NexoNutra

How to start a supplement brand: a step-by-step guide

You don't need your own factory to launch a supplement. Most brands, large and small, work with a contract manufacturer. These are the steps, in the order they usually happen.

Updated October 2026

1. Decide who the product is for

Start with the customer, not the ingredient. Who will buy it, where do they shop, and which products do they buy today? Look at what similar brands sell and how they describe it.

2. Choose the format

Capsules, tablets and powders are the most common formats. Capsules and tablets are easy to dose and to ship. Powders allow larger servings and flavors, and single-serve sachets make it easy for new customers to try the product.

3. Ready-made formula or your own

With private label, you put your brand on a formula the manufacturer has already developed. It is faster and needs a smaller first investment. With a custom formula, the product is yours alone, and development takes longer. Many brands start with one and add the other later.

4. Find a manufacturer and check it

Ask for the quality certificates, confirm the facility is registered with the FDA, and ask how each batch is tested. Our list of 10 questions to ask a manufacturer covers what to check before you sign.

5. Know the rules for your label

In the United States, supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold, but the label must follow FDA rules. It needs the product name with the words “dietary supplement”, a Supplement Facts panel, the list of other ingredients, the net quantity, and the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor, with a U.S. address or phone number for reporting serious adverse events. You cannot say that a product treats, cures or prevents a disease.

Outside the United States, each country has its own health authority and its own requirements, which can be a registration, a notification or a notice depending on the country: for example INVIMA in Colombia, COFEPRIS in Mexico, DIGEMID in Peru and ARCSA in Ecuador. Meeting them is usually the job of the brand or its importer, so speak with a regulatory specialist in the country where you will sell. Our guide on manufacturing in the United States to sell in Latin America covers the documents and the order of steps.

6. Plan your first order

Minimum orders usually start at around 1,500 to 2,000 bottles. Besides the product itself, budget for the label design, shipping, any registration in your country and the marketing to sell the first batch. Starting with one or two products keeps the risk manageable.

7. Approve, produce and plan the reorder

Before production you approve the formula, the label and usually a sample. Ask the manufacturer how long production takes, and plan your second order before the first one runs out: running out of a product that is selling is the most expensive mistake a new brand makes.

This is general information to help you plan. It is not legal or regulatory advice.

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