Formats / Capsules
Private label capsules
PharmaEurope is a contract manufacturer of private label and white label food supplements. Capsules are produced 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 bottles 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.
500 bottlesusual minimum, per product
from 100 unitssmaller first order
4 to 8 weeksapproval to delivery
ISO 22000certified EU plant
A capsule is chosen when an ingredient has to be swallowed without being tasted, when the dose is a powder or a granulate rather than a compressed tablet, and when the brand wants a format the customer already recognises. It is the usual form for botanical extracts, minerals, amino acids, coenzyme Q10 and anything with a taste that survives flavouring.
The parameters
Dashes are values we have not confirmed with the plant yet. They are not hidden behind a contact form — they are simply not confirmed.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Capsule type | Two-piece hard capsule |
| Shell material | HPMC (plant-derived) or gelatin; delayed-release on request |
| Capsule sizes | — |
| Fill weight | — |
| Capsules per pack | 30, 60, 90 or 120; other counts on a custom run |
| 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 bottles per product |
| First run | From 100 units |
| Production time | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Shelf life | 24 months as standard — set from the shortest-lived ingredient |
Two ways to start: a formula we already make, or your own
Most first orders do not need a new recipe. Seventeen capsule formulas are already developed, already produced and available to be made under your brand — you choose the product, the pack and the label, and nothing has to be formulated from scratch.
| Ready-made capsule formula | Dose stated on the product |
|---|---|
| Ashwagandha root Premium | 3600 mg |
| Maca root | 2500 mg |
| Fenugreek | 1300 mg |
| Magnesium + vitamin B6 | 500 mg magnesium |
| Taurine | 500 mg |
| Coenzyme Q10 | 100 mg |
| Hyaluronic acid | 50 mg |
| Astaxanthin | 12 mg |
| Korean Ginseng | — |
| D-Mannose Premium + Cranberry extract | — |
| Diosmin + Hesperidin | — |
| Marine Collagen with Vitamin C | — |
| Garcinia Cambogia Premium | — |
| Eye health complex | — |
| Prostate Formula | — |
| Fat Burner Premium | — |
| Men’s Fertility | — |
What a ready-made formula gives you
Full compositions are supplied on request. Each of these is a finished specification: the excipient system, the capsule shell and the fill weight are already fixed, which is why a ready-made formula reaches the market faster than a developed one.
What it costs you
A ready-made formula is not exclusive: another brand may sell the same composition under a different name. A developed formula is yours, and it costs development time before the first pack exists. Custom development starts from your specification or from a brief — we source the raw materials, confirm the excipients and the shell, produce a trial and scale it to a production batch.
HPMC, gelatine, delayed release
- HPMC — hydroxypropyl methylcellulose — is a plant-derived shell, and it is the shell used in most of our ready-made formulas. It suits vegetarian positioning and formulas that keep better in a lower-moisture shell.
- Gelatin shells are animal-derived, usually bovine or porcine. They are well established on automated filling lines and are commonly the more economical option where animal-derived material is acceptable in the target market.
- Delayed-release shells are used when an ingredient should pass the stomach intact — probiotics and some enzymes are the usual reason.
- A vegan claim depends on every ingredient in the formula, not only on the shell. We confirm the whole composition in writing before that claim goes on a label, because the responsibility for the claim sits with the brand owner, not with the factory.
What the formula decides for you
Several choices are made by the powder before you get a preference.
Bulk density sets the capsule size
A light, fluffy botanical extract needs a larger capsule than a dense mineral salt at the same milligram dose. This is why a dose cannot be promised in a given capsule size until the blend exists.
The dose sets the number of capsules per serving
Magnesium at 500 mg and astaxanthin at 12 mg are not the same engineering problem: a high-milligram active may not fit one capsule, and the serving becomes two.
Hygroscopic ingredients rule out some shells and some packs
An ingredient that pulls moisture from the air behaves differently in a gelatine shell and in a zip-lock bag than it does in an induction-sealed bottle.
The market decides the shell before the price does
A product aimed at a vegetarian audience cannot use gelatine whatever it costs.
How capsules are packed
Capsules are packed in PET bottles, glass bottles, blisters with a carton, or zip-lock bags.
