Markets / Canada / Importing from Europe
Markets · CanadaImporting private label supplements from Europe to Canada: what the EU plant supplies
To import private label supplements from Europe to Canada, you take a finished, labelled and documented product from an EU manufacturer and have a Canadian importer clear it. PharmaEurope, a contract manufacturer with a certified EU plant, already ships to Canada. It makes, labels and packs the product from 100 units on a ready-made formula and from 500 bottles on your own, in from 2 weeks on a ready-made formula and from 4 weeks on your own. Every batch comes with a specification and a Certificate of Analysis, and the label is printed in English and French. PharmaEurope hands the goods over EXW at the plant by default, or FCA or DAP on request, and the CETA origin statement is discussed at the quote. On the shortest published sailings, sea transit to Montreal takes about 11 days port to port from Rotterdam and about 13 days from Antwerp. In Canada, your importer of record declares the goods with the CBSA, its customs broker files the entry, and your brand holds the product licence (NPN). Licences and duty are on the Canada market page.
Key facts for Canadian brands
| What the EU plant supplies | Detail |
|---|---|
| Finished product | Made, filled, labelled and packed at a certified EU plant |
| Label | Printed at the plant in English and French; the licence holder supplies the regulatory text and the NPN |
| With every batch | Specification and Certificate of Analysis |
| With the order or on request | Raw material documentation, allergen statement, shelf-life statement |
| Site certificates | Copies of ISO 22000:2018, GMP and HACCP with their numbers on request; scope: tablets, capsules, powders |
| Shipping documents | Commercial invoice, packing list and the export documents your importer needs for Canadian customs, prepared by PharmaEurope |
| CETA origin | CETA requires an origin statement on the invoice; discussed at the quote |
| Incoterms | EXW at the plant by default; FCA or DAP on request |
| Sea transit to Montreal | About 11 days from Rotterdam, about 13 days from Antwerp, port to port, shortest published sailings |
| Production | From 2 weeks on a ready-made formula, from 4 weeks on your own formula |
| First import | From 100 units white label; from 500 bottles on your own formula; from 300 kg of finished blend for powders |
| Reply to an enquiry | Within 24 hours, Monday to Friday |
Who does what when you import supplements from Europe to Canada?
Four parties each have one job: the plant makes and documents the product, and the Canadian side takes over after the hand-over point.
- PharmaEurope makes, labels and packs the goods; issues the specification and Certificate of Analysis; sends copies of the site certificates; hands over EXW, FCA or DAP.
- Your Canadian importer of record registers with the CBSA in CARM, declares the goods, pays duties and taxes, and holds the site licence for the natural health product.
- Your customs broker files the entry for the importer and confirms the tariff line and the CETA treatment.
- Your brand holds the product licence and its NPN, and supplies the Canadian regulatory text for the label.
Licence requirements are covered on the Canada market page.
What documents does a European supplement manufacturer supply for import into Canada?
Every batch leaves PharmaEurope with a specification and a Certificate of Analysis. The order also comes with raw material documentation, an allergen statement and a shelf-life statement. Copies of the ISO 22000:2018, GMP and HACCP site certificates, with their numbers, go to your importer and licence holder on request. PharmaEurope also prepares the commercial invoice, the packing list and the export documents your importer needs for Canadian customs. If your importer needs further documents for the product, name them at the quote and they are added to the order.
“A batch does not leave the warehouse without a clean test report and a Certificate of Analysis. At the final stage we check the physical parameters — average weight, uniformity of mass and disintegration time; microbiological purity — yeasts and moulds within limits, no E. coli and no Salmonella — and heavy metals; the assay, meaning the real content of each active ingredient against what your label declares; and the seal — the induction membrane and the closure — so the product does not oxidise or take on moisture in transit.”
Which Incoterms can you use to ship supplements from Europe to Canada?
PharmaEurope ships EXW by default and quotes FCA or DAP on request.
| Incoterm | Where PharmaEurope hands over | Who arranges the main transport |
|---|---|---|
| EXW (default) | At the plant; you or your forwarder collect | Your forwarder |
| FCA (on request) | Handed to your carrier | Your carrier |
| DAP (on request) | Delivered to the address you name; import duties paid by you | PharmaEurope arranges delivery to that address |
With any of the three, your Canadian importer clears the goods on arrival.
Is there a CETA origin statement for supplements imported from Europe?
Yes: CETA requires an origin statement on the invoice, and you agree it with PharmaEurope at the quote. Duty depends on the tariff line. For example, in the CBSA Customs Tariff 2026, tariff item 2106.90.99 carries a most-favoured-nation rate of 10.5% and the CETA-EU rate Free, for goods that meet the CETA rules of origin. Your customs broker confirms the line for your product before the first shipment.
How long does it take to ship supplements from Europe to Canada?
