How to start your own supplement brand with an EU manufacturer
To start your own supplement brand with PharmaEurope, you choose a ready-made formula or send your own brief, approve a sample and the label we design, and we manufacture the first batch at our ISO 22000-certified plant. A ready-made formula (white label) starts from 100 units in capsules, tablets or softgels; your own formula (private label) from 500 bottles per product. Production takes from 2 weeks, and every batch ships with a Certificate of Analysis.
This is how startups and first-time founders work with us; the terms for a first launch are on the low-MOQ manufacturer for startups page. In short: you choose the product and approve two things, the sample and the artwork; we do the formula, the label and packaging design, printing, manufacturing, testing and the batch documents.
Ready-made formula or your own formula: which route fits a first launch?
Both routes run at the same plant, under the same food-safety system and with the same batch documents. What differs is how much is developed for you, and so the minimum and the calendar.
| Ready-made formula (white label) | Your own formula (private label) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you choose | A formula from more than 500 already in production | The actives, their doses and the format, or a catalogue formula adjusted for you |
| Minimum first order | From 100 units of capsules, tablets or softgels | From 500 bottles per product for capsules and tablets |
| Development | None: the formula, the specification and the process already exist | The formula is developed from your brief and turned into a sample |
| Sample | A sample of the existing product | A sample of your formula; nothing is produced before you approve it |
| Label and packaging | Designed at the plant, or printed from your own artwork, checked against EU labelling and claims rules | Designed at the plant, or printed from your own artwork, checked against EU labelling and claims rules |
| Production time | from 2 weeks | Sample development first, then from 4 weeks |
| With every batch | Specification, Certificate of Analysis, copies of the site certificates | Specification, Certificate of Analysis, copies of the site certificates |
| The formula | Stays in the shared catalogue: another brand may sell the same composition | Terms for a formula developed for your brand are set in your contract |
| Suits | A first product, a market test, a small budget | A product that has to differ from what is already on sale |
Powders, sachets and sports nutrition start from 300 kg of finished blend on either route; effervescent tablets have a low minimum quoted per tube count. Full table: minimum order quantities.
What are the steps to launch a supplement brand with PharmaEurope?
- Enquiry. Send the format, the product and the quantity, or pick a formula from the catalogue. We reply within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.
- Sample. You see a sample of the existing product, or of the formula developed from your brief, and approve it in writing.
- Label and packaging. We design the artwork for your brand and check it against Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 and Regulation (EC) 1924/2006; if you already have artwork, we check yours. You approve the final version.
- Production. The batch is made and packed at our plant, from 2 weeks.
- Release and delivery. The batch is tested and ships with its Certificate of Analysis: EXW at our EU plant by default, FCA or DAP on request.
- Before sale. In most EU countries the company named on the label notifies the product before sale (in Spain, with AESAN); we supply the composition and the batch documents for it.
Each step in detail: how an order runs
The full guide: how to start your own supplement brand in Europe
What do I need to decide before asking for a price?
Three things turn “how much does it cost” into a real number: the format, because a capsule and a sachet run on different lines; the active and its dose, which make most of the cost; and how many units you want for the first order. A quote is given for the quantity you ask about and for a larger one, so you can see where the unit cost goes as the order grows.
Is a ready-made formula the same as a generic product?
No. A ready-made formula has been developed, trialled and documented, and it carries only your label. It is not fixed forever: a dose can be raised, a component removed or a flavour changed once the volume supports a new sample. A hundred units tells you whether people buy the product from you, at your price; when it sells, the same specification scales to 500 bottles and beyond without developing anything again.
“Ordering a first batch from a small workshop is a real risk for a brand: quality is not guaranteed from batch to batch, and there is no capacity to grow when the product takes off. We went the other way and invested in new, flexible production lines, where switching to the next product does not cost hours of changeover and cleaning — the losses that make older plants ask for thousands of units. That is why a first run of a ready-made formula can start from 100 units, and the same line scales up when the product sells.”
Where is the product made, and how can I check it?
- Made and packed at our plant; contracts and invoices from PHARMA EUROPE SOLUTIONS 2023 SL, registered in Spain
- ISO 22000:2018, GMP and HACCP certificates, with scans on the certifications page and copies with numbers on request
- US FDA food facility registration: a registration, not an approval
- A Certificate of Analysis for every batch, and visits to the plant can be arranged
What do first-time brand owners worry about?
“I don’t have a formula, and I can’t afford development.” More than 500 ready-made formulas are already in production across capsules, tablets, softgels and effervescent tablets; any of them can carry your label without development work or its cost.
“500 units is too many for a brand that doesn’t exist yet.” A ready-made formula starts from 100 units. 500 bottles is the standard run once a product is proven, and both are made to the same approved specification, so starting small does not mean starting over.
“I need to know when the stock reaches my warehouse.” Production is from 2 weeks. Transport comes on top and depends on the delivery terms.
Questions about launching your own supplement brand
Can I really start with 100 units?
Yes. A first run of a ready-made formula starts from 100 units for capsules, tablets and softgels. The standard minimum for capsules and tablets is 500 bottles per product; powders start from 300 kg of finished blend.
Do I need my own formula to start?
No. You can take one of more than 500 ready-made formulas already in production across capsules, tablets, softgels and effervescent tablets. That removes the development cost and the development time.
Do you design the label and packaging?
Yes. The label and the packaging are designed at the plant around your brand name and logo, checked against EU labelling and claims rules and printed at the plant. Nothing is printed until you approve the final artwork. If you do not have a logo yet, say so in the enquiry.
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 product, the pack and the label before committing to a first run.
How long until I have stock?
Production takes from 2 weeks. The sample step comes before that, and transport to you after it; with a ready-made formula the sample step is short.
What does the price depend on?
The format, the active and its dose, the quantity and the packaging. A quote is given for the quantity you ask about and for a larger one, so the unit-cost trend is visible before you commit.
Do I need to register the product before selling in the EU?
Food supplements are not pre-approved at EU level: most Member States require a notification before sale, filed by the company named on the label (in Spain, with AESAN). We supply the composition and the batch documents the notification is built on.
Can my first brand sell outside the EU?
Yes. We manufacture for brands selling in the UK, the US, India, China, the Middle East and Africa, and the specification and the Certificate of Analysis travel with every order. Registration in the destination country is held by your importer; the markets pages explain each route.
Can I visit the factory?
Yes. Visits and audits by customers can be arranged at our plant, alongside the yearly inspections that keep ISO 22000, GMP and HACCP current. Write to us with the dates that suit you.
More on who we manufacture for: all six kinds of buyer.
Get a quote for your quantity
Tell us the format, the active, the dose and how many units you need for the first run. You will get a price for that quantity and for a larger one, so you can see where the unit cost goes.
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