How Thomas Foods Automated 90%+ of Data Collection

Thomas Foods USA oversees several production and distribution facilities across the country, each with its own set of suppliers for electricity, gas, water, and waste. Keeping track of utility data across these sites had become a significant operational burden — scattered portals, inconsistent billing cycles, and delayed data meant the sustainability team was always playing catch-up.

The challenge of manual data collection

"We were spending hours every month logging into different utility portals, downloading PDFs, and manually entering data into spreadsheets," said Jonathan Reinbold at Thomas Foods USA. The process was not only time-consuming but error-prone. With dozens of utility accounts spread across multiple providers, the team frequently dealt with missing bills, delayed invoices, and data that arrived too late to be actionable. ESG reporting deadlines added further pressure, requiring accurate and complete data that the manual process simply could not guarantee.

Partnering with Nectar

Thomas Foods USA partnered with Nectar to automate its utility data collection pipeline. Nectar connected directly with each utility provider's portal, set up automated e-bill forwarding where available, and began ingesting billing and usage data on a continuous basis. The onboarding process covered electricity, natural gas, water, and waste accounts across all of Thomas Foods' facilities, creating a single source of truth for the company's environmental data.

Results: 90%+ automation and renewed confidence

Within weeks of implementation, Thomas Foods USA had automated approximately 90% of its utility data collection. The sustainability team reclaimed significant hours each month previously spent on manual data entry and portal management. More importantly, the data flowing into their reporting systems was now timely, accurate, and auditable — giving the team confidence in their ESG disclosures and the ability to identify cost-saving opportunities across their facility portfolio.

By eliminating the bottleneck of manual collection, Thomas Foods USA can now focus on what matters most: using their utility data to drive meaningful reductions in energy consumption and environmental impact across their operations. For teams evaluating their options, our guide to the best utility data management solutions compares the leading approaches.