Symbol

[US] - CTA

[US] - Footer

Explore the values, people, and global perspective behind Monstarlab’s work.

Driving Disruption: Patrick Gardella On The Innovative Approaches C-Suite Executives Are Taking To Disrupt Their Industry

<p>Years before mobile-first B2B became table-stakes, we helped the world's largest brewer make the leap.</p><p><img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Ffb3ccc876dd442c6ae31d776377e35db%2F072fb6639f914e7190633a05d02413df" alt="Beer Tap Pouring Pint"></p><h2><strong>The Challenge: Modernizing Distribution for the World's Largest Brewer</strong></h2><p>AB InBev approached Monstarlab Americas to reimagine their B2B sales platform. As the world's largest beer company—brewing and distributing almost 1/3 of the world's beer every year, with revenue exceeding US$50B annually—AB InBev needed more than a digital ordering system; they needed a complete transformation of how products reach millions of retailers worldwide.</p><p>The ask was clear: modernize, or risk losing relevance in an increasingly digital world where small retailers demand the same seamless experiences they get from consumer products. In 2014, that expectation was only beginning to emerge—and almost no one was building for it yet.</p><h2><strong>A Bet on the Future of B2B</strong></h2><p>When we began this work in 2014, the phrase "mobile-first B2B" barely existed. Enterprise software was desktop-bound by default, built on the assumption that business users would tolerate clunky interfaces and cumbersome workflows because they had no alternative. Consumer apps were sleek and intuitive; business tools were not. That was simply the way things were.</p><p>We saw it differently. Our conviction was that B2B buyers—bar owners, restaurant managers, small retailers—were the same people who used Seamless to order dinner and Uber to hail a ride. They didn't stop expecting intuitive digital experiences when they walked into work. If anything, the complexity of managing a business made simplicity more valuable, not less.</p><p>This wasn't a mainstream view at the time. AB InBev had a global sales force of 110,000 people. Proposing that a mobile app could meaningfully augment that infrastructure—that a retailer in Buenos Aires might prefer to place a beer order from their phone at midnight rather than wait for a sales rep's visit—required a leap of faith from everyone involved. But the research bore it out. And today, with over 20% of orders placed outside commercial hours, we know that leap was well-founded.</p><p>What's now considered table stakes in enterprise digital transformation—mobile-first design, consumer-grade UX, rapid prototyping with real users—was the bet we made a decade ago. The playbook that guides B2B commerce today is one we helped write.</p><h2><strong>The Foundation: Starting with Humans</strong></h2><p>Our approach began not in conference rooms or with code, but on the ground. We shadowed sales reps in St. Louis, New York, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires to understand the value they provide to their B2B customers and identify pain points and opportunities the platform could address.</p><p>What we discovered was crucial: technology would not replace the "relationship element" that is so key to selling CPG on the ground. Rather, it would enable sales reps to focus on maximizing the value of the human touch in growing relationships.</p><p>This insight shaped everything that followed. We weren't building technology to eliminate jobs; we were creating tools to amplify human potential.</p><h2><strong>The Technical Foundation: Building for Billions</strong></h2><p>The platform we architected and built – initially called Tapwiser, now evolved into BEES – required unprecedented scale and sophistication:</p><h3><strong>Microservices Architecture at Scale</strong></h3><p>AB InBev has since invested heavily in the platform, scaling it with a team of more than 1,200 developers. The modern microservices architecture they built grew from the scalable framework we designed in 2015 — a single codebase that could be configured for any regional market, enabling rapid global expansion.</p><h3><strong>Breaking Legacy Dependencies</strong></h3><p>This modern architecture drastically reduced the platform's dependencies on legacy ERP systems, which would have been a barrier to providing many of the most valued and utilized features on BEES.</p><h3><strong>Continuous Iteration</strong></h3><p>Based on our findings, we designed and built a fully-functional prototype and conducted in-person usability testing with bar and restaurant owners. We used pilot learnings to refine the experience before the US launch, fostering a program of continuous research and iteration.</p><h2><strong>The Results: A Digital Transformation Success Story</strong></h2><p>Our work built the platform foundation. Since developing that foundation, AB InBev has achieved:</p><h3><strong>Revenue Impact</strong></h3><ul><li>72% of AB InBev's global revenue now flows through digital B2B platforms</li><li>The platform's gross merchandise value grew by 57% to $2.5 billion in 2024</li><li>Captured about $20 billion in gross merchandising value in 2021, up from $3 billion in 2020</li></ul><h3><strong>Scale and Adoption</strong></h3><ul><li>Processed over 36 million orders in 2024, a 31% increase from the previous year (source Digital Commerce 360)</li><li>BEES is now operational in 28 markets (source Digital Commerce 360)</li><li>Serves 2 million+ SMB retailers globally (source Amplitude)</li><li>Monthly active users more than doubled in 2021 (source Consumer Goods)</li></ul><h3><strong>Operational Excellence</strong></h3><ul><li>More than 20% of BEES orders are placed during non-commercial hours (AB InBev)</li><li>BEES Marketplace captured 630 million USD in GMV from sales of third-party products, a 51% increase year-over-year (Business Wire)</li><li>90%-plus adoption rate in most markets (Consumer Goods)</li></ul><p><br></p><h2><strong>Innovation That Changed an Industry</strong></h2><p>Several aspects of our solution set new standards for B2B commerce:</p><ol><li><strong>AI-Powered Personalization </strong>— BEES's AI-generated personalized recommendations help customers place orders in a fast and convenient way, helping avoid lost sales (AB InBev).