KeHE fee schedule & routing rules, explained.

1What changed on November 1, 2025

KeHE's October 1, 2025 supplier communication refreshed nine master documents at once. If your compliance checklist predates it, these are the changes that hit invoices:

• IncreasedTiered unloading fees went from $20 / $40 / $70 to $25 / $50 / $75.
• IncreasedSort & segregate fees went from $75 / $100 / $150 to $85 / $110 / $160.
• NewA 3% case-barcode non-compliance fee applies below the 95% scan-rate threshold, with a 90-day grace period (earliest charges January 1, 2026).
• RemovedThe $40/SKU image fee (SPINS IX-ONE enrollment is now mandatory instead), the 18% free-fills processing fee, and the $25/pallet/week storage fee were all retired.
• IncreasedThe insurance minimum for seafood and meat suppliers rose from $2M to $5M.

2Scheduling & delivery appointments

Deliveries are scheduled through C3 Reservations at least 7 days in advance, with separate credentials per distribution center. Drivers check in with a printed confirmation, photo ID, and license number. If a DC's receiving team doesn't respond to a request, KeHE's own best-practices guidance is to escalate to the buyer after 24 hours. Miss the appointment mechanics and the IBR Fee Schedule applies:

The late-shipment fee is the one that compounds quietly: it only switches on when your quarterly on-time delivery drops below 85%, and then it applies per late PO.

3Pallets, temperatures & physical prep

• GMA pallets only: 48" × 40", 4-way entry, hardwood, loaded to 2,500 lb or less, stacked no higher than 72".
• Placard every pallet with the KeHE PO number and destination DC, in pallet sequence.
• Temperature bands: refrigerated 34 to 40°F, proteins 28 to 40°F, frozen (including ice cream) -20 to 0°F. Refrigerated histamine-forming seafood additionally requires Parsyl temperature sensors, with the device ID noted on the BOL.

Loads that arrive outside spec get reworked at the dock, on your invoice:

4Case barcodes & labeling

KeHE scans inbound cases and holds suppliers to a 95% case-barcode compliance threshold. Falling below it triggers the 3% non-compliance fee introduced in the Nov 2025 refresh.

• GS1-128 is preferred and required for FDA Food Traceability List (FTL) products; GTIN-14 (ITF-14) is the acceptable alternative for everything else.
• GTIN-14 placement is precise: at least ¾" from any edge and 1.25" from the bottom, with a ¼" quiet zone, printed at 3" × ¾" or larger on at least two sides including the longest, and never in red, blue, brown, or purple.
• Date codes go on exterior cartons in MM/DD/YYYY format.

5EDI documents & their deadlines

KeHE's EDI stack runs on seven core transaction sets, and two of them carry hard clocks. The bill of lading itself must carry 12 specific data zones.

The 24-hour 855 acknowledgment window is the deadline suppliers most often discover after missing it: the PO arrives overnight and the clock is already running.

6Receiving, shortages & UDRs

The rule that governs everything at the dock: the case count at the KeHE DC is authoritative. When it disagrees with what you shipped, the Unloading Discrepancy Report (UDR) process decides the outcome.

• 48-hour response window. You have 48 hours to respond to a UDR, and the emailed UDR link itself expires after 7 days.
• A UDR is notice, not a deduction. A deduction only lands when KeHE's count is short and the UDR supports it, which is exactly why responding inside the window with your BOL and proof of delivery matters.
• Escalation path: reply to the UDR email in real time; after close, dispute through K-Solve; then escalate to your Supplier Manager.

Short shipments carry their own economics: a fill rate below 95% draws a 3% fee, and cut cases bill at $1.10 per case.

7The fee schedule & the dispute clock

The P&P Fee Schedule (Rev Jun 2026) sets the program-level fees. The single most important number in it isn't a fee. It's the deadline: deductions must be disputed through K-Solve within 180 days, or they're waived. (K-Solve's quick search only covers the last 90 days; advanced search reaches back 2 years.)

Two structural notes: off-invoice promotions carry no processing fees, and new suppliers (under 1 year, under $500K) can opt into the Administrative Allowance Program, a flat 2% off-invoice that waives five launch fees at once (setup, intro allowance, EP, MCB, and lumping).

8Terms every supplier signs up for

• 75% shelf life guarantee means product must arrive with at least 75% of its maximum shelf life remaining.
• Payment terms: 2% 10 NET 30 standard; 2% 60 NET 61 for special-event orders.
• 90-day lead time for price, product, pack, and delivery-method changes; discontinuations need 30 to 45 days' notice.
• Recalls cost $500 per SKU, per DC in expense recovery, with immediate written notice required to KeHE's recall inbox.
• You can be bound without signing. The P&P terms take effect on signing or first shipment, whichever comes first. Ship before the paperwork is done and the terms already apply.