Shortage claims
Typical cause
UNFI receives fewer cases than the ASN or invoice states.
Disputable?
Often disputable
Evidence needed
BOL, signed POD, packing list, carrier count records
Guide · UNFI operations
UNFI deduction management: what CPG brands need to know
For CPG brands selling through UNFI — understanding deduction types, the UNFI Direct portal, dispute timelines, and how to classify what's recoverable.
UNFI applies deductions against supplier invoice payments for shortages, compliance violations, promotional charges, and service-level failures — similar to KeHE but with its own portal, its own code system, and its own dispute timelines.
Direct answer
UNFI deductions work like KeHE's — different portal, different codes, same operational pain.
Every CPG brand selling through UNFI sees money withheld from invoice payments: shortage claims, compliance fees, promotional chargebacks, and service-level penalties. The deduction types are functionally similar to KeHE, but every operational detail — the portal interface, the code system, the dispute timeline, the evidence format — is different. Managing both distributors simultaneously is where the real complexity lives.
Common UNFI deduction types
Six deduction types that appear on most UNFI remittances.
Each type has its own cause, evidence requirements, and dispute path. Not every deduction is recoverable — the first step is always classification.
Compliance fees
Typical cause
Routing violations, appointment misses, labeling non-compliance, or pallet specification failures.
Disputable?
Depends on cause
Evidence needed
Appointment confirmation, routing compliance records, label specs, pallet documentation
Promotional / trade spend
Typical cause
Agreed promotional allowances, slotting fees, and placement charges deducted from remittance.
Disputable?
Usually contractual
Evidence needed
Signed promotional agreement, deal sheet, PO terms
Service level penalties
Typical cause
Fill rate below threshold or repeated delivery failures within a measurement period.
Disputable?
Potentially disputable
Evidence needed
Warehouse pick confirmation, ASN data, carrier delivery records
Freight charges
Typical cause
Inbound freight, fuel surcharges, or logistics fees applied by UNFI.
Disputable?
Verify rate
Evidence needed
Freight agreement, rate confirmation, BOL weight and dimensions
Administrative fees
Typical cause
Processing fees, EDI non-compliance charges, or new-item setup fees.
Disputable?
Usually contractual
Evidence needed
Supplier agreement, EDI transmission records, item setup documentation
The portal
UNFI Direct: your supplier portal for deduction data and disputes.
UNFI Direct is UNFI's supplier-facing portal for account management, deduction reporting, and dispute submission. It is a completely separate system from KeHE's K-Solve — different URL, different credentials, different navigation, different field names.
Deduction reporting
View deductions by date, type, and status. Export data for analysis. UNFI uses its own code taxonomy, separate from KeHE's 111 prefix codes.
Dispute submission
File disputes through the portal with attached evidence. Submission requirements and accepted formats differ from K-Solve.
Account management
View invoices, remittances, and account status. Track dispute resolution and payment details.
Key difference
Two portals. Zero shared interface.
If your brand sells through both KeHE and UNFI, your ops team manages deductions across two completely separate systems. Different logins, different code systems, different dispute deadlines. The same BOL may need to be packaged differently for each submission.
See the full KeHE vs. UNFI comparison →KeHE vs. UNFI
Same deduction categories. Different operational reality.
Both distributors deduct for shortages, compliance, promotions, and service failures. The operational details — portals, codes, timelines, evidence formats — are different at every step.
Dispute portal
UNFI
UNFI Direct: supplier-facing portal with dispute submission, deduction reporting, and account management.
KeHE
K-Solve: KeHE's supplier-facing deduction and dispute portal. Shows deduction data and is the only accepted dispute channel.
Code system
UNFI
UNFI uses its own deduction code taxonomy. Different naming conventions and groupings from KeHE.
KeHE
KeHE uses 111 distinct prefix codes. EasyOps has validated classification rules for 48 at 100% accuracy.
Dispute window
UNFI
Varies by deduction type. Timelines are generally shorter for some categories. Check current UNFI terms.