</li><li><strong>Marketplace Model </strong>— Beyond AB InBev's products, BEES became a true marketplace. AB InBev is partnering with other consumer goods companies to use the BEES technology, counting companies like Mondelez International, Mars, and E&amp;J Gallo (Consumer Goods) among its partners.</li><li><strong>Financial Innovation </strong>— The platform goes beyond ordering. Given customers' credit scores, AB InBev can offer different payment options with transparent costs, allowing customers to decide what suits them best (AB InBev).</li><li><strong>Data-Driven Insights </strong>— The wealth of data enables AB InBev to streamline efficiencies and processes throughout the company, making the organization more nimble and efficient (Consumer Goods).</li></ol><p>Many of these capabilities—AI-powered recommendations, marketplace expansion, flexible payment options—were seeded in the original Tapwiser vision. What began as a prototype for digitizing beer orders became a template for reinventing B2B commerce entirely.</p><h2><strong>Why This Case Study Matters in 2025</strong></h2><p>The BEES transformation offers critical lessons for today's enterprises:</p><p>Digital B2B is Now Table Stakes — With AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris calling BEES "not just a transactional tool" but "a full-service digital ecosystem" (Digital Commerce 360), the message is clear: B2B commerce requires comprehensive digital transformation, not just digitization.</p><p>The Platform Economy Has Arrived in B2B — What used to be a one-way pipeline—products out, cash back—is now becoming a platform where companies can offer not only their own products but third-party products in a marketplace format, plus digital wallets and other services (Consumer Goods).</p><p>Speed and Scale Are Compatible — BEES started as a small prototype and scaled into a global app, expanding to new countries with ease (CI&amp;T), proving that with the right architecture, rapid scaling doesn't mean compromising quality.</p><p>We recognized this inflection point a decade ago. The results speak not just to AB InBev's commitment to transformation, but to the enduring value of getting there first—and getting it right.</p><h2><strong>How Monstarlab Can Transform Your B2B Operations</strong></h2><p>The principles we applied to AB InBev's transformation remain our core approach:</p><h3><strong>For B2B Commerce Platforms:</strong></h3><ul><li>End-to-end digital ecosystem development</li><li>Microservices architecture for infinite scalability</li><li>AI-powered personalization and recommendations</li><li>Marketplace integration capabilities</li><li>Alternative payment and credit solutions</li></ul><p><br></p><h3><strong>For Enterprise Digital Transformation:</strong></h3><ul><li>Ethnographic research to understand user needs</li><li>Rapid prototyping with real-world testing</li><li>Legacy system integration and migration</li><li>Global platform with local flexibility</li><li>Continuous iteration based on data</li></ul><p><br></p><h3><strong>Our Process:</strong></h3><ol><li>Discovery: Deep field research to understand actual user workflows</li><li>Architecture: Design scalable systems that can grow with your business</li><li>Prototype: Build and test with real users before full deployment</li><li>Scale: Roll out globally while maintaining local relevance</li><li>Optimize: Continuous improvement based on data and feedback</li></ol><p><br></p><h2><strong>Client Testimony</strong></h2><p>"Monstarlab shares our ownership culture in a way I haven't seen in my other vendors"</p><p>— Alek Uransel, Director, Commercial Technology Development, AB InBev</p><p>This partnership mentality enables us to deliver transformational results rather than just technical solutions.</p><h2><strong>Looking Forward: The Future of B2B Commerce</strong></h2><p>As AB InBev's CEO noted, "BEES is by far better technology than any other system that we had before. And that's why the adoption is so fast" (Consumer Goods). The platform continues to evolve, with the company expecting full-year 2025 EBITDA growth of 4% to 8%, supported by further investment in digital transformation (Digital Commerce 360).</p><p>The lessons are clear: B2B commerce is undergoing the same revolution that transformed B2C a decade ago. Companies that embrace comprehensive digital transformation—not just digitization—will thrive. Those that don't risk obsolescence.</p><h2><strong>Ready to Build Your B2B Digital Future?</strong></h2><p>The AB InBev case proves that even the most traditional industries can be transformed through thoughtful digital innovation. Whether you're looking to modernize your sales channels, create a B2B marketplace, or completely reimagine your customer relationships, Monstarlab Americas has the expertise and experience to guide your journey.</p><p>Contact us today to discuss how we can help you build a digital ecosystem that transforms your business and industry.</p><p><em>About Monstarlab Americas: With over 1,200 experts globally, we create digital experiences that transform businesses. From strategy through execution, we partner with industry leaders to navigate digital transformation and emerge stronger. Our work with AB InBev represents just one example of how we help global enterprises reinvent themselves for the digital age.</em></p>