Case Studies
How Whisked by Jenna, a CPG brand, saved 20 hours a week (1/2 a FTE) with AI
How Whisked by Jenna, a CPG brand, saved 20 hours a week (1/2 a FTE) with AI
How Whisked by Jenna, a CPG brand, saved 20 hours a week (1/2 a FTE) with AI
Feb 4, 2025

From Manual Data Entry to Full Automation: How AI Transformed This CPG Brand's Invoicing Process
Wholesale growth is the ultimate goal and the biggest operational challenge for consumer packaged goods (CPG) and ambitious e-commerce companies.
Smaller wholesale clients can use platforms like Faire and Airgoods, or a wholesale order management portal in the form of a Shopify add-on. But distributors and large retail clients will never do that — imagine the additional work it'll add on their end by doing this for each vendor!
EDI integration has been touted as a solution, but many EDI service providers take 6 - 12 months for a basic implementation, charge high connection fees per each trading partner relationship, and require brands to project-manage the work. Not to mention, many times, the integration is done poorly, which can cause retailer fines and create a lot of rework.
What if you could have the accuracy and benefits of integration, without the 6-12 month timelines? And what if your solution resembled "outsourcing", where the work would be done without you needing to learn new software?
That's what one CPG founder did, saving her team 20 hours a week with AI automation that took a month to implement.
The challenge: incredible growth created more data entry
Whisked by Jenna started as a passion project, a stand at a Washington, D.C. farmers market selling freshly-baked cookies and pies. It's since grown into a thriving business with products in over 200 stores, including Whole Foods and Mom's Organic Market.
But with growth came a new set of challenges. As a direct store delivery (DSD) company making 200 deliveries a week, Jenna Huntsberger and her team found themselves drowning in paperwork and manual data entry.
"It's several hours every day of data entry," Jenna shared. "And it's also tricky because we do deliveries five days a week... but it's not necessarily a full-time job for someone. We were really struggling."
Considering solutions: accuracy matters for invoicing
Desperate for a solution, Jenna tried everything from hiring additional staff to exploring an EDI integration, which took 6 months and counting with no results to show for it. Nothing seemed to fit the unique needs of her business.
That's when she discovered Crafty Crow. In our initial conversations, Jenna emphasized how critical accuracy was in her invoicing process.
"The accuracy of our invoices is incredibly important," she noted, "because if you add the wrong prices or SKUs, your client will be angry and upset. We have a level of trust with our clients that we need to maintain."
With a founder background in data automation for a customs brokerage, where accuracy is paramount, Crafty Crow uniquely understood Jenna's concerns and felt up to the challenge. Any solution we developed would need to meet the highest standards of precision.
Working together: a customized approach to AI implementation
As we dug into the specifics of Whisked's invoicing workflow, it became clear why the off-the-shelf solutions she explored weren’t satisfactory. The team had to do a series of manual review steps for the different pricing tiers negotiated with retailers, acceptable delivery date ranges, converting unit counts to case counts, and matching the SKUs on retailers’ POs to the SKUs in their system.
Jenna and her team needed a customized approach that could handle the intricacies of their operation.
"You really listened to my problem," Jenna recalled. "And then you offered us a customized solution that was exactly what we needed and super helpful."
By leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, we were able to develop a system that could accurately scan purchase orders and automatically input them into QuickBooks. This tailor-made solution addressed Whisked's unique pain points while maintaining the high level of accuracy they required. And it only took about a month from contract signature to full roll-out.
The impact: reclaiming time and focus
The impact of this AI-powered automation was transformative. "Working with you and creating the AI automation that just scans our purchase orders and automatically puts them into QuickBooks has massively reduced that workload," Jenna shared. "It's been just really, really tremendous for us."
By eliminating the burden of manual data entry, Jenna and her team were able to reclaim 20 hours each week. This newfound time and energy could now be redirected into more strategic initiatives, like expanding product lines and deepening customer relationships.
Key tips for CPG founders evaluating tech solutions
Jenna's experience offers valuable insights for other CPG founders facing similar challenges and evaluating their options:
1. Accuracy is non-negotiable. In industries where trust is paramount, like CPG, precision in invoicing and other operational processes is a must. Any automation solution must meet the highest standards of accuracy.
