The 8 Golden Rules of Contract Manufacturing
The intent of this page is to serve as a guide for those individuals that are either currently working with a nutraceutical contract manufacturer other than Nutricap Labs, or are in the process of selecting a contract manufacturer for the very first time. Posing the following questions when speaking to your sales representative will help you determine whether the organization that they represent is a reputable one or if it's a two man operation working out of a garage or an apartment.
1. Is everything that is advertised on their company website actually done there?
For example, if they mention on their website that they have graphic design services, ask if the graphic designer works on the premises. There should be no reason why you cannot be in direct contact with your graphic designer. Another example is if they advertise order fulfillment services on their website, be sure to ask if you may see their warehouse and shipping stations.
2. Have you ever seen your current or prospective nutraceutical contract manufacturer exhibit at any trade shows?
All of the major nutraceutical contract manufacturers attend trade shows on a regular basis. If they say that they do not attend trade shows, chances are that they are not a legitimate operation.
3. Is there never anyone present to answer the phone when you call?
Most illegitimate companies use answering services or answering machines to communicate with customers. If you can never seem to get a live person on the phone, chances are that the company you're trying to contact does not staff a full-time sales staff.
4. Ask your current or prospective nutraceutical contract manufacturer to furnish references.
One of the most common responses you may hear from a sales representative when you ask them to furnish references from past customers is that they "make products for all of the big companies." If they are unwilling or unable to provide this to you, it's likely that they're trying to hide something from you.
5. Check how long their company has been doing business online.
If you know the web address of the company you're working with, conduct a Whois record search in Google. Be sure to leave out "http://" and "www" when conducting this search.
6. Ask your sales representative for product liability insurance with their company name on it and make sure that they have at least $5 million in coverage.
If they do not have product liability insurance, then you don't have any coverage from them!
7. Insist on a tour of their facility/building.
If your sales representative instructs you to go anywhere other than the address that is on their website to visit their facility, chances are that they are working out of somewhere other than an office building (i.e. garage, apartment building, etc.)
8. Is the nutraceutical contract manufacturer that you're working with or speaking with respected or even known in the industry? Have they won any major awards?
Visit various industry message boards, blogs, forums, etc. and ask other members in the community if they have heard of the contract manufacturer you're considering working with. People that actively contribute to these websites are extremely knowledgeable about the different contract manufacturers in the industry. If they have never heard of the company, chances are that they haven't been in business for very long. These people will also tell you what the overall reputation of the contract manufacturer is in the industry.
You may also want to ask your sales representative if their company has received any major awards from industry publications such as Vitamin Retailer, Nutraceuticals World or Nutrition Industry Executive. If they say that they have, be sure to contact the magazine directly to confirm.
If you are ready with your product requirements, please call (800) 494-6154 to speak with one of our product advisors or submit a free quote request. Typical quote turnaround time is 48 hours.



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