MOQ, packaging and ordering for bulk ingredients

What sets the minimum

A minimum order is not a sales threshold. It is the run length at which the milling, the blending, the filling or the packaging stops being disproportionate to the order. For a stock powder, that run is 1 kg. For a finished gummy, it is a bottling run.

• Milling — a custom mesh or D50 has a minimum milling batch.
• Blending — a homogeneous blend needs a minimum batch size.
• Gummy depositing — the depositor and the drying room need a minimum run.
• Packaging — bag, drum, bottle and carton each have their own minimum.

Standard packs

For a stock powder, the starting point is 1 kg. For a finished gummy, the starting point is 100 bottles. Those numbers cover a sample, a pilot batch and a small private-label launch.

A custom mesh, a custom gummy shape 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 bag, the drum, the bottle 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 7 days for a stock powder and 28 days for a finished gummy, after artwork approval and receipt of the purchase order. The powder window covers milling, blending, QC and packing; the gummy window covers depositing, drying, bottling and the release COA.

• Stock powder — 7 days.
• Custom mesh or blend — add the milling/blending time.
• Finished gummy — 28 days; custom shape or carton adds tooling/print time.
• Third-party testing — add the laboratory turnaround.

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. Format and dose — powder, capsule or gummy; mg per serving or piece.
3. Pack — bag, drum, bottle count, carton.
4. Market — destination country, because the limits and labeling follow it.
5. Artwork status — ready, in design, or needs support.
6. Certificates — Halal, organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, or a customer 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, QC and packing.
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

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