Formats / Softgels
Private label softgels
PharmaEurope manufactures private label softgels in Europe — contract manufacturing of private label and white label food supplements under your own brand. Softgels are encapsulated and packed in the European Union, at the plant in Mārupe, Latvia, under ISO 22000:2018, GMP and HACCP. A standard run starts at 500 pcs per product and takes 4 to 8 weeks from approved artwork, and a first run can be smaller — we have made them from 100 units.
In short: a softgel is a sealed gelatine shell built around an oil-based fill — fish oil, evening primrose, lecithin — for actives that cannot be compressed or sit well in a hard capsule. A standard run starts from 500 pcs per product, with first runs made from 100 units, and production takes 4 to 8 weeks. Every batch carries a 24-month shelf life.
500 pcs per productusual minimum, per product
from 100 unitssmaller first order
4 to 8 weeksapproval to delivery
ISO 22000certified EU plant
A softgel exists for one reason: the active is an oil. Fish oil, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, lecithin and the fat-soluble vitamins cannot be compressed into a tablet and do not sit well in a hard capsule. A softgel seals the liquid inside a single-piece shell, keeps air away from it and hides the taste completely — which for fish oil is not a detail but the whole product.
The parameters
Everything in this table is confirmed. Softgel count per pack and shelf life follow the fill, and are fixed on the trial batch.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | Single-piece sealed softgel capsule |
| Shell | Gelatine, with glycerin as humectant and water |
| Fill | Oil-based liquid |
| Packing | PET bottle, glass bottle, blister with carton, zip-lock bag |
| PET bottle sizes | 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400 and 500 ml |
| Closure | Self-glue or induction seal |
| Manufacturing | Mārupe, Latvia, European Union |
| Certification | GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000:2018; registered with the US FDA |
| Standard run | From 500 pcs per product |
| First run | From 100 units |
| Production time | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Response time | Within 1 business day (WhatsApp for urgent requests) |
| Shelf life | 24 months, confirmed in the Certificate of Analysis |
Finished softgels are counted into bottles on a Cremer CF 1220 counting-and-filling line and cartoned on an IMA IC 150 machine — the same finishing line used across our other formats.
Ready-made softgel formulas
Eleven softgel formulas are already developed and produced, and any of them can be made under your brand without reformulation.
| Ready-made softgel formula | Strength as stated |
|---|---|
| Vitamin D3 | 2000 IU |
| Vitamin D3 | 4000 IU |
| Vitamin D3 | 5000 IU |
| Omega-3 fish oil, triple strength | 500 mg EPA / 250 mg DHA |
| Omega-3 fish oil, double strength | 330 mg EPA / 220 mg DHA |
| Omega-3 fish oil + vitamin E | 500 mg |
| Omega-3 fish oil + vitamin E | 1000 mg |
| Super Omega 3-6-9 | 1000 mg, fish oil with linseed and sunflower oil |
| Flaxseed Oil Premium | — |
| Evening Primrose Oil Premium | — |
| Lecithin with vitamin E | — |
A dash is a strength we have not confirmed with the plant yet. Full compositions are supplied on request, and ready-made formulas from every format are listed together.
The omega-3 formulas are declared by their EPA and DHA content, not by the weight of the oil. That difference matters on a shelf: 1000 mg of fish oil says how much oil is in the capsule, 500 EPA / 250 DHA says how much of it is the part the buyer is paying for.
What a ready-made formula gives you
The oil, the shell compatibility and the antioxidant system are already fixed and already produced, so nothing has to be formulated, trialled or documented from scratch. The route from decision to finished pack is the pack and the label.
What it costs you
A ready-made formula is not exclusive — the same composition may be sold by another brand under a different name. Custom development starts from your specification: we confirm the oil, the shell compatibility and the antioxidant system, and produce a trial before scaling.
What the oil decides for you
- A softgel shell and its fill react with each other over time. The shell is gelatine held soft by glycerine and water, and some fills draw that water out or migrate into the shell. This is why compatibility is tested before production and not after: a softgel that leaks, sticks or deforms was decided at the formulation stage, not in the warehouse.
- Oils oxidise, and oxidation is the shelf-life clock. Fish oil in particular. This is why our omega-3 formulas carry DL-alpha tocopherol — vitamin E working as an antioxidant inside the capsule — and why the pack matters more here than in any other format.
- The shell is gelatine, so a softgel is not a vegetarian product. Gelatine is animal-derived, usually bovine or porcine. If a brand needs a vegetarian or vegan claim, the honest answer in this format is to change the format, not the wording.
- Heat and humidity deform softgels. Storage and transport conditions are part of the specification, not an afterthought — a softgel that has been warm looks like a defect to the end customer even when the fill is intact.
How softgels are packed
Softgels are packed in PET bottles, glass bottles, blisters with a carton, or zip-lock bags. PET bottles come in 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400 and 500 ml, in blue, amber, red, clear, cream white, white opaque and green, with a self-glue or induction-seal closure.
For oil fills the pack is a technical decision, not a cosmetic one. Amber or opaque bottles keep light off an oxidisable oil. An induction seal keeps air out until the customer opens it. A blister protects each capsule individually and is the strongest option for a sensitive oil — at a higher cost per unit. A zip-lock bag is the weakest protection and belongs to refills and sampling, not to a retail omega-3. All pack types and sizes are on the packing page.
What the certificate actually covers
Production runs under ISO 22000:2018, certificate MSC-22-1384, issued by BM Certification and valid to 7 January 2029. The scope printed on the certificate is manufacturing and packaging of food supplements (tablets, capsules, powders). Softgels are capsules — but the word “softgel” does not appear on the certificate, and we would rather you read that here than discover it yourself.
