Datwave partnered with Coop Alleanza 3.0, the largest consumer cooperative in Europe, to design and implement a full-scale FinOps strategy. Leveraging Google Cloud technologies including Looker and BigQuery, the project introduced custom dashboards, granular billing data, and a detailed tagging framework for advanced cost analysis and governance. This solution not only enabled proactive cloud spend management but also drove significant savings and measurable sustainability gains, aligning with Google Cloud best practices.

CHALLENGE

Coop Alleanza 3.0 was undergoing a large-scale cloud transformation to support innovation and scalability across its operations. However, as the cloud infrastructure expanded, the lack of a centralized, transparent system for tracking costs made it difficult to control spending, attribute costs accurately, and implement optimizations. The organization needed a robust FinOps framework to bring visibility, accountability, and efficiency to its cloud investment.

our solution

Datwave designed and implemented a comprehensive FinOps framework based on Google Cloud services:

– Custom Looker dashboards were built and integrated with BigQuery, using Cloud Billing Export for detailed, real-time billing data.
– A strategic labeling system was developed to classify cloud resources by business function, application, environment, ownership, criticality, and cost center.
– Tag-based analytics enabled precise cost attribution and deep insights into cloud consumption patterns.
– Ongoing cost optimization was supported through tailored dashboards, manual deep dives, and Google Cloud’s built-in recommendations.
– Adoption of Committed Use Discounts (CUDs) and optimization of underutilized resources further contributed to cost reduction.

Results

Thanks to the new FinOps strategy, Coop Alleanza 3.0 transformed the way it manages its cloud environment. The dashboards gave teams the visibility they needed to act fast, slashing analysis time by half. Through structured tagging and smarter monitoring, they were able to pinpoint inefficiencies and take targeted actions that led to a 24% structural cost reduction.

By embracing Google Cloud’s CUDs, Coop reached an 82% adoption rate, far beyond the industry benchmark. Their FinOps maturity grew to a 4.0 out of 5, reflecting a data-driven and repeatable approach to cloud cost governance.

Sustainability also saw measurable gains, with CO₂ emissions reduced by over 24%, thanks to increased use of serverless and managed services.

What started as a financial optimization initiative evolved into a broader transformation—improving agility, accountability, and environmental impact across the organization.

Benefits

Faster Decision-Making50% less time needed for cloud cost analysis.

Significant Financial Savings24% monthly cloud spend reduction and 29% savings target for 2024.

Greater Cloud GovernanceImproved cost allocation through advanced labeling.

Sustainability ImprovementsCO₂ emissions cut from 42 to 32 tons annually.

One year later, the FinOps journey continues. Coop Alleanza 3.0 has expanded dashboards, refined analytics, and unlocked further savings—becoming a reference case for FinOps in retail.