You’ve probably considered offering custom formulations if you run or want to start a supplement business. Custom formulas provide a variety of benefits over general multivitamins. But are they suitable for your business?
In this blog post, we’ll explore why you should offer custom liquid vitamin formulations in your supplement line to help you decide if they’re ideal for your business.
What Are Custom Liquid Vitamins?
Vitamin supplements come in various forms, including tablets, capsules, powders, gummies, and soft gels. Liquid vitamins, as the name suggests, come in liquid form and are typically taken using a dropper or shot glass.
Custom or personalized liquid vitamins are specially made to meet specific needs. Custom liquid vitamins may contain high concentrations of certain vitamins to address the needs of specific demographics. For instance, a custom vitamin targeting vegans may contain high levels of vitamin B12 to fill nutritional gaps.
7 Reasons to Offer Custom Liquid Vitamin Formulations
Custom liquid vitamins offer a variety of benefits over generic capsules and tablet formulas. Here are seven reasons why you should offer them over their conventional counterparts:
1. Meet Individual Needs
There’s no one-size-fits-all vitamin supplement for everyone, as nutritional needs vary from individual to individual based on age, gender, lifestyle, and underlying health conditions.
Custom liquid vitamins are crafted to cater to individual needs and preferences, as they often contain high levels of certain vitamins. For example, athletes may require custom liquid vitamins high in B vitamins because B vitamins aid in the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, promoting the release of energy.
Similarly, vegans may require custom liquid vitamins with high levels of vitamin D3 and B12, as these vitamins may be tough to obtain solely from a plant diet.
Opting for custom liquid vitamins over generic multivitamins can enable you to refine your formula’s ingredient composition to include high concentrations of certain nutrients.
2. Enhanced Absorption and Bioavailability
Custom liquid vitamins are easier to absorb and more bioavailable than other vitamin forms, as the body doesn’t need to break them down. In fact, according to one study, vitamin C liquid supplements were absorbed faster than capsules and tablets. This makes liquid vitamins especially ideal for people with digestive issues like malabsorption.
3. Convenience and Ease of Consumption
Many children and even adults struggle to swallow pills, tablets, and capsules, while others don’t like the bitter aftertaste many solid vitamin forms leave in the mouth.
Liquid vitamins are easier to swallow and more convenient to take than multiple pills, tablets, or capsules. Many custom liquid vitamins also come in delicious-tasting formulas, so they don’t leave an unpleasant aftertaste.
4. Flexibility and Innovation
With standard formulations, there’s no room to modify the formula. Custom liquid formulas offer more flexibility, allowing you to experiment with different ingredients, dosages, and combinations.
Whether you want to add a novel ingredient to your formula or combine unusual ingredient pairs to create a unique formula, opting for a custom liquid vitamin formula allows you to provide one-of-a-kind products.
5. Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty
Customers are more likely to be loyal to personalized brands. In fact, four out of five customers are more likely to purchase from brands that offer personalized products.
Custom liquid vitamin formulations do just that, as they are tailor-made to meet individual needs and preferences. As a result, consumers are more likely to opt for custom vitamins over their generic counterparts.
For instance, patients who have just undergone weight loss surgery are more likely to choose bariatric liquid vitamins rather than regular tablets or capsules because bariatric liquid vitamins are specially designed to address the unique nutritional needs of post-surgery patients.
6. Higher Dosages Possible
Nobody likes taking multiple pills daily. With custom liquid vitamins, it’s easier to take higher doses daily. It’s also easier to adhere to a supplement regimen, as people are more likely to remember to take a few doses of a liquid supplement rather than multiple pills.
7. Adaptability for Special Populations
Custom liquid vitamin formulations can be tailored to meet the specific needs of special populations, such as the elderly or individuals with certain medical conditions. For example, elderly individuals may have difficulty swallowing pills or may require higher doses of certain vitamins due to age-related factors like decreased absorption efficiency.
By offering custom liquid vitamins, you can cater to these unique needs and provide solutions that are more accessible and beneficial for these populations. This adaptability not only improves the overall effectiveness of the supplements but also demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility within your product offerings.
Challenges Associated With Custom Liquid Vitamins and How to Overcome Them
Custom liquid vitamins can be a boon for your business and set your brand apart from competitors offering generic tablets and capsules.
