When it comes to launching a successful line of dietary supplements, choosing the right contract manufacturing partner is essential. At Reliance, we’re proud to offer a comprehensive, collaborative approach that not only ensures your supplements meet the highest standards of quality but also helps your brand stand out in a crowded marketplace. Here’s a look at the process we follow to bring your product vision to life.
Project Kickoff & Quoting
Step 1: Understanding Your Vision
Our process starts with an in-depth discussion to understand your specific needs and the unique demands of your target market. We take the time to align our manufacturing capabilities with your brand’s goals, ensuring that the final product meets both your expectations and those of your customers. This tailored approach sets the stage for a true partnership—one where we’re invested in your success.
At this point in our discussion, we’ll also determine which of our two project types best suits your needs: Stock Products or Custom Formulation.
For Stock Products, you can select from our existing on-trend stock product formulations, which we’ll manufacture in your desired quantities with your own regulatory compliant custom label. The primary advantage of this option is speed – no additional research is required. Once we agree on the quote and receive your purchase order, we can move directly to label creation and then production. If you choose this route, you won’t need to go through the remaining steps in our typical process.
For Custom Formulation projects, whether you want to customize an existing stock product formulation or create an entirely new one, the rest of the steps in our process will apply. This option allows for greater personalization and uniqueness in your product line, but requires more time for research, development, and testing.
Research & Development
Step 2: Custom Formulation
After gathering all the necessary details, our skilled R&D team collaborates with you to create a supplement that reflects your brand’s identity. Whether it’s formulating a new product or improving an existing one, we carefully select evidence-based raw materials, enabling you to make substantiated structure/function claims while enhancing customer loyalty. This is the phase where your supplement starts taking shape as a unique, high-quality offering, and our team of R&D experts will work with you every step of the way.
Our R&D capabilities are the cornerstone of our success at Reliance. We invest heavily in research and development, allowing us to align our product formulations with industry trends and consumer demands. Through strategic partnerships with leading ingredient suppliers, we ensure that your product stays on the cutting edge of innovation, giving you a powerful market advantage. Our R&D food scientists, with an average of more than 15 years of experience, excel in crafting flavored products that consistently score high in both internal and external sensory panel taste testing, making Reliance the go-to choice for top brands seeking remarkable first impressions for their products.
Step 3: Ingredient Sourcing & Procurement
At Reliance, we know that quality begins with raw materials. Our procurement process is meticulous, sourcing high-potency, bioavailable ingredients from trusted vendors across the globe. We leverage our extensive vendor network and climate-controlled warehouses to ensure that the best ingredients are available when you need them.
In our commitment to efficacy, we will try to use branded ingredients in our formulations whenever possible. These ingredients are typically manufactured to higher quality standards than their generic counterparts and often come with substantial scientific backing, including clinical studies that support their efficacy and safety. This research not only validates the product but also provides valuable information for marketing and consumer education.
By incorporating these high-quality, scientifically supported ingredients, we help position your products to compete effectively with national brands, offering your customers supplements they can trust for safety, efficacy, and quality.
Step 4: Ingredient Testing & Batch Production
We’re dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of quality throughout the manufacturing process. Once the raw materials arrive, they undergo rigorous testing for identity, potency, and safety. From FT-IR spectroscopy to microbiological testing, we leave no stone unturned in verifying that each ingredient meets industry standards for efficacy and purity. Only after passing these tests are the materials released into inventory for production.
Before full-scale production, we create a small R&D batch in our lab to confirm the formulation’s viability in a finished dosage form. For products with specific flavor profiles, such as chewable tablets or powders, samples may be sent to you for approval. This careful step ensures that the product performs as intended before moving on to the next phase.
Production
Step 5: Pilot Batch and Full Scale Production
Once the R&D batch has been approved, we run a pilot batch on actual production equipment to test how the product will perform during the full production run. If adjustments are needed, we work with you to refine the formulation. This stage is crucial for avoiding potential issues in full-scale manufacturing.
When the pilot batch is successful, we move on to the full production run. During this phase, we implement several quality checks, including content uniformity, mix uniformity, and disintegration testing. These tests ensure that each tablet, capsule, or scoop meets predetermined standards for weight, potency, and consistency.
Quality & Testing
Step 6: Stability Testing and Final Quality Assurance
After the production run is complete, we repeat many of the tests conducted on the raw materials, including microbiological and heavy metal testing. We then create a Certificate of Analysis (COA), which is provided to you for approval. This document ensures full transparency, giving you confidence that your product is safe, compliant, and ready for market.
One of the final stages in the process is stability testing, which determines the shelf life of your product. By simulating accelerated aging and conducting ongoing tests throughout the product’s lifespan, we can pinpoint any nutrient degradation and make necessary adjustments to ensure the product remains potent until its expiration date.
Shipping & Post Production
Step 7: Shipping & Our New Partnership
After completing the production phase and final testing, your product is packaged and staged for shipment. We have flexible shipping options with our preferred freight companies, or we can use the carrier of your choice.
But even though your product is on it’s way, working with Reliance means more than just receiving a finished product. It means benefiting from a true partnership focused on trust, quality, and communication. Our team is dedicated to ensuring your product is manufactured with excellence and delivered on time, every time.
Why Partner with Reliance?
We understand the complexities of dietary supplement manufacturing, and we’re here to guide you through each step of the process. From raw material sourcing to rigorous testing and final production, we ensure that your product not only meets regulatory standards but also exceeds customer expectations.
Reliance is YOUR turnkey supplement contract manufacturing partner, offering cutting-edge innovation and faster speed-to-market. We streamline your product development process and scale with your business, ensuring your success in the supplement industry.
†These statements have not been evaluated by The Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
