UNFI vs KeHE: Where Each One's Compliance Rules Actually Differ

UNFI and KeHE grade suppliers on different core metrics, use different names for the same kind of fee, and enforce delivery timing differently, so a freight practice that keeps one distributor happy will not automatically satisfy the other.

What's the Core Metric Each Distributor Grades You On?

UNFI's primary compliance metric is fill rate, the percentage of ordered cases actually shipped, and UNFI expects suppliers to stay at 95 percent or higher, with anything below 90 percent putting order volume and item authorization at risk. KeHE grades suppliers differently, on an on-time delivery rate measured per calendar quarter, and requires 85 percent on-time performance to avoid extra fees.

Do They Call the Fees the Same Thing?

No. UNFI calls its version a deduction, not a chargeback, and applies it against categories like short shipments, pricing errors, and ASN discrepancies. KeHE uses chargeback terminology and, per its published Inbound Routing Guide fee schedule, charges a flat $250 on late shipments during any calendar quarter where a supplier falls below the 85 percent on-time threshold.

Which Distributor's Appointment Process Is Stricter?

KeHE requires every truckload delivery to be scheduled through its C3 Online Scheduling system, with the request submitted at least seven days before the ship-to-arrive date and a fee applied if you reschedule within three days of the appointment. UNFI also requires a confirmed delivery window, but ties appointment discipline into its broader deduction categories rather than publishing one named scheduling system and fee schedule the way KeHE does.

Does the ASN Requirement Work the Same Way at Both?

Both require an Advance Ship Notice before the shipment arrives, and both treat a late or mismatched ASN as one of the most common sources of deductions or chargebacks. UNFI's own guidance recommends transmitting the ASN within 30 minutes of carrier pickup, well ahead of arrival at the distribution center.

What Does This Mean for a Broker Managing Both?

A broker moving freight into both distributors has to track two separate rule sets: one metric-driven, UNFI's fill rate, and one appointment-and-fee-driven, KeHE's on-time percentage and flat fee, on top of the shared documentation basics. See how to avoid UNFI and KeHE distributor deductions for the freight practices that prevent both.

Where Does Fr8topia Fit?

Fr8topia is a freight broker for the natural and organic channel first, and the broader CPG retail channel beyond that. We do not own trucks. We source and manage a vetted carrier network that tracks UNFI's fill rate requirements and KeHE's on-time and appointment rules separately, whether the freight is ambient or refrigerated LTL. Get in touch to request a compliance-focused quote and tell us which distributors you ship into.