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How to start a supplement company in the UK

If you are reading this blog then you are most likely asking one question: how do you start a supplement company?

Starting a supplement company involves more than developing a promising product. You need to identify your target market, establish a realistic budget, create a legally compliant formula, choose a reliable manufacturer and develop a clear sales strategy. This guide explains how to start a supplement company in the UK, from initial product research through to manufacturing, branding, pricing and launch.

If you already know all you need to, but are looking to pull the trigger, see if G&G Vitamins is a good fit for you.

The Current Supplement Market

The nutritional supplements market size was valued at USD 517.1 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% from 2026 to 2033 ( Nutritional Supplements Market (2026 – 2033) (grandviewresearch.com) ). Each year, future growth creates more opportunities.

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1. Finding your target market

One of the first steps to starting a successful company is to determine who it is that you want to sell to. These customers are your “target market” and will drive a lot of the decisions that you make further down the line. Try to imagine who they are in as much detail as possible. If you have a product in mind already then think about who would want to buy it and why it would be of interest to them. Alternatively, you might want to capitalise on a particular group of people that you don’t feel are being catered to and work out a suitable product for them further down the line.

It can be really useful to think about their lifestyle, what sort of jobs do they have? What do they do for fun and where do they do it? How old are they? Are they married? Do they have children? While not an exhaustive list, these questions give you an idea of the sorts of things that you should be asking in order to narrow down your ideal customers.

Some people can be wary of this step as they see it as excluding potential customers, but the reality is that you will not be able to afford to market to every type of customer at once. You will get a better return on investment from directing your marketing and product at a focused group.

2. Assessing costs

Another thing to take into consideration is the financial aspect of starting a business. While there are more economical ways of running a business, particularly with the online selling options available, you will still need enough starting capital to market effectively and to have initial stock ready to be sold. Research costs for all aspects of your business, stock, marketing, branding and label design, formulation and potentially costs of certifications all need to be considered. Have a look at our blog on “How much does it cost to start a supplement company” for more detail.

While it can be difficult to know exactly how much your supplement will cost before having it fully formulated, it can be really useful to know how much you are willing to spend. Take into account the price point and profit margins that you would like to achieve. Letting your manufacturer know the cost price that you are hoping to reach can help to speed up the process.

3. Establishing your product

You should have a fairly good idea of the sort of product that your target market will be interested in by this point and the sort of price point that you are hoping to reach. Now you need to finalise your product to know what you are marketing and can begin the promotion process.

Supplements can be extremely complex. Thousands of ingredients with benefits and health claims attached to each, some proven, some not. On top of this myriad of choices comes the logistics of your delivery method. From powders, capsules, gummies, tablets, liquids and more, the options for delivering your desired supplementary ingredients are extensive. Once you have decided this initial point, there will be further things to consider. What size capsule would you like to use for a capsule product, and how much will fit into that capsule? Will your supplement fit?

The key is to have a specific idea of what your customers should experience and how your supplement benefits them. Be clear on your most important ingredients and the quantities you would like to include (this will take some research). It also helps to be sure of your chosen delivery method. If you lay out specifics, a good manufacturer can assist you with technical problems like capsule capacity.

Do you need to hire a formulator?

With such a wide variety of ingredients on the market, each with their own properties and interactions with other ingredients, we strongly recommend that you consult with a registered nutritionist for the formulation of your supplement. If you have a qualification then you can put together a formula that’s safe for consumption and beneficial to consume. However, you may not possess such a qualification, or have access to someone who is willing to do it for you. There are many professionals who will offer the service of formulating supplements for you, at a cost. If you are unsure about whether you need a formulator, our helpful guide covers the topic in depth.

4. What legislation do you need to know to start a supplement company in the UK?

Food supplements are regulated as food rather than medicine in the UK, but businesses must still comply with detailed requirements covering food safety, ingredients, manufacturing, labelling, allergens and nutrition and health claims. Having said that, there are still regulations that you need to meet for supplements to be legally compliant. The specifics of these regulations can change for different countries. Be sure to check what the local ruling is for the area that you would like to be selling in.

Make sure to study accepted health claims for your ingredients. Additionally, research if any of the ingredients that you are using are classed as “Novel Food”, “medicinal” or “traditional herbal remedies”.

For more information on these categories, and others, check out our guide.

