Food & Beverage moves fast. Cleo keeps you in control.
Between your ERP, WMS, 3PLs, and trading partners, disconnected systems create chargebacks, compliance gaps, and constant fire drills. Cleo orchestrates your entire transaction lifecycle so the shipment you send is the shipment you get paid for.
*Results vary by trading partner, process maturity, and implementation scope.
Your supply chain's blind spots are eroding your margins on every shipment
Between your ERP, WMS, 3PLs, carriers, and trading partners, no one is managing the transaction lifecycle end-to-end. Files move, but outcomes aren't monitored. The result: receiving friction, payment delays, and chargebacks that erode your margins.
Chargebacks & Deductions
ASN errors, label mismatches, and missed timing windows create penalties often accepted as cost of doing business.
Invisible Failures
The ASN that was never sent. The acknowledgement that never arrived. Most costly failures are the ones no one sees until the chargeback hits.
Brittle Integrations
Legacy translators move files point to point. When orders change, when partners send data differently, everything breaks.
Compliance Pressure
Retailer scorecards, FSMA 204 traceability, and Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) mandates are tightening. Manual compliance tracking cannot keep up.
See how Charlie’s Produce keeps orders moving with Cleo
In food and beverage distribution, manual order processes can slow down fulfillment and create risk across the customer experience. Watch how Charlie’s Produce automated order workflows with Cleo, reduced manual effort, and built a more reliable foundation for serving customers and vendors.
From file translation to outcome-driven orchestration
Cleo's integration platform is configurable to each trading partner's requirements. You define the rules, monitor the outcomes, and manage exceptions before they become penalties.
Pre-Submission Validation
Validation rules are configured to each retailer's requirements, covering ASN structure, pack hierarchy, Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) and GS1 label alignment, and customer-specific fields. Errors are caught before the ASN is transmitted, not after it's rejected.
Proactive Monitoring & Partner Scorecards
Configured monitoring tracks your transaction lifecycle against SLA windows and surfaces exceptions as they occur: the late ASN, the missing acknowledgement, the sequence break. Exception Risk Management (ERM) scorecards tie integration performance to financial exposure, so operations and finance can quantify risk and prioritize by dollar impact.
FSMA 204 & PTI Data Enrichment
Missing compliance attributes in POs and ERPs cause rejected ASNs. Reference Tables and validation rules act as a "Compliance Library" to inject required KDEs like traceability lot codes.
Supplier Portal & Partner Enablement
Bring co-packers, small suppliers, and non-EDI partners into the same managed integration lifecycle through the Supplier Portal — same validation, same visibility, simpler onboarding than EDI connections.
Connect every system, every partner, every protocol
Cleo unifies EDI, API, and managed file transfer on a single cloud-native platform. Connect your ERP, WMS, TMS, and trading partner networks through one integration layer with full visibility and control.
Electronic Data Interchange
X12, EDIFACT, and proprietary formats with full envelope management, acknowledgement tracking (997/999), and partner-specific schema configuration.
Application Programming Interface
REST, SOAP, and webhook connectivity with OAuth 2.0, bearer token, and custom authentication. Connect cloud apps, ERPs, and partner APIs..
Managed File Transfer
AS2, SFTP, FTPS, and HTTP/S with secure file exchange, full audit trail, retry logic, and delivery confirmation.
Back Office Systems
Pre-built connectors and accelerator packages for NetSuite, Dynamics 365 BC, SAP, Acumatica, Infor, QAD, and leading WMS/TMS platforms.
One platform, every team
One platform, any protocol. Modernize without re-platforming.
Unify EDI, API, and MFT on a single cloud-native platform with version-controlled configuration, promotion paths, and full auditability. Connect to your ERP, WMS, and TMS through a single integration layer. Add new trading partners in days.
- AI-assisted issue resolution that recommends corrective action before exceptions become chargebacks
- Custom code replaced with configurable rulesets that don't break on upgrades
- Months-long onboarding accelerated for new trading partners
- Full transaction monitoring and audit trails
- Flexible self-service or managed delivery model
Stop firefighting. Start managing outcomes.
One live timeline across co-packer, 3PL, carrier, and retailer. Exceptions surfaced before SLA windows close so your team acts on what matters most.
- Late/missing ASNs leading to fines
- No single view across partners
- Manual exception handling consuming team bandwidth
- On-Time In-Full (OTIF) failures lowers your score card
- Hours spent on chargeback disputes instead of prevention
From risk to dollars: quantify, eliminate, prove it.
