Producing your own supplements

[SuperAlly]

Does anyone on here have any knowledge/experience or relevant links for producing your own supplements?

Starting to look into the possibility of designing and selling my own supplements. Specifically beginning with a whey protein?

Any help, advice and ridicule welcomed. :icon_chee

 

[ThePitBull32]

Private labeling your own brand of whey protein is completely doable. First, I would look for a company that will do everything for you and label it according to your design. You most likely will not make a great margin on the product having someone do this for you, unless you are at high volumes. If your volumes become high, then you may want to look into sourcing out all the raw ingredients yourself. That is where you can cut costs, but unless you are buying about 10,000 or more tubs, you probably won't get a good price break. Good luck.

Here is the first private label manufacturer I found.
All The Whey

 

[SuperAlly]

Thanks for the info.

What did you search for to find this. UK based atm so would need to find a British equivalent.

 

[ThePitBull32]

I just searched for "private label whey protein"

 

[Revok]

I imagine you're in for some disappointment. The market is already packed full of massive international producers who have economies of scale on their side. The bureaucratic hoops you'd have to jump through to become any kind of commercial entity are probably mindboggling, and the quantities of stock you'd need to produce, store and transport would have to be enormous. Being in the UK doesn't help either - we live in a system designed to crush entrepreneurship from the outset.

On the other hand, there is the growing market for more ethical, locally produced goods. I imagine a cottage supplement industry could do quite well from that if you marketed properly and put the right products out there (whey protein probably wouldn't be one of them though).

 

[SuperAlly]

Fair points Revok. Just researching it atm. Economies of scale is something particularly to be concerned about.

Another company has been set up and grown within my county in the past few years though, so it must be possible to make it work.

 

[Sinister]

Producing isn't the same as private labeling, though. Let's separate that. I'm not sure which can be more expensive, it depends. If you want to produce supplements you need two things, one is access to the raw materials market, second is a good biochemist who thinks outside the box. And then you need an angle, something to offer that no one else does.

Private labeling is considerably easier, but you're going to be subject to wholesale costs. Keeping prices competitive is tough, especially with regards to Sports Nutrition because that market is flooded with bottom-feeders looking for simply the best quantity for the dollar. It's hard to make money with that, it's like starting a clothing line. But if you can market to say, life extensionists or other groups like that, they tend to be willing to pay so long as what they're getting is somewhat viable (or if it's at least what they ask for).

 

[SuperAlly]

Thanks for the reply sinister. More interesting points.

The angle I would want to look at is producing something that is effective and not full of useless crap that many less scrupulous companies pump into their products with pseudo-science and bullshit. But I guess I would need something more flashy in the market as it is atm.

 

[Beechwood]

I used to work in the industry, on the manufacturing side of things. Left around 10 years ago. Never did anything directly with whey but did some work with sport nutrition. I don't have any very helpful advice other than can mention I've seen this sight as having informative writings about the goings on of the industry:

Dietary supplements, Nutraceuticals, Functional foods, Health ingredients, Herbals

A little bit different, but was surprised to see how long people have been making home made supplements. Good luck.

Shipwrecked 2,000-Year-Old Pills Give Clues to Ancient Medicine

Shipwrecked 2,000-Year-Old Pills Give Clues to Ancient Medicine

 

[SuperAlly]

Cheers for the links and insider knowledge beechwood. Will check them out when I get a minute.

 

[salina]

It's really good idea. I think you must have got by now. My uncle did the same. He produces and markets their own products. He has his online store.