KeHE
180 days from the deduction date. Strict cutoff. Portal-only submission through K-Solve.
Evidence format
UNFI
Portal submissions through UNFI Direct. Attachment formats and size limits differ from KeHE.
KeHE
Portal-only through K-Solve. Expects PO-specific evidence: BOLs, PODs, signed deal sheets, EDI records.
Remittance format
UNFI
UNFI remittance uses its own field structure and naming conventions.
KeHE
KeHE remittance uses prefix codes that map to the 111-code system. K-Solve exports to Excel.
For the complete side-by-side comparison, see KeHE vs. UNFI: how deduction management differs.
The workflow
Classify. Dispute. Prevent. The same framework applies.
Regardless of distributor, effective deduction management follows the same three steps. The rules and codes are distributor-specific; the operating discipline is universal.
Classify every deduction
Upload your deduction data. Separate contractual passthroughs from charges that may be disputable. Do not treat every deduction as recoverable — the majority are typically contractual.
With EasyOps
EasyOps classifies each line as contractual passthrough or disputable using validated, up-to-date rules specific to each distributor.
Dispute with evidence
For each disputable deduction, assemble evidence specific to the PO and deduction date: BOL, POD, appointment records, and the rule citation. File through the correct portal before the deadline.
With EasyOps
EasyOps assembles the evidence packet automatically from connected systems and drafts the dispute matched to the deduction type.
Prevent the next one
Track recurring causes by DC, deduction type, and time period. Route patterns into routing, documentation, and fulfillment changes. Recovery gets the dollar back; prevention keeps it from leaving.
With EasyOps
EasyOps surfaces root cause patterns and checks compliance rules before shipment so fewer deductions happen in the first place.
Coverage status
EasyOps supports UNFI and KeHE, along with Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and Costco. The Intelligent PO workspace handles orders from all of them, and deductions are classified against each distributor's own code system. On the KeHE side, all 111 deduction codes are classified, with 48 validated at 100% accuracy.
Frequently asked
Does EasyOps support UNFI deductions?+
Yes. EasyOps supports UNFI deductions alongside KeHE. The Intelligent PO workspace normalizes POs from both distributors, and deductions are classified using each distributor's own code system, matched to the PO, and backed by the evidence for a dispute.
How do UNFI deductions differ from KeHE?+
UNFI and KeHE use different portals (UNFI Direct vs. K-Solve), different code systems, different dispute timelines, and different evidence format requirements. The underlying deduction types are similar — shortages, compliance fees, promotional charges, service-level penalties — but the operational details differ at every step. See our full comparison guide for details.
What is the UNFI dispute deadline?+
UNFI dispute deadlines vary by deduction type and category. Some categories have shorter windows than KeHE's 180-day cutoff. Always verify current deadlines directly with UNFI, as terms are updated periodically.
Can I manage both KeHE and UNFI deductions in one system?+
Yes. The Intelligent PO workspace handles orders from both distributors in the same interface. The PO is the unit of work, not the distributor portal. Classification rules are specific to each distributor's code system, but the investigation and dispute workflow is the same.
What evidence does UNFI need for a dispute?+
UNFI expects PO-specific evidence submitted through UNFI Direct. Common evidence includes BOLs, PODs, packing lists, appointment records, and signed agreements. Evidence requirements vary by deduction type. The format and attachment specifications differ from KeHE — the same document may need to be packaged differently for each distributor.
Evidence boundary: This guide is an operational reference based on publicly available UNFI supplier documentation. UNFI updates its terms, portals, and fee structures independently. Always verify current requirements directly with UNFI.
Related resources
KeHE vs. UNFI: full comparison
Portal-by-portal, code-by-code, the complete operational comparison.
Read →
How to dispute a retailer deduction
Step-by-step: classify, evidence, file, track. With evidence by type.
Read →
Deduction evidence playbook
What evidence each distributor expects, organized by deduction type.
Read →
How EasyOps manages deductions
Classify, dispute, recover — the full deduction management workflow.
Read →
Start with what you know