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Contract manufacturing guide

How to get supplements manufactured: contract manufacturing in 7 steps

Reviewed by Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer, molecular biologist and founder of Novogenia · Updated: 11 October 2026 · Reading time: 7 min

In short

Your own supplement comes together in seven steps: concept, briefing the contract manufacturer, formula development, regulatory review and labeling, packaging and design, notification to the authorities, and production and delivery. How long it takes depends mainly on the formula – at Novogenia, development alone takes between one week and three months.

The 7 steps at a glance

Whether you call it supplement or nutraceutical contract manufacturing, the route from idea to finished product follows the same seven steps:

Step	Outcome	Who does what
1. Concept	Target group, benefit, price range, sales channel	you
2. Briefing	Inquiry with all key parameters	you, with follow-up questions from the manufacturer
3. Formulation	Approved formula, sample if applicable	manufacturer and you together
4. Regulatory & labeling	Compliant formula, label, marketing claims	manufacturer supports; responsibility lies with your brand
5. Packaging & design	Packaging format, print files	you (design), manufacturer (format, feasibility)
6. Notification	Product notified to the authority	your brand – often handled or supported by the manufacturer
7. Production & delivery	Tested, packed goods	manufacturer

Step 1: Concept, target group and positioning

The starting point is not the formula but the question: who is the product for – and why should that person buy it? A supplement for endurance athletes needs a different formula, messaging and packaging than one for pregnant women or for people over 60.

At this stage, clarify:

Target group: Who buys the product, and who uses it? What matters to that person?
Benefit: What need does the product meet – and how is it different from what’s already available?
Standardized or personalized: Does everyone get the same formula, or does each person get their own, based on genetic or blood values, for example?
Price range: What can the product sell for? That determines what manufacturing can cost.
Sales channel: Your own web shop, marketplaces, a practice, a pharmacy or direct selling? This affects packaging, pack size and volume.

Step 2: Briefing your contract manufacturer

A good brief saves weeks. The clearer your inquiry, the faster you’ll get a reliable assessment of feasibility, timeline and cost. Include these points:

Item	Example
Target group and intended benefit	Professionals with high stress levels; goal: support energy and the nervous system
Preferred nutrients and dosages	Magnesium, B vitamins – or: “please suggest”
Dosage form	Microtransporters, capsules, powder – or open
Pack size	30 or 90 daily servings
Planned volume	Small start, more later
Target markets	Austria and Germany
Timeline	Market launch in spring
Brand and packaging	Own design available or needed

Don’t have all the answers yet? No problem – an experienced manufacturer will help you work out the open points. What matters is that your target group and goal are clear.

Step 3: Developing the formula

This is where the idea becomes a product. Together with the manufacturer, you decide which nutrients go in, and in what amounts. It’s about more than a list of ingredients:

Dosage: Vitamins and minerals have lower limits, so that a product contains a meaningful amount, and upper limits for safety. Learn more in our article on dosing limits for micronutrients.
Interactions: Some nutrients hinder each other’s absorption, while others complement each other. This affects what fits together in one daily serving – and how it should be released.
Release: Should a nutrient be released immediately or spread over several hours? Sustained-release technologies let you control this.
Feasibility: Not every raw material works in every dosage form. Liquids, for example, need different formats than powders.

At the end of this phase, you have an approved formula – ideally with a sample so you can check its appearance and handling.

Step 4: Regulatory review and labeling

In the EU, food supplements are classified as foods and are subject to their own rules. Before production, the following should be checked:

Ingredients: Are all substances and compounds permitted in your target markets?
Amounts: Are the dosages within the permitted or recommended limits?
Label: Under the EU Food Supplements Directive, the packaging must include, among other things, the designation “food supplement”, the names of the nutrient categories, the recommended daily dose, a warning not to exceed that dose, a statement that food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet, and a statement that the product should be stored out of the reach of young children.
Marketing claims: Health-related statements are only allowed if they have been expressly authorized in the EU (so-called health claims).

An experienced contract manufacturer will review your formula and label with you. However, responsibility for what appears on the pack lies with the company under whose name the product is sold.

