Some tech firms solve problems they ‘hear about’ with the intent of disrupting and capitalizing. But Cargoo is different. First and foremost, as insiders, we are an experienced supply chain company. We evolved by bringing technology together with commodities trading, containerized freight and supply chain management, with the intent of helping our industry. This is our story.
In 1997 Roland Maier launched Commodity Supplies. His vision combined a vast experience of how commodities, freight and containerized shipments worked, along with the trends for digital technology and market consolidation. For coffee roasters and traders with shared interests, this new business leveraged buying power on large aggregated volumes, enabling it to source and offer commodities at more competitive prices.
To help customers more, Commodity Supplies added more value by simplifying the administrative overheads by providing services such as managing, buying, forwarding and invoicing. It also diversified, providing access to other soft commodities such as fresh fruit, cotton and sugar. Working with rapidly growing supermarket and retail brands flowered into enduring relationships, fueling the company’s growth and expertise in transporting FMCG goods and ocean freight out of China.
Technology finally caught up, enabling process consolidation, data centralization and the emergence of SaaS, bringing Roland Maier’s original vision closer. Commodity Supplies began developing a platform for internal use. At its core is the principle of increasing efficiency by collapsing complexity and simplifying processes. The Cargoo shipping management portal is the output of this project.
Today, the Cargoo platform offers transparent zero margin pricing for commodities, self-service containerized ocean freight management, and collaboration within each customer’s own network of favored partners. Cargoo brings all participants into a single platform, where data is shared, and access is provided based on the role of each user. Integration with 3rd party applications and automation are leveraged to reduce manual activities. This eliminates the requirement for off-platform collaboration such as e-mail, daily Excel reporting, phone calls and manual data entry.
Delivering a world-class real-time transportation visibility platform (RTTVP) for sourcing and shipping commodities and goods means satisfying an uncompromising set of customer expectations. To the companies that depend on it, Cargoo is business critical.
To deliver on these expectations, we use an industry standard approach, exceeding global standards for availability, data security and business continuity. This is supported with the embedded framework that provides robust governance, risk management and regulatory compliance.
Above all, Cargoo is about people. The vision of an individual is one thing, however, delivering it is an entirely different matter. Roland Maier’s expectations for Cargoo would not have materialized without the buy-in and expertise of the people he leads. As a software platform and as a set of value-added services, Cargoo is the product of a committed team.
Some companies may be outsiders with a primary objective of disruption; others might be insiders that put self-interests before customers. Cargoo is different. It is an insider that knows and serves the industry. Quite simply, our people know the market and every day, the Cargoo team continues to ask the question: “How can we do more for our customers?
Meet Our Team
Sellers focus on maximizing sales price while buyers want to minimize their costs. However, making small commodities and goods price wins on a deal by deal basis is a low value proposition. There is more value in striving for the perfect supply chain, that keeps production and freight moving, and shelves stocked just in time.
Cargoo supports the near perfect flow of the supply chain, from the producer all the way down the last mile on to the consumer. That’s the philosophy behind our service offer. Some customers use the Cargoo platform on its own, or others get greater value by combining with Cargoo services. In a world where perfect is an unachievable ideal, you might say Cargoo helps you achieve near perfect supply chain management in an imperfect world!
"Simplicity is crucial. Handling large, data-packed files can be time-consuming and overwhelming. Cargoo’s user-friendly interface saves you time, letting you focus on your core business. Working with Cargoo is a pleasure." Kristiina Murulaid | Commodity Supplies AG
"Cargoo was a true game-changer, enhancing visibility and delivering significant benefits to the Purina team, including cost savings, heightened productivity, and streamlined processes worth celebrating." Collins Juma | Nestlé Purina North America
"On November 22, our European market pioneered Cargoo, gaining real-time visibility, customs compliance and increased efficiency. Embracing Cargoo is revolutionizing our global logistics management." Lukasz Siwiec | Lipton Teas and Infusions