Chargeback prevention stops deductions at source. Event sequencing ties invoicing to confirmed shipment reality.
- Invoice disputes consuming AR team time
- No alerts for late or missed invoices
- Chargebacks accepted as cost of business
- No way to quantify financial impact of integration failures
Compliance built into the process, not chased after the fact.
The CDM records Key Data Elements (KDEs) and Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) at the transaction level. Retailer-specific requirements are enforced through configurable validation rules at the point of transaction.
- FSMA 204 traceability with no systematic lot/batch capture
- Retailer mandates managed through spreadsheets
- Recall visibility mismatches between systems
- Missing compliance attributes cause chargebacks
Built for how your segment actually works
Every F&B sub-segment has distinct operational patterns. Explore how Cleo is configured for yours.
Food Manufacturing
Keep production, fulfillment, and compliance in sync. Orchestrate EDI and API flows across ERP, co-packers, cold storage 3PLs, and transportation.
ExploreFoodservice & Distribution
Orchestrate at scale across suppliers, DCs, and customers. Standardize partner connectivity, handle substitutions, backorders, and PO changes.
ExploreGrocery & Produce
Compliance, traceability, and catch weight without the chaos. Handle variable weights, frequent order changes, and strict receiving requirements.
ExploreThe fastest path to fewer chargebacks
In food and beverage, the ASN is the single most important predictor of whether you get paid in full and on time. Cleo helps you orchestrate that end-to-end with validation rules configured for each retailer.
Proven in production
Real results from F&B companies managing complex trading partner networks with Cleo.
"Fewer receiving issues with ASN pre-validation."
Reduced receiving friction across a high-volume trading partner network with pre-submission validation rules configured per retailer.
"Closing the gap between WMS reality and outbound ASN."
CDM traceability and SSCC and pack hierarchy integrity maintained through 3PL handoffs in a cold chain environment.
"New trading partners added in days with reusable configuration."
Consolidated from 3 platforms to 1, with new trading partners added in 4 days post-implementation using reusable accelerator packages.
The control aspect is big to us, as we need to make changes quickly to adjust to our customer needs. Cleo allowed us to do just that without the hassle of creating a custom solution.
— Director of IT, Trinidad BenhamSee what proactive integration management looks like for food & beverage
We'll map your current flow (ERP to WMS to 3PL to ASN to labels to invoice) and identify the highest-impact improvements.
Ship faster, stay compliant, get paid in full.
Orchestrate EDI, API, and logistics events across plants, co-packers, cold storage 3PLs, and customers with proactive monitoring that stops chargebacks before they start.
*Results vary by trading partner, process maturity, and implementation scope.
Stop deductions at the source with end-to-end order-to-cash orchestration
Data gets out of sync across systems. A PO changes downstream, the WMS ships against an old SKU, but the invoice reflects yet another version. Cleo orchestrates the cascade through configured Business Processes, keeping every document aligned to the same committed order reality. With proactive monitoring and pre-submission validation, errors don't become chargebacks.
Pre-calculated financial impact scorecards link SLA performance to chargeback risk, so operations teams see not just what went wrong, but what it cost.
- Apply order changes through configured Business Processes so downstream documents stay accurate
- Pre-submission validation catches ASN errors before transmission
- Exception Risk Management (ERM) scorecards quantify dollar impact of every missed SLA
Handle cold chain and catch weight without manual reconciliation
Variable-weight and perishable products create reconciliation risk spanning multiple systems. Validation rules configured per trading partner check catch weight at the source, handle UoM conversion, and surface discrepancies before they leave your dock.
- Catch weight validation and unit-of-measure conversion per trading partner tolerance policy
- Temperature-controlled logistics data exchange
- Exception workflows are configured to surface discrepancies before they become deductions
Connect co-packers and cold storage 3PLs without brittle integrations
Multi-hop fulfillment introduces handoff risk across co-packers, 3PLs, and carriers. Non-EDI partners connect through the Supplier Portal with the same monitoring rules as EDI. Add new partners in days using pre-built packages.