PET bottles are available in 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400 and 500 ml, in blue, amber, red, clear, cream white, white opaque and green, with either a self-glue or an induction-seal closure. Amber and opaque bottles are chosen for light-sensitive actives; induction seals are chosen where tamper evidence matters to the retailer.
Blisters cost more per unit but give a dose-by-dose format and a longer protected shelf life for sensitive actives. Zip-lock bags are the cheapest and are normally used for refills and sampling rather than for retail shelves.
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 named on the certificate is manufacturing and packaging of food supplements (tablets, capsules, powders) — capsules are inside the certified scope, not adjacent to it.
The plant also operates 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.
Manufactured and packed in the European Union
Your capsules are made at the plant in Mārupe, Latvia, operated by SIA Pharma Market Solutions, which is under the same ownership as PharmaEurope. The production, the certification and the batch records all sit with the Latvian plant.
We say this plainly because buyers check it. A manufacturer that publishes certificates issued to a company it does not name is the single most common reason a first enquiry stops.
What you receive
- Certificate of Analysis
- Product specification
- Raw material documentation
- Allergen statement
- Shelf-life statement
Additional documents are available depending on the product and the destination market.
What drives the price
The active ingredient, first and by a distance: a standardised botanical extract and a mineral salt at the same dose are not comparable costs. Then the number of capsules per pack, because it is the capsule count and not the bottle that moves the unit price. Then the shell — delayed release costs more than standard HPMC, and HPMC more than gelatine. Then the pack: a blister with a printed carton costs more per unit than a bottle with a label. Order size moves all of it, which is why 500 bottles and 5,000 bottles are quoted separately.
About capsule manufacturing
What is the minimum order for capsules?
The standard minimum order is 500 bottles per product; selected ready-made formulas qualify for a smaller first run from 100 units. Production runs 4 to 8 weeks from the moment the formula and the artwork are approved.
Can I get a sample before ordering?
Yes. Samples of existing products are sent to companies that are seriously considering an order, so you can see the capsule, the bottle and the label before committing to a batch.
Are your capsules vegetarian?
Most ready-made formulas use HPMC shells, which are plant-derived. Whether the finished product can carry a vegetarian or vegan claim depends on every ingredient in it, not on the shell alone. We confirm the full composition in writing before the claim is printed.
Do I have to register the product before selling it in the EU?
Food supplements are not pre-approved at EU level. In most Member States the company named on the label files a notification with the national authority before the product goes on sale, submitting the composition and the label artwork. In Spain that authority is AESAN. We supply the documentation for the filing; the filing itself is made by the brand owner.
Who is legally responsible for the finished product?
The food business operator under whose name the product is marketed: normally the brand owner, and if that operator is not established in the EU, the EU importer takes on this responsibility under Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. Our responsibility is that the product matches the agreed specification and that manufacture and documentation are correct, which is what the batch paperwork demonstrates.
Can you put my own formula into capsules?
Yes. We work from your specification, or develop one from a brief, source the raw materials, confirm the excipient system and the shell, and produce a trial batch before scaling.
How many capsules go into one pack?
Ready-made formulas are packed in bottles of 30, 60, 90 or 120 capsules. 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 of a capsule product?
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 capsules made?
At the plant in Mārupe, Latvia, in the European Union, operated by SIA Pharma Market Solutions under the same ownership as PharmaEurope.
What certification does the manufacturing hold?
ISO 22000:2018, certificate MSC-22-1384 issued by BM Certification and valid to 7 January 2029; HACCP under Regulation (EC) 852/2004; the Food Supplements Europe GMP guide; and registration with the US FDA under number 13674831934.
Capsule shells in supplement manufacturing· Private label capsule manufacturing in Europe, from idea to production· Capsules, tablets, softgels or powders: which form fits your product· Excipients in supplement manufacturing· Quality control for supplement manufacturing in Europe
Tablets· Softgels· Effervescent tablets· Powders· Sachets· Sports nutrition· Packing
Start your capsule project
Tell us the active, the dose and how many units you need for the first run, and we will come back with the capsule size, the pack and a price for that quantity.