A documentation failure at KeHE is any mismatch between what you shipped and what your paperwork says you shipped: a missing ASN, a bill of lading that does not match the purchase order, a case count that is off, or a temperature record that is not where KeHE's receiving team expects it. Each one triggers its own chargeback code, and the freight-side documentation errors are the most preventable of all of them.

What Documentation Does KeHE Require on Every Shipment?

Every KeHE shipment needs an electronic advance shipment notice, or ASN, sent before the truck arrives, a bill of lading that matches the purchase order number and case count exactly, and case or pallet labeling that meets KeHE's current supplier guidelines. Refrigerated/reefer LTL loads carry an additional layer: proof that the product stayed within its required temperature range from pickup to delivery.

Which Documentation Errors Trigger the Most Chargebacks?

The repeat offenders are a late or missing ASN, a bill of lading that does not match the case count or PO, mislabeled or unlabeled pallets, and a packing slip that is missing from the shipment entirely. Any one of these is enough for KeHE's receiving team to flag the load and apply a compliance chargeback, even when the product itself arrived intact and on time.

What Extra Documentation Do Reefer Shipments Need?

Temperature-controlled freight carries a documentation burden ambient freight does not. Under the FDA's Sanitary Transportation Rule, carriers moving food that requires temperature control must use vehicles and equipment capable of maintaining the necessary temperature range and must be able to demonstrate adequate temperature controls during transport. For this kind of load into KeHE, that means a temperature log or recording device showing the trailer held within range, typically 34 to 38°F for refrigerated product, from pickup through delivery. If the product moved through a cold storage facility before it shipped, that same temperature record should carry through from storage to trailer, not restart at pickup. Missing or incomplete temperature documentation is treated the same as any other documentation failure: it draws a chargeback, whether or not the product itself was ever out of range.

How Do You Keep Documentation Errors From Becoming Chargebacks?

The fix is procedural, not exotic: send the ASN before the truck leaves, generate the BOL directly from the PO so the numbers cannot drift, confirm pallet labeling against KeHE's current guide before the load ships, and for temperature-controlled freight, pull the record off the reefer unit and attach it to the delivery paperwork every time, not just when something looks wrong.

Where Does a Refrigerated Freight Broker Fit?

As a refrigerated freight broker for the natural and organic channel, Fr8topia does not own trucks. We source and manage a vetted carrier network across ambient and reefer carrier lanes, and we coordinate the ASN, the BOL, the labeling, and the temperature record before the load ever reaches KeHE's dock. See the full breakdown of what a KeHE chargeback actually costs for the dollar side of this problem, and get in touch to request a quote for your next shipment, ambient or reefer.