- Standardize communications between ERP and WMS, 3PL, and carrier networks
- Maintain Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) and pack hierarchy integrity across handoffs
- Add new trading partners in days using pre-built packages, once your integration is live
Deliver the Perfect ASN: accurate, timely, and label-aligned
The Perfect ASN reflects the true final order state, mirrors what the warehouse packed, and aligns to GS1-128 labels. Pre-validation checks structure, pack hierarchy, and customer-specific rules. Non-event detection (alerting when an expected transaction does not arrive within the SLA window) catches missing ASNs before deadlines pass.
- ASN pre-validation for structure, pack hierarchy, and customer-specific rules
- Label-data alignment checks for SSCC, GS1-128, and Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) requirements
- Non-event detection catches missing ASNs before SLA deadlines
Give operations teams visibility and financial context to prioritize
Multi-hop fulfillment introduces handoff risk across co-packers, 3PLs, and carriers. Non-EDI partners connect through the Supplier Portal with the same monitoring rules as EDI. Add new partners in days using pre-built packages.
- ERM scorecards link SLA performance to chargeback risk
- Workload prioritization for highest-risk exceptions first
- Self-service, blended, or fully Cleo-managed operations model
Proven in production
"Fewer receiving issues with ASN pre-validation."
Reduced receiving friction across a high-volume trading partner network with pre-submission validation rules configured per retailer.
"Cold chain orchestration across 3PL handoffs."
Maintained SSCC and pack hierarchy integrity through multiple co-packer and cold storage handoffs with real-time exception visibility.
"New trading partners added in days with reusable configuration."
Consolidated from 3 platforms to 1. New trading partners added in 4 days post-implementation using accelerator packages.
See what a Perfect ASN workflow looks like in your environment.
We'll map your current order-to-cash flow and identify the highest-impact validation rules for your trading partners.
Orchestrate suppliers, DCs, and customers at scale.
Standardize partner connectivity, handle substitutions and order changes, and give teams real-time visibility into exceptions across every distribution center.
*Results vary by trading partner, process maturity, and implementation scope.
Run supplier and customer connectivity as a scalable operating system
Foodservice distribution depends on dense, high-velocity transaction flows. Brittle integration equals higher labor and lower service levels. Cleo provides a managed, configurable layer that scales with your partner network.
- Standardize EDI and API connectivity across trading partners
- Add new trading partners in days using pre-built packages, once your integration is live
- Operate with Exception Risk Management (ERM) monitoring and non-event alerting (alerting when an expected transaction does not arrive within the SLA window)
Handle substitutions and order changes without breaking downstream execution
Order changes are normal in foodservice. The challenge is keeping every downstream transaction aligned to the final committed order state. Configured Business Processes cascade changes through so PO, warehouse, ASN, and invoice stay in sync.
- PO change handling through configured Business Processes prevents mismatches and disputes
- Maintain alignment from PO to warehouse to ASN to invoice
- Reduce escalations with transparent exception visibility
Bring non-EDI suppliers into the same managed lifecycle
Cleo's Supplier Portal lets non-EDI suppliers transact POs, ASNs, and labels via web interface with the same validation, monitoring, and traceability as EDI partners. No technical capability required on the supplier side.
- Web-based portal for long-tail and non-EDI suppliers
- Same pre-submission validation and monitoring as EDI partners
- Supplier setup in hours, no technical capability required
Give operations and customer service the same source of truth
When customers call, teams need immediate answers. Cleo provides a shared operational view with financial context so operations, customer service, and finance are all working from the same data.
- Real-time order status reduces "where is my order" noise across the DC network
- ERM-powered alerting for highest service and margin impact first
- Analytics that surface recurring root causes and reduce exception volume over time
Modernize from legacy EDI translators to outcome-driven orchestration
Legacy platforms translate documents. Cleo monitors outcomes. The difference transforms how your operation runs.
| Legacy Translators | Cleo Orchestration |
|---|---|
| Syntax-based validation only | Pre-submission value validation before transmission |
| Reactive: errors found after failures | Non-event alerting detects what didn't happen |
| Parallel systems for API and MFT | EDI + API + MFT unified on one platform |
| Months to add new trading partners | Pre-built packages, new trading partners added in days (post-implementation) |
| No financial context for exceptions | ERM scorecards tie every exception to dollar impact |
Turn your network into a competitive advantage
"Visibility across DCs reduced exception workload."
Unified visibility across distribution centers with ERM-powered alerting, cutting exception handling time significantly.
"New trading partners added at speed."
