Most manufacturer websites look the same. These are the ten checks that actually separate a plant you can rely on from one that will cost you a recall.
1. See the certificate, not the logo
WHO-GMP is the baseline for nutraceutical manufacturing. Any plant can put a logo on a website. Ask for the actual certificate with the validity date and the products it covers. The same applies to FSSAI, Halal, Kosher and any US FDA claim.
2. Understand what US FDA claims mean
There is a real difference between US FDA compliant (the plant is built and run to those standards), US FDA registered (a filing) and US FDA approved (which applies to individual drug products, not supplement factories). A manufacturer who blurs these three is telling you something about how they handle other claims too.
3. Visit the plant
Nothing on paper replaces walking the floor. Look at raw material storage, whether sampling happens in a proper area, how batch records are kept, and whether the plant is running the day you visit. A manufacturer confident in their facility will welcome the visit.
4. Ask about dosage form range
A manufacturer with tablets, capsules, softgels, gummies, powders and liquids under one roof means you can extend your range later without qualifying a new supplier each time.
5. Check the R&D capability
Ask whether they can improve an existing formula, not just copy one. Flavour masking, stability and cost optimisation are where a real R&D team earns its place.
6. Get the MOQ in writing, per form
MOQ is set by batch value, so it differs by product. Vague answers here usually mean a surprise later. Ask specifically for your dosage form and your target price point.
7. Confirm the Certificate of Analysis
Every batch should come with a COA showing batch number, manufacturing date, expiry and test results. If you ever face a customer complaint or a regulatory query, this document is your defence.
8. Settle formula ownership before R&D starts
If you pay for custom development, agree in writing who owns the resulting formula. Doing this after the product succeeds is far harder.
9. Ask who handles artwork and statutory content
Licence number, manufacturer address, batch details and category declarations must be correct on the pack. A manufacturer who verifies artwork before printing is protecting you, because printing errors on statutory content cannot be fixed after the fact.
10. Look at delivery track record, not promises
Ask how many orders they have delivered and what their standard lead time is. A plant that quotes 15 days for a custom formulation is either exceptional or not being straight with you. Realistic is 30 to 45 days.
Lavanya Healthcare Limited manufactures from a WHO-GMP certified, US FDA compliant unit in Derabassi, Punjab, with Halal and Kosher certification, over 2,800 formulations and 5,05,000+ order deliveries completed since 2008. See our certifications or call +91 75087 19141.