Unifying digital content and commerce with SPARQUE.AI

Rijk Zwaan

About Rijk Zwaan

Rijk Zwaan, a global leader in vegetable seed innovation since 1924, operates in over 100 countries and employs 4,000+ people worldwide. Renowned for its focus on sustainability and partnerships with growers, distributors, and retailers, Rijk Zwaan is committed to improving the global food supply while maintaining an exceptional standard of employee well-being.

The challenge

As Rijk Zwaan expanded into 35 countries, fragmented digital platforms hindered efficiency and user satisfaction. Users faced challenges in retrieving product data and content due to disconnected systems, custom data configurations, and inefficient search functionalities. Managing multiple search platforms further complicated the process, risking delays and frustration across its diverse global audience of growers, distributors, and retailers.

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How SPARQUE.AI helped Rijk Zwaan

Rijk Zwaan's vision for a seamless digital experience required a solution that could unify both its content and commerce platforms. This meant leveraging the strengths of Contentful CMS, known for its flexibility in managing and structuring diverse content, and the Intershop Commerce Platform, which served as the backbone for Rijk Zwaan's extensive product catalog.

However, creating a unified and intuitive experience across these platforms required a layer of intelligence that could connect and optimize their capabilities. SPARQUE.AI provided this critical element, bridging the gap with a custom AI-powered search solution. The collaboration between SPARQUE.AI, Contentful and Intershop was instrumental in transforming Rijk Zwaan's digital ecosystem into a cohesive, future-ready platform.

SPARQUE.AI implemented a structured, results-driven approach to deliver a unified search solution:

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1. Proof of concept (POC):

A POC demonstrated the feasibility of integrating diverse content types – product catalogs, industry news, and technical reports – into a single platform. This prototype showcased how an intuitive search interface could streamline access to critical information.

2. Custom algorithms:

SPARQUE.AI designed advanced algorithms tailored to Contentful’s custom data configurations and Intershop’s product catalog. These algorithms ensured seamless data retrieval, delivering fast, accurate, and intent-driven search results.

3. Unified search interface:

A centralized search interface was developed, providing users with a consistent and efficient experience. By consolidating multiple data sources into one platform, users could quickly find relevant information without navigating between systems.

4. Scalable API-first architecture:

The API-first framework ensured the solution’s scalability and adaptability, allowing for seamless integration with future technologies and evolving business needs.

5. Advanced analytics:

SPARQUE.AI embedded analytics tools into the platform, enabling Rijk Zwaan to gain actionable insights into user behavior, optimize search performance, and continuously adapt to the changing demands of its audience.

Results and impact

The collaboration between SPARQUE.AI, Intershop, and Contentful transformed Rijk Zwaan’s digital ecosystem, delivering remarkable outcomes:

  • Enhanced user experience: The unified search system reduced search times and improved content relevance, driving user satisfaction across 35 countries.
  • Increased operational efficiency: Streamlining search and data management simplified workflows and boosted productivity.
  • Future-ready platform: SPARQUE.AI’s scalable, API-driven architecture ensures seamless integration with emerging technologies.
  • Data-driven insights: Advanced analytics empower Rijk Zwaan to continuously refine search algorithms and meet evolving user needs.

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Quotation mark

"The collaboration with SPARQUE.AI, Contentful, and Intershop has greatly enhanced our ability to deliver a frictionless customer experience. Our customers can now search for vegetable seeds, knowledge and the lastest news, all combined in one solution."

Joeri van Tongeren
Product Manager Digital Customer Platform at Rijk Zwaan