Added new suppliers and customers in days post-implementation using pre-built packages, eliminating the weeks-long onboarding backlog.
"Fewer disputes with ASN and invoice alignment."
Configured Business Processes kept PO, ASN, and invoice aligned to the final committed order state, eliminating a persistent source of billing disputes.
See what a Perfect ASN workflow looks like in your environment.
We'll map your current order-to-cash flow and identify the highest-impact validation rules for your trading partners.
Compliance, traceability, and catch weight without the chaos.
Handle variable weights, frequent order changes, and strict receiving requirements where your data must match at the pallet and item level. Configurable validation rules enforce each retailer's unique requirements across PO, ASN, and Invoice.
*Results vary by trading partner, process maturity, and implementation scope.
Get catch weight right across every transaction, every partner
Variable-weight products (produce, meat, seafood, dairy) create reconciliation risk at every step. The critical reconciliation point is ASN-to-invoice: actual weight is captured at trailer loading, and that number must align across documents. Validation rules configured per trading partner enforce each retailer's specific tolerance policies.
- Catch weight validation and UoM conversion across PO, ASN, and Invoice per trading partner
- Per-partner tolerance rules: Kroger scorecard, Sysco/US Foods billing policies
- Exception workflows are configured to surface discrepancies before they become deductions
Meet every retailer's scorecard requirements without a separate compliance project
Each retailer has unique compliance rules. Cleo enforces them through configurable validation rules at the point of transaction, so compliance is built into operations rather than managed separately.
Walmart
Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) traceability, SQEP requirements, ASN timing
Kroger
Scorecard metrics, catch weight tolerances, label rules
Albertsons
ASN timing requirements, receiving validation
- Retailer-specific validation rules configured per partner
- Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) and GS1-128 label alignment checks before ASN transmission
- Exception Risk Management (ERM) scorecards quantify compliance exposure by retailer and issue type
Build traceability into operations, not onto a spreadsheet
The Canonical Data Model (CDM) records Traceability Lot Codes (TLCs), Key Data Elements (KDEs), and lot tracking data at the transaction level. That structured data supports your FSMA 204 compliance obligations and audit processes as a natural outcome of daily operations, not a separate initiative.
- The CDM records lot and batch data at the transaction level
- TLC and KDE fields configured per trading partner's requirements
- Visibility for recall response based on shipment ID or lot/batch search
FSMA 204: Tier-1 retailers (Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Wakefern) are enforcing PTI and traceability standards now through their own scorecards. The federal enforcement window is 2028, but the operational window is closing today.
Handle order changes and split orders without downstream chaos
PO changes, substitutions, and split orders (multiple ship-to locations from one PO) require every downstream document to reflect the final committed state. Configured Business Processes cascade changes through so each document stays aligned.
- PO change processing (EDI 860) through configured Business Processes updates all downstream documents
- Split order handling across multiple ship-to locations
- Sequence management to keep ASN and invoice aligned to the final order state
Connect growers, co-packers, cold storage, and retailers on one platform
Cleo unifies connectivity across growers, co-packers, cold storage 3PLs, carriers, and retailers. The Supplier Portal brings non-EDI partners into the same managed lifecycle as EDI connections.
- Unified connectivity across EDI, API, and Supplier Portal partners
- Pre-built packages for faster onboarding of new growers and co-packers
- SSCC and pack hierarchy integrity maintained across all handoffs
Results from grocery and produce operations
"Catch weight accuracy eliminated billing disputes."
Configured per-partner catch weight validation rules resolved the ASN-to-invoice reconciliation gap that had been generating chronic deductions.
"Traceability data captured in operations, not chased at audit time."
Lot, batch, and KDE capture through CDM gave operations the structured data needed to support FSMA 204 compliance and audit processes without a separate initiative.
"New trading partners added in days, not weeks."
Post-implementation, new retailer connections added in 4 days using pre-built accelerator packages. Onboarding backlog eliminated.
See how Cleo handles the complexity of grocery and produce integration.
We'll map your catch weight flows, traceability requirements, and retailer compliance rules and show you what configured validation looks like for your trading partners.
The fastest path to fewer chargebacks.
In food and beverage, the Advanced Ship Notice (ASN, EDI 856) is the single most important predictor of whether you get paid in full and on time. Most chargebacks trace back to ASN errors. Cleo treats the ASN as an orchestration problem, not a translation problem.
