While a flexible vendor is ideal, testing and GMPs (good manufacturing practices) are a must for private labels. By now, most dietary supplement companies must follow GMP guidelines published by FDA in June 2007. Companies with fewer than 20 employees still have until June 2010 to meet all requirements. GMPs require manufacturers, processors and packagers take proactive steps to ensure their products are safe, pure and effective. These regulations address recordkeeping, personnel qualifications, sanitation, cleanliness, equipment verification, process validation and complaint handling.
GMP certification offers some assurance to retailers and consumers who want to use private label brands, but some store owners may want to push for further third-party audits and in-house testing. “Retailers should be asking their manufacturers if they are third-party audited and certified for GMPs,” Silva said. “They should question the ingredients and potencies on the labels and confirm the structure/function statements are valid and not making unsubstantiated claims.” She stated retailers can also be assured by private label suppliers that are certified by large organizations, such as the Natural Products Association or Quality Assurance International (QAI).
Russell advised retailers to ask for a list of ingredient suppliers, an assurance the company uses an extensive collection of standard operating procedures (SOPS), independent lab tests and GMP certifications. “If they are withholding any of these, beware,” she said.
To ensure products are high quality, Fiume tells retailers to, “Ask questions. Examine their list of raw material suppliers. Know and understand how they manufacture. Do they batch test and retain the results? Do they conduct independent laboratory assays? Know how their facility is inspected and/or what protocols are in place or ensure manufacturing processes support quality.”
Jason Provenzano, executive vice president, Nutricap Labs, noted the company has a number of quality control (QC) steps in place. “We only purchase raw materials from reputable distributors,” he said. “If any materials test untrue, we blacklist that vendor immediately. We administer microbial testing, fingerprinting, HPLC gas chromatography testing, and heavy metal testing. We inspect every capsule and tablet by hand prior to bottling.” Besides asking for the certificate of analysis, he said retailers can take further steps to ensure quality. “If there are any doubts, randomly test the product with an outside source,” he said.
And Cheryl Hughes, owner of Whole Wheatery, a natural products store in Lancaster, CA, said, they made sure their private label suppler carried proper liability coverage before making a commitment, in case any problems should arise. Further still, “If you can go to their facility, go,” Hughes said. “Check their receiving and packaging methods.”
Dunn said Nuvite made retailer visits a part of company procedures. “At Nuvite, we have an open-door policy, which allows any of our customers to stop by our 132,000-square-foot facility unannounced to take a tour and confirm the fitness of our facility,” he said. “Programs like the open-door policy give customers a little extra peace of mind, knowing that they can stop in any time and see that we maintain a clean and safe manufacturing facility.”