In this article, learn about:
How to become a Whole Foods supplier
Navigating the Whole Foods supplier portal
Helpful pages and resources in the Whole Foods supplier portal
How to Become a Whole Foods Supplier
The first step to becoming a Whole Foods supplier is to register for the Whole Foods Supplier Portal. It is important to note that Amazon is the parent company to Whole Foods, so while the portal is named for Whole Foods, the sign-in page and URL will say Amazon.
Once registered and registration confirmed, the supplier should complete the Potential Supplier Form. From there, Whole Foods will review the application and check that the suppliers’ products meet its quality standards.
Applying to become a Whole Foods supplier is a relatively simple process; however, the timeframe in which a supplier may hear back about their application with Whole Foods is unknown. Precedence is given to suppliers who provide the clearest and most detailed information about their products.
Navigating the Whole Foods Supplier Portal
Once a supplier is onboarded with Whole Foods, it is important to take some time to explore the supplier portal. This portal contains the information necessary to be successful with Whole Foods. If the portal does not have the information the supplier needs, a list of contacts under the Resources page is a great place to start.
The supplier portal's homepage gives suppliers a snapshot of some of the more helpful items listed in the menu on the left-hand side of the homepage. These “quick links” include buttons to submit a new promotion or item and how-to information for advertising with Amazon.
The menu items on the left-hand menu on the Whole Foods supplier portal go more in-depth and contain lots of helpful information for suppliers. This article will cover the following menu items and their dropdowns:
Product Categories
Resources
Programs
Supplier Reporting Portal
Beyond these items, the Whole Foods supplier portal also has a section titled Other Tools, which includes Workday information, as well as Canadian and UK supplier pages, and a Manage Account page.
Product Categories
Whole Foods categorizes the different products that suppliers can sell via its shelves in the following way:
Center Store: This category includes grocery, the whole body subcategory, and local and emerging brands.
The grocery category is divided into Dry and Chill subcategories, which cover everything from baking, coffee, and bulk items to dairy and frozen items.
Perishable: This category includes produce, florals, and meat.
Adult Beverage: This category encompasses all alcoholic beverages, as well as non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, etc.
Culinary: This category includes prepared foods, such as items Whole Foods prepares fresh at its deli, and specialty foods, such as gourmet cheeses.
Suppliers can find all this information by navigating to Product Category on the left-hand menu, selecting the dropdown, and selecting the desired category.
Each category has its own page that outlines what is included in that specific category, expectations for managing that category, and buttons to submit a new item, a new promotion, or an inquiry. All submissions are saved on the relevant page as well.
Resources and Programs
On the left-hand menu on the portal there are two dropdowns: Resources and Programs.
Under Resources, suppliers can find:
News: This section is the hub for all new information. Each entry will include both the date and the category it is associated with.
Calendars: This section houses all the review calendars for the different Whole Foods product categories. This is an important section for suppliers to familiarize themselves with.
Quality Standards and Sustainability: This section houses standards for ingredients, sourcing, and claims on labels (e.g., “organic”), along with additional product requirements.
Food Safety Toolkit: This section provides numerous resources for implementing food safety standards and programs to stay compliant with the FDA, USDA, and Whole Foods.
Data Operations: This section is Whole Foods’ hub for supplier onboarding and information.
Press Release Guidance: This section helps suppliers understand the expectations and procedures should a press release be necessary, including style, health, and ingredient guidelines, as well as timelines.
FAQs: Suppliers will always have questions, and Whole Foods answers nearly 30 commonly asked questions from suppliers and provides a list of helpful contacts.
FDA Traceability: This section provides educational resources for suppliers to assist in maintaining compliance with FSMA 204 regulations.
Payment Disputing: This section allows suppliers to dispute payments or charges.
Under Programs, suppliers can find:
Standardized Compliance: This section includes resources and trainings for Whole Foods’ Standardized Compliance Program for suppliers.
Marketing: This section outlines Whole Foods’ expectations regarding advertising, including brand awareness and how to utilize Amazon ads.
Demo and Sampling: This section helps suppliers understand what is required and helpful when setting up in-store demos and tastings with Whole Foods.
Whole Foods Market Foundation: The Whole Foods Market Foundation (WFMF) is a non-profit founded by Whole Foods’ that seeks to increase access to healthy food and economic opportunities in communities, globally and locally.
LEAP: This is a program for small or new to Whole Foods suppliers to get their products on Whole Foods’ shelves.
Local Producer Loan Program: This program helps suppliers cultivate partnerships with local manufacturers and producers.
Supplier Reporting Portal
The final menu option on the left-hand side of the supplier portal is the Supplier Reporting Portal. This portal was previously housed under the Other Tools menu option and called the Vendor Reporting Portal.
Now, the Supplier Reporting Portal is its own menu option and is run through QuickSight. It includes the following dropdowns:
User Guide: This section gives the supplier an overview of actions they can take within the Supplier Reporting Portal, such as adding additional users and adding or removing brands.
WFM Supplier Highlights: This section is a spreadsheet of highlights at a glance, specific to the supplier. It includes highlights for sales and items, item details, store lists, and general information.
Channel: This section is similar to the highlights section but provides summaries by week or day, for channels, items, and stores.
Timeframe: This section lays out the timeframe summary, timeframe detail, and timeframe store counts.
Disputing with Whole Foods Market
If things go wrong, suppliers can work with Whole Foods to dispute incorrect payments and invoices. This process is done through the Whole Foods supplier portal under Resources and Payment Dispute.
This process is limited to suppliers that have signed up for Whole Foods’ “pay by PO” program. Pay by PO simply means that the supplier is issuing an invoice per PO, and Whole Foods is paying each invoice accordingly.
To dispute an invoice that was paid incorrectly, whether due to invalid chargebacks or another reason, suppliers must fill out an Excel template with the following information:
Invoice number
Purchase Order (PO) number
UPC specifications
Payment date
Total amount listed on the invoice
Total amount the supplier received
Total amount being disputed
Reason for the dispute
Once the Excel document is filled in, the supplier must also complete a Smartsheet form with their contact information, attach the Excel sheet to it, and submit it.
Disputing deductions eats up valuable time for suppliers, but suppliers can protect their profits with SupplyPike’s deduction management platform!