5. Manufacturing

Once you ensure your formula is legally compliant and formulated with the desired effects, you need to have it made. While you can produce supplements yourself, you may need to conduct an audit of the packing space. It is often easier and more efficient to outsource this to a supplement manufacturing company. There are many companies, like G&G, who supply supplement manufacture as a service so you need to find one that suits your needs. Firstly you want to speak to them about your desired delivery method as this affects the required training and machinery. You also want to think about requirements that you would like for your product. If you want your product to be officially listed as Organic, Halal, or Vegan, certain manufacturers can provide certification for the relevant bodies. You need to make sure that your manufacturer meets inspection standards to display the badge on your label.

It’s also important to consider quality when picking a manufacturer as there is significant variation in the quality of ingredients from different suppliers. A high quality manufacturer will often use higher quality, traceable ingredients, but may also have a higher price point attached. Conversely, a lower quality of ingredient may come at a cheaper price, but end up with a less effective product.

Additives

You also need to consider excipients or additives which many manufacturers will include to speed up the manufacturing process. These are extra ingredients which aren’t necessarily beneficial to the user, but are included to ease or expedite manufacturing. G&G Vitamins is an example of a manufacturer who does not include excipients in the products that they manufacture. Consequently, G&G is a great choice for businesses looking to promote quality and a “clean label” as selling points.

Speak with the manufacturer and ask questions to make sure that you understand everything that is going on. A good manufacturer will be able to provide information on ingredients from the Certificate of Analysis (CoA). All ingredients should come with a CoA to prove that they are what they claim to be and include the metal content and country of origin of the ingredient.

Once you have finalised details of production, place your order and proceed to the next step while you wait for manufacture.

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6. Branding

Branding is key for any company as it is one of the ways that your customers will recognise your product. While packaging and logos often spring to mind when branding is mentioned, they are not the only aspects of branding. They are merely a part of the branding process which helps you to attract the right customers to your product.

Think about what your company stands for and the values that you created it under. These are the core of the company and your products and should be at the core of your branding too. If you have a company that is promoting itself as being extremely environmentally friendly, but presents products in packaging that is not recyclable then your potential customers will be less trusting of your message and may look elsewhere instead.

While packaging and logos are not the entirety of branding, they are a key part and you need to make sure that the look of your product fits with the values of your company too. We recommend that you consult with a professional graphic designer with experience in the supplement industry. Your branding should clearly portray your brand to customers so they can pick your products out of a range easily. You will also need to have the labels printed, and should look for a specialist supplement label printing business. Many of these companies can help you with designs and legality too. For questions about required label information, consult the HFMA for guidance and their label checking service.

7. Selling method

We have talked a lot about the product itself so far, rather than how you would like to sell it. With the rise of the digital age, many retailers are moving towards online selling through their own websites or platforms like Amazon. While this is a great option for many, you need to make sure it is correct for you before committing. There are still a great many consumers who buy their supplements from brick and mortar shops. For example, some pick them up at the supermarket with their weekly shop or from a local gym after a workout.

Your selling method does not need to be exclusive. Plenty of brands sell their supplements online as well as in stores, and may have other methods of distribution too. Consider your target market and where they typically shop for supplements to effectively place your products in their path.

8. Marketing

While there is a strong connection, marketing and branding are not the same thing. You use branding to set out the values of your company for current and potential customers. Marketing is how you get that branding seen by the right people.

There are a plethora of marketing methods at your disposal and each of them has their own benefits. However, as with everything, you need to relate your marketing strategy back to your target market. You need to place your product in sight of your target audience. For example, if you are advertising a beauty supplement which is aimed at young people, then it is likely that a great deal of your target market will use social media and places such as Instagram and TikTok could be ideal places to market. However, what if you designed your product to help older adults with their joints? Only a fraction of your market is on Instagram and TikTok, so they may not be your best advertising platforms.

Speak to your target market to discover where they will see your product, and how it appeals to them. With this information, you can frame your products attractively for customers at frequently visited locations.

9. Pricing

It is also important to consider your price point as this can have a significant impact on your marketing. We do not recommend you try and compete for cheap products with big companies as a new business. Since they make large orders to meet customer demand, they will get a lower price than you can compete with. Instead, try and work in a niche and appeal to customers with high quality rather than price. Focus your marketing on these reasons and how your supplement will solve the problems that your target market are facing.

10. Prepare for launch

Conclusion

Follow these guidelines and keep true to your company values throughout the process, to position yourself to succeed in this highly popular industry. You can find your niche in supplement ingredients and attract loyal customers by creating a quality product and marketing effectively.

We would love to hear from you about your supplement and answer questions that you have about the manufacturing process. Contact us on 01342 311401 or  fill out a Contact Form today!

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