On the shortest published sailings, sea transit to Montreal takes about 11 days port to port from Rotterdam and about 13 days from Antwerp; door to door takes longer. Production comes first: from 2 weeks on a ready-made formula and from 4 weeks on your own. Clearance in Canada follows arrival and is handled by your importer.
Do supplements imported from Europe arrive with an English and French label?
Yes. PharmaEurope designs and prints the label and packaging at the plant in English and French, using the regulatory text and the NPN your licence holder supplies. Nothing is printed until you approve the final artwork, and the goods leave the line finished, with no relabelling step in Canada.
What is the minimum order to import supplements from Europe to Canada?
A first import can start from 100 units on a ready-made formula, so a brand can test the import route with one product. Your own formula starts from 500 bottles per product for capsules and tablets, and powders and sachets from 300 kg of finished blend. The full table is on the minimum order quantity page.
Why import supplements from PharmaEurope?
PharmaEurope already ships to Canada and hands over a finished product with its documents, so your importer receives everything from one supplier.
- Already shipping to Canada, EXW, FCA or DAP.
- Everything made in one place: formula, sample, label and packaging design and printing, manufacturing, filling, quality control and export documents. See all services.
- Batch documents every time: specification and Certificate of Analysis.
- A certified plant: ISO 22000:2018, GMP and HACCP, plus US FDA food facility registration (a registration, not an approval); copies with their numbers on request. See certifications.
- 24 months standard shelf life.
- More than 25 years of manufacturing across the group, 70+ specialists, export to 42 countries.
- A reply within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.
Questions about importing supplements from Europe to Canada
Can I import private label supplements from Europe to Canada?
Yes. PharmaEurope manufactures white and private label supplements in the European Union and already ships to Canada. Your Canadian importer clears the goods, and your brand sells under its own NPN.
How do I ship supplements from Europe to Canada?
PharmaEurope hands the goods over EXW at the plant by default, or FCA or DAP on request. Your forwarder or carrier takes them to Canada, where your importer clears them with the CBSA.
Who is the importer of record?
Usually your Canadian importer. It registers with the CBSA in CARM, declares the goods and pays the duties and taxes. PharmaEurope supplies the manufacturer documents the importer needs.
What documents does PharmaEurope supply for import into Canada?
PharmaEurope ships every batch with a specification and a Certificate of Analysis. Raw material documentation, an allergen statement and a shelf-life statement are provided with the order or on request, and copies of the site certificates come on request.
Which Incoterms does PharmaEurope ship on?
PharmaEurope ships EXW at the plant by default. FCA, handed to your carrier, or DAP, delivered to your address with import duties paid by you, is quoted on request.
Does PharmaEurope prepare the CETA origin statement?
CETA requires an origin statement on the invoice, and it is agreed with PharmaEurope at the quote. Your customs broker confirms the tariff line and the CETA treatment.
How long does shipping from Europe to Canada take?
Sea transit to Montreal takes about 11 days port to port from Rotterdam and about 13 days from Antwerp on the shortest published sailings. Production at PharmaEurope comes first: from 2 weeks on a ready-made formula and from 4 weeks on your own.
Who holds the NPN and the site licence?
Your brand holds the product licence and its NPN, and the Canadian importer holds the site licence. PharmaEurope supplies the documents both rely on; the licence details are on the Canada market page.
Can the label be printed before the goods leave Europe?
Yes. PharmaEurope prints the English and French label at the plant from the text and NPN your licence holder supplies, so the product arrives labelled.
What is the minimum order to import supplements from PharmaEurope?
PharmaEurope makes white label products from 100 units on a ready-made formula, your own formula from 500 bottles for capsules and tablets, and powders and sachets from 300 kg of finished blend.
Does PharmaEurope already ship to Canada?
Yes. PharmaEurope already ships to Canada, EXW at the plant by default, with FCA or DAP on request, and replies to an enquiry within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.
Sources
- PharmaEurope, Private label supplement manufacturing for the Canadian market, /markets/canada/ (checked 1 November 2026).
- PharmaEurope, Private label supplement manufacturing services, /services/ (Incoterms and export).
- PharmaEurope, Certifications, /certifications/: ISO 22000:2018 valid to 7 January 2029; GMP and HACCP valid to 17 May 2027; issued by BM Certification; quote of the Chief Technologist.
- CBSA, Customs Tariff 2026, Chapter 21, tariff item 2106.90.99, cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.
- CBSA, step-by-step guide to importing commercial goods (CARM registration), cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.
- Sea transit to Montreal, shortest published sailing: Rotterdam 10 days 19 hours, Antwerp 12 days 23 hours, FluentCargo route data, as cited on /markets/canada/ (checked 1 November 2026).
- Checked on 3 November 2026. Tariffs change: your customs broker confirms the line and the rate before the first shipment.
Related pages for Canadian brands
Private label supplements made in the EU for Canadian brands · How to start a supplement brand in Canada · Canada market page · Minimum order quantity · Certifications · Contact
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