The plant also works to HACCP under Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and to the Food Supplements Europe Guide to Good Manufacturing Practice, and it is registered with the US FDA under registration number 13674831934, valid to 31 December 2026.
We present the certificate here as covering the site that makes your softgels, not as a softgel-specific approval — the honest reading of a scope that names the format by its regulatory category rather than by its shape.
Manufactured and packed in the European Union
As a private label softgel manufacturer in Europe, we encapsulate and pack your product at the plant in Mārupe, Latvia, operated by SIA Pharma Market Solutions, under the same ownership as PharmaEurope.
The production, the certification and the batch records all sit with the Latvian plant.
What you receive
- Certificate of Analysis
- Product specification
- Raw material documentation
- Allergen statement
- Shelf-life statement
Fish is an allergen and must be declared on the label.
What drives the price
The oil, first and by a long way: a triple-strength concentrated fish oil and a plain flaxseed oil are different products before anything else is decided. Then the softgel count per pack, because the unit price follows the capsule count. Then the antioxidant system a sensitive oil needs. Then the pack — a blister costs more per unit than a bottle, and for an oxidisable oil it is often the right cost. Order size moves all of it, which is why 500 pcs and 5,000 pcs are quoted separately.
About softgel manufacturing
What is the MOQ for softgels?
The standard minimum order for softgels is 500 pcs per product, and production takes 4 to 8 weeks from approval of the formula and the label artwork. First runs have been produced from 100 units, so ask with your own numbers: the answer depends on the fill, the pack and the raw materials.
Are your softgels vegetarian?
No: the shell is gelatine, which is animal-derived. A softgel cannot carry a vegetarian or vegan claim on that shell, so a brand that needs the claim should move the product to a hard HPMC capsule or to a powder instead.
What is the difference between 1000 mg fish oil and 500 EPA / 250 DHA?
We write both figures into the specification: the first states how much oil is in the softgel, the second how much of that oil is EPA and DHA — the omega-3 fatty acids the product exists for. Two capsules with the same oil weight can contain very different amounts, so the second figure is the one to compare.
How do you stop the oil going rancid?
In two places at once. Inside the capsule there is an antioxidant — our omega-3 formulas carry DL-alpha tocopherol. Outside it there is the pack: amber or opaque bottles keep light out, and induction seals and blisters keep air away from the softgel.
Can you fill my own oil formula?
Yes — we test the compatibility of the fill with the gelatine shell, confirm the antioxidant system, and produce a trial batch before scaling to production. An oil that attacks the shell is found at trial stage rather than in the finished 500 pcs per product.
Do softgels smell of fish?
A sealed softgel does not, which is the main reason we use the format for fish oil: the shell holds the oil away from air and from the nose. A smell in a finished product points to oxidation or to a damaged shell, so it is a storage or packaging question rather than a formulation one.
How many softgels go into one pack?
Ready-made formulas are packed in bottles of 30, 60, 90 or 120 softgels. Which count suits a product depends on the daily dose and the price point you are aiming for: a one-a-day formula sells in 30s and 60s, a three-a-day formula needs 90 or 120 to last a month. Other counts are possible on a custom run.
What is the shelf life?
Twenty-four months as standard, stated on every specification. It is not a fixed guarantee: the real figure is set by the shortest-lived ingredient in the formula, so a sensitive active can bring it below that and a stable one can sometimes run longer. The date printed on the pack is the one the stability data supports.
Where exactly are the softgels made?
At the plant in Mārupe, Latvia, inside the European Union, operated by SIA Pharma Market Solutions under the same ownership as PharmaEurope. The commercial contract is with PHARMA EUROPE SOLUTIONS 2023 SL, CIF B56533847, under the same ownership, and the certificates belong to the Latvian site.
What certification does the manufacturing hold?
The ISO 22000:2018 certificate MSC-22-1384 covers the plant where these softgels are made: issued by BM Certification, valid to 7 January 2029, scope manufacturing and packaging of food supplements. The site also works to HACCP under Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and the Food Supplements Europe GMP guide, and holds US FDA registration 13674831934.
How fast do you respond to a softgel enquiry?
We reply within 24 hours, Monday to Friday of receiving your brief. If your timeline is tight, WhatsApp reaches us faster than email — message the number on our contact page and we treat it with the same priority as a standard enquiry, just sooner.
What shelf life do softgels carry?
We set a standard shelf life of 24 months, confirmed in the Certificate of Analysis issued with the batch. Because the fill is an oil, the antioxidant system and the pack you choose can affect how the product looks and smells well before that date is reached.
What equipment fills and packs the softgels?
Finished softgels are counted into bottles on a Cremer CF 1220 counting-and-filling line and cartoned on an IMA IC 150 machine — the same finishing line that packs our other formats, run to the same standard.
Does the ISO 22000 certificate cover softgels by name?
Not by the word “softgel.” The certificate covers the Mārupe site under number MSC-22-1384, valid to 7 January 2029, with a scope naming tablets, capsules and powders. Softgels are capsules by category and are made at the same certified site, but the certificate does not spell out the shape.
Private label softgel manufacturing in Europe · Capsule shells in supplement manufacturing · Capsules, tablets, softgels or powders: which form fits your product · Supplement shelf life in Europe · Packaging systems in supplement manufacturing
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Start your softgel project
Tell us the oil, the strength you want declared and how many units you need for the first run, and we will come back with the softgel size, the pack and a price for that quantity.
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