2. Off-the-shelf solutions don't incorporate operational depth. This reflects the fact that many software teams are siloed away from their customers, brands who need to use their software daily to do business. Often, off-the-shelf software solves 80% of the problem, but creates a crazy chain of workarounds in that unsolved 20%. Working with a partner who deeply understands operations and can develop tailored solutions, when necessary, is critical to success.
3. AI can create real business value. When applied strategically and with skill, AI and machine learning can fundamentally transform operational workflows, freeing up time and resources for more impactful work.
Parting thoughts
AI can be transformative in the CPG industry when it meets a real business need. By embracing cutting-edge technology and working with partners who understand the quirks in this space, brands can unlock new levels of growth and success.
As Jenna put it, "If you're overwhelmed with some kind of data entry problem in your business... You have very little to lose [working with Crafty Crow.]"
Her parting thoughts: "I cannot recommend Linda Mutricy enough if you're looking to automate aspects of your business. My bakery, Whisked by Jenna, is unique in the CPG world - we do the majority of our business selling and delivering directly to stores in the Mid-Atlantic. For years, we've struggled with inputting invoices from our larger clients that send us PDF and HTML purchase orders - we'd spend 20+ hours every week inputting those orders into Quickbooks. Linda created an AI automation that scans these orders and creates the Quickbooks invoices - which cut our work from 20 hours to a week to one or two.
And for background, I had talked to many different companies over the years who claimed they could help us with this data entry problem - but once we got into the details they never delivered. Linda did!"
From Manual Data Entry to Full Automation: How AI Transformed This CPG Brand's Invoicing Process
Wholesale growth is the ultimate goal and the biggest operational challenge for consumer packaged goods (CPG) and ambitious e-commerce companies.
Smaller wholesale clients can use platforms like Faire and Airgoods, or a wholesale order management portal in the form of a Shopify add-on. But distributors and large retail clients will never do that — imagine the additional work it'll add on their end by doing this for each vendor!
EDI integration has been touted as a solution, but many EDI service providers take 6 - 12 months for a basic implementation, charge high connection fees per each trading partner relationship, and require brands to project-manage the work. Not to mention, many times, the integration is done poorly, which can cause retailer fines and create a lot of rework.
What if you could have the accuracy and benefits of integration, without the 6-12 month timelines? And what if your solution resembled "outsourcing", where the work would be done without you needing to learn new software?
That's what one CPG founder did, saving her team 20 hours a week with AI automation that took a month to implement.
The challenge: incredible growth created more data entry
Whisked by Jenna started as a passion project, a stand at a Washington, D.C. farmers market selling freshly-baked cookies and pies. It's since grown into a thriving business with products in over 200 stores, including Whole Foods and Mom's Organic Market.
But with growth came a new set of challenges. As a direct store delivery (DSD) company making 200 deliveries a week, Jenna Huntsberger and her team found themselves drowning in paperwork and manual data entry.
"It's several hours every day of data entry," Jenna shared. "And it's also tricky because we do deliveries five days a week... but it's not necessarily a full-time job for someone. We were really struggling."
Considering solutions: accuracy matters for invoicing
Desperate for a solution, Jenna tried everything from hiring additional staff to exploring an EDI integration, which took 6 months and counting with no results to show for it. Nothing seemed to fit the unique needs of her business.
That's when she discovered Crafty Crow. In our initial conversations, Jenna emphasized how critical accuracy was in her invoicing process.
"The accuracy of our invoices is incredibly important," she noted, "because if you add the wrong prices or SKUs, your client will be angry and upset. We have a level of trust with our clients that we need to maintain."
With a founder background in data automation for a customs brokerage, where accuracy is paramount, Crafty Crow uniquely understood Jenna's concerns and felt up to the challenge. Any solution we developed would need to meet the highest standards of precision.
Working together: a customized approach to AI implementation
As we dug into the specifics of Whisked's invoicing workflow, it became clear why the off-the-shelf solutions she explored weren’t satisfactory. The team had to do a series of manual review steps for the different pricing tiers negotiated with retailers, acceptable delivery date ranges, converting unit counts to case counts, and matching the SKUs on retailers’ POs to the SKUs in their system.