Step 5: Packaging and design

Packaging shapes the first impression – and drives cost and lead time. Typical options:

Daily-dose stick packs: each daily dose packed individually – convenient on the go and for combining several nutrients.
Fully branded box: your logo, your colors, your copy – the strongest brand presence, but with lead time for printing.
Plain box with a sticker: cheaper and faster, ideal for a pilot or a market test.
Tub with measuring scoop: the classic choice when customers measure out their own serving.

Plan your print files early: printed packaging materials often have the longest lead time in the entire project.

Step 6: Notifying the authorities

Many EU countries require a notification: in Germany, a food supplement must be notified to the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) at the latest when it is first placed on the market, whereas in Austria no notification is provided for. For the notification, you usually need a sample of the label. Which authority is responsible in which country, and exactly what is required, is covered in Notifying food supplements in the EU.

Schedule the notification so that it is completed before your planned launch date.

Step 7: Production, quality control and delivery

Once everything is approved, production begins. A good manufacturer tests incoming raw materials, documents every batch and checks the finished product before it leaves the facility. Clarify in advance:

Where will the goods be delivered – to your warehouse, a fulfillment provider or directly to your customers?
What documentation will you receive with each batch?
How does reordering work, and how much lead time is needed?

What affects the timeline?

The biggest time factors are almost always the same:

Raw materials: If all nutrients are available and ready to process, development is fast. New raw materials or processing forms extend it.
Feedback rounds: Every change to the formula or design takes time. A complete brief reduces revision loops.
Packaging materials: Custom-printed packaging needs lead time – a plain box with a sticker gets you started sooner.
Notification: It should be completed in good time before your launch.

Start small, then grow

When contract manufacturing supplements, you don’t have to start with a huge volume. Many successful brands start with a small first batch or a pilot, test demand and then scale up. So don’t just ask your manufacturer about the minimum order quantity – also ask how quickly, and in what increments, you can reorder.

How we do it at Novogenia

This is how a project runs at Novogenia:

Initial consultation: we clarify your product idea, planned volume, target markets, timeline and whether you want a pure white-label solution or your own concept.
Development: one week to three months – depending on whether the nutrients are already in stock as finished Microtransporters (currently 22) or need to be newly developed.
Notification: in most cases, we handle it for you or guide you through it.
Pilot or first batch: production is possible from a single unit; personalized products typically start with a pilot of 200 to 500 customers.
Scale-up: if the launch goes well, we plan capacity together with you – up to thousands of customers per month.

Everything is produced and packed in-house in Eugendorf, Austria – labeled “Made in Austria” or with a neutral statement of origin, as you prefer.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get supplements manufactured?

At Novogenia, development takes between one week and three months. It is fastest with nutrients that are already in stock as finished Microtransporters. If a nutrient needs to be encapsulated from scratch, that is a development project in its own right. Packaging, notification and production take additional time.

What should my brief to the contract manufacturer include?

At a minimum: target group and intended benefit, preferred nutrients and dosages (if known), dosage form, pack size, planned volume, target markets, timeline, and your ideas for brand and packaging. The more complete the brief, the more accurate the first quote.

Do I need to notify the authorities about my supplement?

That depends on the country: in Germany, a food supplement must be notified to the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) at the latest when it is first placed on the market; in Austria, no notification is provided for. At Novogenia, we handle the notification in most cases or guide you through it.

Can I start with a small test run?

Yes. For a fast, low-cost start, a plain white box with your brand sticker is a good alternative to fully printed packaging. At Novogenia, production is possible from a single unit, and personalized products start with a pilot of typically 200 to 500 customers.

Do I need a sample before production?

A sample helps you check taste, appearance and handling before the first batch is produced. Clarify early with your manufacturer whether samples are possible, in what form, and whether they add time or cost.

Planning your own supplement brand?

Tell us about your project – target group, desired formula, planned volume. We will get back to you with a first assessment.

Request a project →Get an instant price estimate →Contract manufacturing at Novogenia

Note: This guide is general information and does not constitute legal advice. Regulations can change; errors and changes excepted. Always have legal questions about your specific product checked by a qualified expert.