As a pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturer, you are aware of the immense value capsules hold as the delivery system for your products.
From masking the smell and taste of unpleasant formulations to high performance in encapsulating machines, capsules check all boxes on the criteria list of top brands in the industry.
You ask - How do you choose the best quality empty capsule that meets your products' needs? Or how do you get the best deals when purchasing? These are the primary concerns of all manufacturers that want the best for their businesses.
In this article, we share four practical steps to smart purchasing of bulk empty capsules, to guide you on getting the best outcomes for your brand.
1. Understand your product completely
This first step is critical and cannot be skipped, especially if you are buying bulk empty capsules for a new product or rebranding. Having a full grasp of your product details – the composition, nature of ingredients, and marketing goals for the finished forms – will enable you to choose the most suitable capsule type for your product.
Technical details such as the fill properties (e.g.physical properties, like bulk density and flow properties, and chemical behavior like hygroscopicity, moisture sensitivity, acid sensitivity, etc.) down to the packaging material for the finished products are important to know.
For example, you might go for a HPMC capsule, instead of a hard gelatin capsule, if your ingredients are hygroscopic. Or you might choose a delayed-release capsule if the formulation is acidic or sensitive to gut acids. The formulation density can determine the size of the capsules needed (there are about 10 different sizes) to get a uniform product. More so, if you are using moisture-sensitive ingredients, your primary packaging material might be made of glass or aluminum foil. Similarly, if your final product entails holding many hard gelatin capsules together in a single space, you may choose a plastic container with a desiccant to prevent clumping.
Getting it right at this stage sets the tone for success in the subsequent steps.
2. Consider your consumer preferences
It is important to select the appropriate empty capsule based on the product properties, as well as the target demands.
Understanding your consumer's preferences can influence the type and finer details of the capsules you will eventually adopt. For example, whether a clear or colored empty capsule.
While a sports nutrition company might choose the blue-green or black-red colored capsule for a muscle performance product; a vitamin brand might choose a more natural approach with a full green chlorophyll-colored capsule for their powders or clear-natural capsules if showing the ingredients is not an issue.
Pharmacies might opt for colored gelatin hard capsules for over-the-counter dispensing and to help color code for patients.
An organic supplement brand manufacturer might prefer titanium dioxide-free vegetarian capsules or capsules pigmented with natural colorants to meet the 'clean-label' demands of their customers.
Furthermore, consumers' preferences may determine the certifications to check for among potential suppliers of your capsules. Aside from seeking vegetarian capsules to cater to consumers with dietary and religious restrictions from animal products, certifications like Halal, Kosher, and Non-GMO might be relevant to your target market.
3. Consult a reputable capsule manufacturer
That is probably the most crucial step in the process. After perfecting the earlier steps, you should approach a reputable capsule manufacturer or supplier that can meet the demand for your production and guarantee quality.
Perhaps you are thinking, how do you identify a reputable manufacturer/supplier? The answer is to look at the details, not just the front.
Reputable manufacturers of empty capsules have a track record of excellence in the industry. They possess all necessary licenses and certifications to produce and market capsules, including the current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) approval and quality control results for product batches. More importantly, they must demonstrate the capacity to provide the amounts of capsules and specifications you need. Here is a list of basic certifications you should consider: gluten-free, Non-GMO, CGMP, and ISO certifications.
Some manufacturers also offer consultancy services to help you make decisions on capsule choices. They run a responsive help desk to resolve customer's requests and complaints throughout each buying decision.
They would also have a transparent and seamless logistics arrangement that offers shipping and delivery convenience to customers.
4. Leverage coupons and discounts where available
Before finalizing the purchasing order for your empty capsules, ensure that you are satisfied with the terms and conditions of the contract with the supplier or manufacturer.
Purchasing empty capsules in bulk has significant advantages in economics and convenience. For example, you save up to 36% of the cost when you buy in bulk at Capsule Depot compared to buying in smaller units.
You may also request further options to get a discount, based on a promo, coupon, or the size of the order you are placing.
Capsule Depot, for instance, offers several discount options based on the quantity and types of capsules being purchased.
You can save a lot of money if you explore these options carefully.
