If you’re based in the UK and choosing between a UK-based or overseas supplement manufacturer, the case for sticking with the UK is one of localisation — sites you can visit, people you can talk to in the same time zone, faster deliveries, predictable costs, and a more stable supply chain.
Here’s what to expect with a UK-based supplement manufacturer.
Labels you and your customers expect
Food supplements sold in Great Britain must follow food law and the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003.
A few requirements here include your label carrying the name of the product, the nutrients and their amounts, the recommended daily dose, safety statements, and the address of a food business operator in the UK.
Only authorised health claims can appear on your products, and the wording for each of those is fixed. A UK manufacturer meets those requirements for your products.
An overseas site works from a different rulebook. Their compliance is with their market, and they might not follow the same rigorous standards as a UK supplier.
Standards retailers and marketplaces recognise
Pitch your products to a UK retailer and their buying team will ask about your manufacturer’s certification. Can you confidently claim certification? There’s the potential to run into problems when sourcing from overseas.
You need to know about your manufacturer’s quality control. In the UK, look for BRCGS certification and the rating. INW’s BRCGS AA+ certification has been held for four years now. AA is the highest grade available in the BRCGS system, with the ‘+’ signifying that the auditor arrived without notice — these audits are more difficult to pass.
We also hold an MHRA licence and GMP, ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 45001 for safety at work, GOED and Friend of the Sea for omega-3s and products from the sea, Soil Association for labelling, and Halal.
You can put those on your packaging and use them in your marketing. Batches come with a Certificate of Analysis.
A site you can visit, if you want to
Our Carnaby facility is in East Yorkshire, and you can book a tour to see the production floor and the machines your batches run on.
You’re dealing with a team working the same hours as you when you use a UK supplement manufacturer. When something needs an answer mid-run, you get it that day rather than waiting on communication from people in other time zones.
Batch sizes and capacity
Our minimum capacity starts at 100,000 units for tablets and capsules, depending on formulation, and 100kg for powders.
We produce circa 300 million capsules, tablets, and softgels a month, with more than 5,000 formulations behind us, so capacity is there as your volumes grow.
The formats to build a range
We make tablets, two-piece capsules in sizes 1, 0, 00, and 00EL, softgels from 5 Oval to 24 Oblong, liquids, serums, sprays, gels, creams, and powders.
Retailers trust our softgel production, which has made us one of the market leaders in that format, and we also run a dedicated vegan machine.
A team to develop with
There’s a good chance you have supplement formulations ready to go, or at least ‘nearly-there’ ideas that need some tweaks. We can advise on your products and assist in developing new recipes and formats.
Recent work includes oil-based vitamins and vegan soft capsules; we also make powders, such as collagen and whey powders.
If you’re not sure which format suits your ingredient, we can have that conversation and come up with the best variation for retail.
Packing and artwork in one place
Our packing service operates 24/5 and handles up to 300,000 units a week, with scope to extend to 24/7 if you need it.
INW packs products on site after manufacturing them. That control and oversight over where your products go isn’t something you can fully expect from an overseas supplier.
Packaging formats include PET and glass bottles, flat packs, and pouches. We work with printers for your labels and cartons, and your artwork is printed to the specification you supply.
Making the decision
Ask any manufacturer you’re considering for their certifications, their minimum batch, the formats they run, and whether you can visit their site.
The answers tell you what working with them looks like after your first order is placed. With a UK supplement manufacturer, it’s easier to trust the process because you can visit them and have more control over your product.
Your next steps
INW Bee Health manufactures and packs vitamins and supplements at Carnaby, East Yorkshire, for brands and retailers in the UK and worldwide. We can advise on production and recommend formats for your products.