Building a B2B Channel at Speed: How Solato Launched a site in Just Two Weeks?

In an era where speed, accessibility, and digitalization are fundamental to success, manufacturing companies operating in the B2B space need more than just an excellent product, They must also offer a smart digital sales channel. A food-tech startup like Solato, expanding in the U.S. market in collaboration with global service leader Sodexo, cannot afford to be left behind.
This case study explores how, with the expertise of BOA Ideas, Solato successfully launched a closed and advanced B2B website in just two weeks, creating an innovative sales channel that bridges a premium product with a seamless business customer experience.

Services

Frontend

Shopify

Company

Solato

Industry

Food tech

Year

2024

Website

solato.com

About

Solato is an innovative startup in the food technology space, offering a unique on-demand gelato experience through its capsule-based machines. As part of its expansion into the U.S. market, the company signed a partnership with Sodexo—a global provider of catering and workplace services. The collaboration required the rapid deployment of a dedicated B2B website that would enable Sodexo clients to easily order gelato machines and capsules tailored to their specific business needs.

The Challenges

The primary challenge was meeting an extremely tight deadline, just two and a half weeks to launch a fully operational ecommerce website. The site had to be accessible only to authorized Sodexo clients, display customized pricing and payment terms for each account, and support multiple branches under a single client profile with separate purchasing conditions.

Although payments were not made directly on the site (since Sodexo handled billing), it was critical to ensure a smooth and intuitive checkout experience for business customers. Additionally, the system had to integrate with Solato’s internal tools—particularly with their Monday-based ERP system.

The Solution

After assessing the requirements, we selected a Shopify theme that aligned with Solato’s brand identity and allowed their premium gelato machine to be showcased effectively. The site was built on Shopify Plus’s native B2B capabilities, including gated access for verified clients, personalized pricing, and flexible payment terms. Companies could manage multiple users and branches under a single account, allowing, for example, an HR manager to place orders while the finance department received the invoices.

To complete the solution, we integrated Monday for order management and developed a custom feature for contract management and automated monthly invoicing. Each invoice included a direct link to a pre-filled Shopify Checkout, enabling recurring monthly payments. The development was lean and efficient, combining out-of-the-box Shopify features with lightweight customizations.

The Result

Just two weeks after kickoff, the website went live and began serving Sodexo clients. Solato successfully launched a new, streamlined sales channel that is fast, reliable, and tailored to the B2B environment. The platform delivers a smooth customer experience and demonstrates the flexibility of Shopify for complex business workflows. This project is a strong example of how a fully functional B2B commerce solution can be launched in record time—without compromising on depth, functionality, or user experience.

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