Jenna and her team needed a customized approach that could handle the intricacies of their operation.
"You really listened to my problem," Jenna recalled. "And then you offered us a customized solution that was exactly what we needed and super helpful."
By leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, we were able to develop a system that could accurately scan purchase orders and automatically input them into QuickBooks. This tailor-made solution addressed Whisked's unique pain points while maintaining the high level of accuracy they required. And it only took about a month from contract signature to full roll-out.
The impact: reclaiming time and focus
The impact of this AI-powered automation was transformative. "Working with you and creating the AI automation that just scans our purchase orders and automatically puts them into QuickBooks has massively reduced that workload," Jenna shared. "It's been just really, really tremendous for us."
By eliminating the burden of manual data entry, Jenna and her team were able to reclaim 20 hours each week. This newfound time and energy could now be redirected into more strategic initiatives, like expanding product lines and deepening customer relationships.
Key tips for CPG founders evaluating tech solutions
Jenna's experience offers valuable insights for other CPG founders facing similar challenges and evaluating their options:
1. Accuracy is non-negotiable. In industries where trust is paramount, like CPG, precision in invoicing and other operational processes is a must. Any automation solution must meet the highest standards of accuracy.
2. Off-the-shelf solutions don't incorporate operational depth. This reflects the fact that many software teams are siloed away from their customers, brands who need to use their software daily to do business. Often, off-the-shelf software solves 80% of the problem, but creates a crazy chain of workarounds in that unsolved 20%. Working with a partner who deeply understands operations and can develop tailored solutions, when necessary, is critical to success.
3. AI can create real business value. When applied strategically and with skill, AI and machine learning can fundamentally transform operational workflows, freeing up time and resources for more impactful work.
Parting thoughts
AI can be transformative in the CPG industry when it meets a real business need. By embracing cutting-edge technology and working with partners who understand the quirks in this space, brands can unlock new levels of growth and success.
As Jenna put it, "If you're overwhelmed with some kind of data entry problem in your business... You have very little to lose [working with Crafty Crow.]"
Her parting thoughts: "I cannot recommend Linda Mutricy enough if you're looking to automate aspects of your business. My bakery, Whisked by Jenna, is unique in the CPG world - we do the majority of our business selling and delivering directly to stores in the Mid-Atlantic. For years, we've struggled with inputting invoices from our larger clients that send us PDF and HTML purchase orders - we'd spend 20+ hours every week inputting those orders into Quickbooks. Linda created an AI automation that scans these orders and creates the Quickbooks invoices - which cut our work from 20 hours to a week to one or two.
And for background, I had talked to many different companies over the years who claimed they could help us with this data entry problem - but once we got into the details they never delivered. Linda did!"
From Manual Data Entry to Full Automation: How AI Transformed This CPG Brand's Invoicing Process
Wholesale growth is the ultimate goal and the biggest operational challenge for consumer packaged goods (CPG) and ambitious e-commerce companies.
Smaller wholesale clients can use platforms like Faire and Airgoods, or a wholesale order management portal in the form of a Shopify add-on. But distributors and large retail clients will never do that — imagine the additional work it'll add on their end by doing this for each vendor!
EDI integration has been touted as a solution, but many EDI service providers take 6 - 12 months for a basic implementation, charge high connection fees per each trading partner relationship, and require brands to project-manage the work. Not to mention, many times, the integration is done poorly, which can cause retailer fines and create a lot of rework.
What if you could have the accuracy and benefits of integration, without the 6-12 month timelines? And what if your solution resembled "outsourcing", where the work would be done without you needing to learn new software?
That's what one CPG founder did, saving her team 20 hours a week with AI automation that took a month to implement.
The challenge: incredible growth created more data entry
Whisked by Jenna started as a passion project, a stand at a Washington, D.C. farmers market selling freshly-baked cookies and pies. It's since grown into a thriving business with products in over 200 stores, including Whole Foods and Mom's Organic Market.
But with growth came a new set of challenges. As a direct store delivery (DSD) company making 200 deliveries a week, Jenna Huntsberger and her team found themselves drowning in paperwork and manual data entry.
"It's several hours every day of data entry," Jenna shared. "And it's also tricky because we do deliveries five days a week... but it's not necessarily a full-time job for someone. We were really struggling."
