MOQ, packaging and ordering for softgels and tablets

What sets the minimum

A minimum order is not a sales threshold. It is the run length at which the tooling, the line setup, the coating batch and the packaging run stop being disproportionate to the order. For a stock formula in a stock shape, that run is short. For a new shape, a new colour or a new carton, it is longer.

• Tooling — a new softgel die or tablet punch set is the largest fixed item. If the shape is stock, there is no tooling charge.
• Line setup — cleaning, changeover and first-article checks are the same whether the run is short or long.
• Coating — a film coat or an enteric coat needs a minimum batch to fill the coater.
• Packaging — bottle, cap, seal and carton each have their own minimum print run.

Standard formats and the 100-bottle start

For a stock formula in a standard softgel or tablet shape, the starting point is 100 bottles. That covers a small private-label launch and a sample run for a brand owner who needs to test the market before committing to a larger batch.

A custom shape, a custom colour or a printed carton moves the minimum. The quotation states the minimum for the exact configuration you asked for, so there is no separate “MOQ to be confirmed” step.

Packaging formats

The bottle, the cap and the carton are specified before the artwork is approved. A bottle that is not in stock adds a print and delivery lead time to the schedule.

Lead time

The standard lead time is 28 days after artwork approval and receipt of the purchase order. That window covers production, coating, packaging and the release COA. It does not include tooling, which is quoted separately, or shipping.

• Stock formula, stock shape — 28 days.
• New tooling — tooling lead time plus the 28-day production window.
• New carton or bottle — print lead time plus the production window.
• Third-party testing — add the laboratory turnaround if an external report is required.

What to send in an RFQ

A useful RFQ has six items. With them, the quotation can be specific; without them, it has to be generic.

1. Active and marker — the specification and the assay method, if you have one.
2. Dose and format — milligrams per tablet or fill, softgel or tablet, shape if it matters.
3. Count and pack — bottles per carton, tablets per bottle, blister or bulk.
4. Market — destination country, because the heavy-metal, solvent and labeling limits follow it.
5. Artwork status — ready, in design, or needs support.
6. Certificates — Halal, organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, or a customer-specific questionnaire.

Order flow

The flow is fixed so that nothing is ordered twice or missed.

1. Specification and format agreed.
2. Sample or retention sample sent.
3. Quotation issued for the exact configuration.
4. Purchase order and artwork approval.
5. Production, coating and packaging.
6. Release COA and shipping documents.

Changes after artwork approval move the schedule. Changes after tooling move the schedule and the tooling charge. The quotation states which stage the order is in.

Product-specific notes

Each row maps one product in this range to the parameter this document controls. The product pages link back to their own row; when you compare two products, compare the method column before the number.