However, offering custom liquid vitamins comes with a unique set of challenges. Here are some common challenges you may encounter and ways to overcome them:
1. Formulation Challenges
Crafting effective and stable liquid vitamin formulations requires an in-depth knowledge of chemical composition and bioavailability.
Look for an experienced supplement contract manufacturer specializing in custom liquid vitamin supplements. They can help you choose suitable ingredients, dosages, and combinations and ensure your vitamins remain potent.
Also, look for a manufacturer that invests in research and development to improve the effectiveness of your products.
2. Regulatory Compliance
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements, including custom liquid vitamins. You must comply with regulations concerning ingredient disclosure, labeling, and manufacturing practices to avoid costly product recalls or legal trouble.
Working with a supplement manufacturer that adheres to FDA quality and compliance requirements can help you comply with regulatory requirements.
3. Quality Control
Maintaining the consistency and quality of custom liquid vitamins across batches can be challenging because certain ingredients may interact with each other and degrade over time.
Partnering with a contract manufacturer that regularly conducts potency and purity tests can prevent this pitfall.
4. Packaging
Liquid supplements can be trickier to package than capsules or tablets because they require leak-proof and light-resistant packaging to preserve the integrity of the ingredients.
Partnering with a contract manufacturer with the expertise and equipment to package liquid vitamins can help you overcome packaging challenges.
5. Production Costs
Custom liquid vitamin supplements typically cost more than generic supplements due to higher raw material, manufacturing, formulation, packaging, and distribution costs.
Working with a supplement contract manufacturer can minimize overhead costs since you won’t have to pay wages, invest in research and development, or purchase expensive manufacturing equipment.
6. Consumer Education
Some consumers might be reluctant to switch from traditional pills to liquid vitamins. Convincing them to substitute pills for liquids can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
Partnering with a contract manufacturer that has a marketing department can relieve you from the challenging task of creating market awareness about the benefits of custom liquid vitamins.
7. Transportation and Storage
Liquid vitamins require specialized storage to maintain the stability of their ingredients and prevent spoilage. Working with a contract manufacturer with proper storage facilities can ensure your products are kept at optimal conditions throughout their lifecycle.
8. Product Formulation Time
Developing a custom liquid vitamin formula can take significant time, as it often requires several rounds of testing and reformulation to achieve the desired taste, efficacy, and shelf life.
Collaborating with a supplement manufacturer with the expertise and equipment to conduct product trials and thorough testing can expedite product development.
Differentiate Your Brand With Custom Liquid Vitamins
Custom liquid vitamins offer numerous benefits over their generic counterparts. They’re tailored to meet individual needs, are more easily absorbed, and are easier to consume. They also offer more room for flexibility when experimenting with different ingredients, dosages, and combinations. These are just some reasons they can be an excellent addition to your supplement line.
Despite their many benefits, adding custom liquid vitamins to your supplement line can come with some hurdles. Fortunately, they aren’t impossible to overcome.
By partnering with a supplement contract manufacturer, you can overcome many of the challenges that come with providing custom formulations, such as regulatory hurdles, formulation complexities, and high production costs, to name but a few challenges.
At Matsun Nutrition, we offer custom formulation services, allowing you to create unique supplements that differentiate your brand from other generic offerings.
Whether you run an established brand or a startup, we can help you create bespoke supplements that resonate with your target customers and elevate your brand. Contact us today to speak to one of our experts about our custom formulation services or to get a free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Liquid supplements are easier to consume, better absorbed by the body, and allow for adjustable dosing compared to other supplement forms like tablets, capsules, or powders.
Custom vitamins offer a tailored approach to dietary supplementation, unlike generic multivitamins, which provide a one-size-fits-all approach. For instance, if an individual is deficient in a particular nutrient due to lifestyle or health conditions, a custom vitamin can provide the exact amount required to address the deficiency.
The typical lead time for custom liquid vitamin formulations varies from manufacturer to manufacturer based on factors like formula complexity, ingredient availability, and the manufacturer's manufacturing capacity. Inquire about potential manufacturer's lead times to understand their specific timelines and what might cause delays.
The minimum order quantities for custom liquid vitamins vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. While some manufacturers offer low MOQs, others may require higher MOQs. Discuss your specific needs with potential manufacturers to determine their MOQs and the flexibility they can offer.
Some custom supplement manufacturers offer extensive support with labeling and packaging alongside manufacturing. Inquire whether the potential manufacturer you want to partner with offers other complementary services.
