Launching a supplement brand? Here’s what to look for in a manufacturer

 

The customer-facing aspects of your supplement brand and the networking that gets them into supply chains live off your manufacturer’s capabilities.

It sounds like a leap, but without a supplement manufacturer you can rely on, you have no product, or one that is so inconsistent in quality and availability that you’ll really struggle to run a successful supplement brand.

The reality for most new supplement brands is that standards, location, and pricing are the difficult bits of picking a manufacturer. There always seems to be some compromise, be that no organic certification but low prices, or high MOQs but fewer formats.

There’s much more to unpack, so this article covers all the crucial aspects of manufacturing sourcing to help you pick good partners.

Low MOQs, or starting MOQs that suit your immediate needs

Your business plan will have an initial order quantity that it needs to start operations and fend off stockouts based on your predicted sales trajectories.

Any potential supplement manufacturer must meet those MOQs so that you can order in good quantities without potential future restrictions.

Numbers are the best way to see examples, so the table below shows INW Bee Health’s MOQs across multiple formats:

Format

MOQ

Tablets

100,000 units

Small tablets, less than 11mm round

250,000/400,000 units

Two-piece capsules (vegetarian)

100,000 units

Two-piece capsules (gelatine)

220,000 units

Soft vegan capsules

184,000 units

Soft gelatine capsules

275,000 units

Powders

100kg

Liquids

100kg

Creams

60kg

All manufacturers differ, so you should request their latest documentation before contacting them about their minimum orders.

Certifications and quality standards

The certifications and quality standards your manufacturer has aren’t theirs alone because they are usable by you on packaging and in marketing materials.

Any potential supplement manufacturer needs to have certifications, memberships, or standards that satisfy your and your customers’ values.

Here are some of the certifications to look for:

  • BRCGS AA+. The gold standard for global food safety certification, with AA+ being the highest achievable grade, and the ‘+’ part meaning the grade is from an unannounced audit.
  • GMP/MHRA, confirming pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing standards, which in real terms are necessary for producing the supplements and health products that you sell.
  • ISO 9001, a quality assurance standard for internal purposes, basically covers the processes and systems across production.
  • ISO 45001. More of an internal standard, but crucial to ensure your products see production time with adequate occupational health and safety management.
  • Soil Association, a membership rather than a certification, effectively confirms the use of organic ingredients and GMO-free or additive-free processes.
  • GOED Membership, this certification reflects our ongoing commitment to responsible sourcing, sustainability, and delivering high-quality omega-3 solutions you can trust.
  • Friends Of The Sea, this milestone reflects our continued commitment to quality, transparency, and excellence within the omega-3 industry.

INW Bee Health holds all these certifications. Find out more in our article: Behind the product. INW’s manufacturing standards.

Format and product range

Are you selling tablets, capsules, liquids, powders, or something else? Your supplement manufacturer, of course, needs to support them. The more formats they support, the better, so as not to hamstring your product range later on.

In simple terms, your manufacturer needs to make what you sell. We’ll now list some of the most popular formats, one or two of which you most certainly need:

  • Of the gelatine and vegan-shell variety. The option to go vegan expands your customer base since most consumers are not looking for gelatine options specifically. These are both decent options for oil-based ingredients.
  • Your most cost-effective and versatile oral product. Sizes range from 7.5mm to 15mm in round formats, and 6, 16, and 24 in oblong formats.
  • Two-piece capsules. A format some consumers prefer over tablets, since they can open the shell and dissolve any powders into liquid. More expensive than tablets, but they also command a higher retail price.
  • Lower MOQs than other formats by weight, suitable for bulk products, such as protein and nutritional powders.
  • Liquids and creams. More of a specialist format, but one that most reputable supplement manufacturers support.

End-to-end capabilities (from concept to production to packaging)

The easiest route to launching your supplement brand is a manufacturer that handles your complete route to market from concept to production.

Some manufacturers have R&D and innovation labs that can take your ideas and create unique products, such as oil-based formulations for softgels. Others have strict formats and don’t typically venture outside them.

The practical checklist:

  • In-house formulation and R&D. Doesn’t necessarily need to be anything groundbreaking, only reliable and available should you need it.
  • Quality testing and Certificates of Analysis. All your products need it without exception. Always verify the assurances you’ll receive in orders.
  • Packing hall covering your format and packaging type. INW Bee Health covers packaging for all product formats in a dedicated 541 m² packing hall that operates 24 hours, five days per week, with 24/7 capabilities.
  • Fulfilment and logistics support. At the very least, delivery to your location or your suppliers directly.

The fewer of these you need to hand off internally or to other suppliers, the better, so that your supply chain is as efficient as possible.

Scalability: Can the manufacturer continue providing as you grow?

If MOQs are your starting point, what’s your end point? As your supplement brand scales, grows, and branches into new products and markets, your manufacturer needs to keep pace and continue providing whatever you need.

The risk is embedding your company into a manufacturer, only for them to force you into switching suppliers later in a scenario that costs significant time and money.

Ask these questions of any supplier you’re considering:

  • What’s your maximum output? And get it in writing. You need to know of any capacity changes or risks that could reduce their output in the future, too.
  • Are you buying new equipment? For production’s sake. INW Bee Health, for instance, is launching a blending suite and tripling powder production capacity in 2026.
  • Can they satisfy non-linear orders? 100,000 to 400,000, then 200,000 to 300,000, and so on. Some manufacturers might want you to sign a linear order path, which won’t suit your company as it grows.

A recap on your criteria

  • MOQs suiting your budget and business plan
  • Certifications for your customers and industry expectations
  • Formats that cover your products and also offer new angles
  • End-to-end capabilities for reducing your logistics headaches
  • And underneath that, the capacity to meet your potential growth

INW Bee Health has six global manufacturing facilities and more than 5,000 unique formulations. That’s the manufacturing side, and when you add in our additional sales and business development teams, you have the perfect manufacturing partner.