Connect growers, co-packers, cold storage, and retailers on one platform
Cleo unifies connectivity across growers, co-packers, cold storage 3PLs, carriers, and retailers. The Supplier Portal brings non-EDI partners into the same managed lifecycle as EDI connections.
Order State
Reflects the final committed PO with all changes applied, not the original version
Warehouse Reality
Matches what was actually picked, packed, and shipped from the warehouse
Label Alignment
Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) and GS1-128 labels match the ASN data exactly
Retailer Rules
Passes each retailer's specific receiving validation requirements
Timing
Transmitted within the retailer's SLA window, not after it closes
⚠️ When any of these five elements are out of sync, the result is chargebacks, deductions, and disputes. The challenge is that most failures are invisible until after the shipment is received and the deduction appears on a remittance.
Where ASN errors come from
Most ASN failures are not random. They fall into four predictable patterns, each with a distinct cause that can be addressed through configured integration.
PO Changes Not Propagated
The order was changed downstream but the ASN still reflects the original state. Downstream documents were never updated to match the committed order.
Warehouse Data Gaps
The warehouse shipped correctly but the ship confirmation was incomplete, delayed, or missing catch weight and lot details that the ASN requires.
Label Mismatches
Physical labels do not match ASN data: wrong SSCC, missing GTIN, incorrect pack hierarchy. The label and the transaction tell different stories.
Timing Violations
The ASN was technically correct but transmitted outside the retailer's SLA window. No alert fired because no one was watching for what didn't happen.
Catch errors before the ASN is transmitted
Validation rules are configured per trading partner and check ASN structure, pack hierarchy, SSCC and GS1 alignment, catch weight tolerances, and retailer-specific required fields. Errors are caught before transmission, not discovered after rejection.
- Validation rules configured per retailer's specific receiving requirements
- Pack hierarchy and SSCC checks run before every transmission
- Catch weight tolerance rules configured per trading partner's billing policy
Keep every document aligned from PO to invoice
Configured Business Processes cascade PO changes through to the warehouse. Ship confirmations feed the ASN. The ASN feeds the invoice. Each step references the same committed order state, so the document your retailer receives matches the shipment you sent.
- PO changes propagated through configured Business Processes to all downstream documents
- Ship confirmation drives ASN content, eliminating manual re-entry
- Invoice reflects confirmed shipment reality, not the original order estimate
Detect what didn't happen before the SLA window closes
Most ASN failures are not errors in the transaction — they are transactions that never happened. Proactive monitoring is configured to detect missing ASNs, missing acknowledgements, and sequence breaks. Alerts surface with enough time for your team to act, not after the window has passed.
- Non-event detection monitors for expected transactions that do not arrive within the SLA window
- Alerts are prioritized by financial impact, not timestamp
- Missing acknowledgements and sequence breaks surfaced before deadlines
Quantify the cost of every ASN failure
Exception Risk Management (ERM) scorecards connect ASN performance to financial exposure by retailer, issue type, and time period. Operations teams see not just what went wrong, but what it cost. Exception management shifts from reactive to proactive when every alert carries a dollar figure.
- ERM scorecards tie every missed SLA to estimated chargeback exposure
- Financial impact by retailer and issue type, updated in real time
- Prioritize remediation by dollar impact, not by which alert arrived first
Get a Perfect ASN Assessment
In a 30-minute session, we will map your current ASN workflow from order entry through transmission, identify the specific failure points creating chargebacks, and show you what configured validation looks like for your retailer requirements. No commitment required.
Current-State ASN Flow Mapping
A clear picture of your order-to-transmission flow across ERP, WMS, 3PL, and trading partners, with handoff risks identified.
Failure Point Identification
The specific points in your flow creating chargebacks, with estimated dollar impact based on your trading partner mix and transaction volume.
Recommended Validation Rules
The validation rules we would configure for your top retailers, based on their known scorecard requirements and your current error patterns.
30 minutes. No commitment required.
The control aspect is big to us, as we need to make changes quickly to adjust to our customer needs. Cleo allowed us to do just that without the hassle of creating a custom solution.
— Director of IT, Trinidad Benham*Partner addition time reflects adding new trading partners to an existing CIC implementation, not initial go-live. Results vary by trading partner, process maturity, and implementation scope.
Stop accepting chargebacks as the cost of doing business.
Every chargeback traces back to a specific, identifiable failure point. Let us show you where yours are.