Post-acquisition integrations often determine whether a deal creates value or destroys it. For this $2B+ global acquisition, the early signs were alarming: fragmented workstreams, conflicting priorities, rework across functions, and no integrated plan to manage the complexity. With the integration falling behind and risk accelerating, the organization turned to MustardSeed to re-establish governance, regain alignment, and bring disciplined execution to the center of the program.

The Challenge:  A High-Risk Post-Acquisition Integration at the Brink of Failure

A global food manufacturer had recently completed a multi-billion-dollar acquisition spanning four countries. But the integration effort, spread across 120+ team members and more than a dozen functions, was rapidly spiraling.

The scope was massive and highly sensitive, touching every operational area of the business:

• Legal: Entity name changes, trademarks, asset transfers, workforce movements, customs docs
• IT: SAP alignment, functional readiness, deployment and training
• HR/Payroll: Employee transfers, relocations, separations, jurisdiction tracking
• R&D & Regulatory: Updates to 30+ R&D agreements, FDA/EPA/USDA filings, global registrations
• Finance & Accounting: New bank accounts, ACH determinations, lockboxes, SAP/ADP updates
• Tax & Treasury: Licenses, tax filings, federal/state transfers, compliance documentation
• Procurement: Make vs. Buy assessment, vendor alignment, payment term validation
• Communications: Internal/external coordination across plants, customers, vendors, agencies
• Engineering, Marketing, Real Estate, Sales, Supply Chain, Logistics: Permits, labeling updates, lease notices, pricing structures, import/export documentation, EDI dependencies

Despite the complexity, no integrated project plan, governance model, or decision framework existed. As a result:

• Workstreams operated in silos
• Priorities conflicted and frequently changed
• Deliverables were unclear, unrealistic, or repeatedly missed
• Meetings were unproductive and unstructured
• Rework consumed significant time across functions
• Engagement was declining and momentum had stalled

The integration was behind schedule and trending toward failure. That’s when MustardSeed was brought in to lead, stabilize, and manage the program.

The Solution: Regaining Control Through Governance, Clarity & Leadership

MustardSeed’s mandate was straightforward but difficult: Build the plan, restore alignment, reduce complexity, and drive disciplined execution across the enterprise.

1. Establishing Program Control & Governance

MustardSeed immediately created a comprehensive project plan with:

• Clearly defined requirements, deliverables, and success criteria
• Task-level ownership for all functional areas
• Realistic timelines, weekly status updates, and risk visibility
• A structured communication plan to keep 120+ stakeholders aligned

This replaced ambiguity with clarity and eliminated weeks of rework.

2. Reducing Scope Creep & Complexity

MustardSeed consolidated fragmented workstreams into streamlined groups aligned to project requirements, enabling:

• Faster decision-making
• Tighter alignment across Legal, IT, HR, Finance, Regulatory, Sales, and Supply Chain
• Fewer dependencies and less confusion

3. Increasing Productivity While Reducing LOE

Instead of dozens of weekly meetings, MustardSeed introduced:

• Two weekly one-hour “drop-in” collaboration sessions
• On-demand targeted meetings only when needed
• Automated workstream reports and risk-based notifications

This change alone unlocked engagement and drove measurable progress by Week 6.

4. Providing Leadership, Not Just Project Management

MustardSeed’s PMO team didn’t simply coordinate tasks; they guided the organization through a high-stakes transition by:

• Escalating risks early
• Bringing solutions to every issue
• Modeling disciplined execution
• Keeping 120+ team members aligned during a complex, global initiative

The Outcomes: A Failing Integration Stabilized and Delivered Ahead of Schedule

Though the client expected a long, difficult path forward, the turnaround was rapid.

With clear structure and strong leadership in place:

• Project stability returned within weeks
• Team engagement surged, replacing confusion with confidence
• Rework dropped significantly due to clearer requirements and aligned workflows
• Meeting load decreased, freeing teams to execute rather than gather
• Cross-functional alignment strengthened, eliminating bottlenecks and surprises
• All project requirements were delivered ahead of schedule

The client was not only relieved; they immediately extended MustardSeed’s engagement to rescue a second high-risk integration initiative.

Strategic Takeaway: In Complex Integrations, Governance Is the Accelerator

This engagement reinforces a critical truth: Large-scale integrations fail not because teams lack effort, but because they lack structure.

When MustardSeed introduced clarity, governance, and disciplined leadership:

• Progress accelerated
• Complexity decreased
• Teams re-engaged
• Risk exposure dropped
• Milestones were achieved faster than anticipated

For any organization navigating an acquisition or major transformation, the lesson is clear: The right project leadership doesn’t just keep integrations on track; it transforms uncertain situations into enterprise-level wins.

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We respect the privacy of the organizations that trust us to embed within their teams. For that reason, we do not publicly disclose client names in our case studies. If you would like to verify our impact and speak directly with a reference, our team is happy to facilitate those introductions.