Considering solutions: accuracy matters for invoicing
Desperate for a solution, Jenna tried everything from hiring additional staff to exploring an EDI integration, which took 6 months and counting with no results to show for it. Nothing seemed to fit the unique needs of her business.
That's when she discovered Crafty Crow. In our initial conversations, Jenna emphasized how critical accuracy was in her invoicing process.
"The accuracy of our invoices is incredibly important," she noted, "because if you add the wrong prices or SKUs, your client will be angry and upset. We have a level of trust with our clients that we need to maintain."
With a founder background in data automation for a customs brokerage, where accuracy is paramount, Crafty Crow uniquely understood Jenna's concerns and felt up to the challenge. Any solution we developed would need to meet the highest standards of precision.
Working together: a customized approach to AI implementation
As we dug into the specifics of Whisked's invoicing workflow, it became clear why the off-the-shelf solutions she explored weren’t satisfactory. The team had to do a series of manual review steps for the different pricing tiers negotiated with retailers, acceptable delivery date ranges, converting unit counts to case counts, and matching the SKUs on retailers’ POs to the SKUs in their system.
Jenna and her team needed a customized approach that could handle the intricacies of their operation.
"You really listened to my problem," Jenna recalled. "And then you offered us a customized solution that was exactly what we needed and super helpful."
By leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, we were able to develop a system that could accurately scan purchase orders and automatically input them into QuickBooks. This tailor-made solution addressed Whisked's unique pain points while maintaining the high level of accuracy they required. And it only took about a month from contract signature to full roll-out.
The impact: reclaiming time and focus
The impact of this AI-powered automation was transformative. "Working with you and creating the AI automation that just scans our purchase orders and automatically puts them into QuickBooks has massively reduced that workload," Jenna shared. "It's been just really, really tremendous for us."
By eliminating the burden of manual data entry, Jenna and her team were able to reclaim 20 hours each week. This newfound time and energy could now be redirected into more strategic initiatives, like expanding product lines and deepening customer relationships.
Key tips for CPG founders evaluating tech solutions
Jenna's experience offers valuable insights for other CPG founders facing similar challenges and evaluating their options:
1. Accuracy is non-negotiable. In industries where trust is paramount, like CPG, precision in invoicing and other operational processes is a must. Any automation solution must meet the highest standards of accuracy.
2. Off-the-shelf solutions don't incorporate operational depth. This reflects the fact that many software teams are siloed away from their customers, brands who need to use their software daily to do business. Often, off-the-shelf software solves 80% of the problem, but creates a crazy chain of workarounds in that unsolved 20%. Working with a partner who deeply understands operations and can develop tailored solutions, when necessary, is critical to success.
3. AI can create real business value. When applied strategically and with skill, AI and machine learning can fundamentally transform operational workflows, freeing up time and resources for more impactful work.
Parting thoughts
AI can be transformative in the CPG industry when it meets a real business need. By embracing cutting-edge technology and working with partners who understand the quirks in this space, brands can unlock new levels of growth and success.
As Jenna put it, "If you're overwhelmed with some kind of data entry problem in your business... You have very little to lose [working with Crafty Crow.]"
Her parting thoughts: "I cannot recommend Linda Mutricy enough if you're looking to automate aspects of your business. My bakery, Whisked by Jenna, is unique in the CPG world - we do the majority of our business selling and delivering directly to stores in the Mid-Atlantic. For years, we've struggled with inputting invoices from our larger clients that send us PDF and HTML purchase orders - we'd spend 20+ hours every week inputting those orders into Quickbooks. Linda created an AI automation that scans these orders and creates the Quickbooks invoices - which cut our work from 20 hours to a week to one or two.
And for background, I had talked to many different companies over the years who claimed they could help us with this data entry problem - but once we got into the details they never delivered. Linda did!"
Sign up for our free newsletter
Get ideas for incorporating the latest in automation and AI in CPG, directly to your inbox
Automating operational workflows for CPG brands selling wholesale to retailers
Crafty Crow
Automating operational workflows for CPG brands
selling wholesale to retailers
Crafty Crow
Automating operational workflows
for CPG brands selling wholesale to retailers