opportunities.”
- Matthias Theys, Account Manager at The Reference
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