For most supplement and sports nutrition companies, the manufacturing partner is key to the long-term success of your brand. The right nutritional powder manufacturer should help you scale your brand, maintain product quality and consistency, and be proactive during the development of new products.

But if you’re an established brand with a devoted customer base, and your current manufacturing partner can’t keep up with your needs, it may be time to find a new manufacturer to support your brand’s growth.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, it may be time to evaluate your relationship with your current manufacturer.

Production Delays are Becoming More Frequent

If production delays are consistent, it may be sign that your current manufacturer is having trouble keeping up. When deadlines are missed, the impact has waves that can result in retailers running out of stock of your product, expected product launches become delayed, customers become frustrated, and you can lose out on revenue.

The right partner will be able maintain timelines and meet deadlines, ensuring that your product is actively being manufactured, stores never run out, and that you won’t lose out on revenue or have a negative impact on growth.

Quality Inconsistency with Your Product

Consistency is one of the most important components of your products. Every container must deliver the same test, mouth feel, and nutritional yield. If you’re noticing that there’s varying flavor between batches, the mixability is starting to clump, and you’re receiving more customer complaints, it could indicate that your manufacturer has poor quality control systems, inconsistent ingredient sourcing, or a lackluster blending process.

Professional and reliable manufacturers are required to comply with a strict code for quality standards, specifically, meeting FDA 21 CFR 111 – cGMP’s for manufacturing, packaging and holding of dietary supplements that includes for example testing batches, controlled sourcing of ingredients, and production protocols. These parameters ensure that your product remains consistent in flavor, texture, and customer satisfaction. To confirm compliance, manufactures are typically 3^rd party certified by NSF and/or UL with annual Audits.

New Product Development is a Struggle

In a competitive market, developing new products is fundamental to success. Introducing new flavors, combinations, and nutritional focuses is a way to have a competitive edge. If your manufacturer is showing longer timelines for new formulations, having difficulty with crafting new flavors, and offers little-to-no guidance on formulation, it may be hurting your abilities to scale and innovate. An experienced manufacturer should act like a partner with helping you learn about new ingredients and flavor profiles.

Lack of Communication

If there are prolonged periods of silence, or an inability to answer basic questions, it may create issues in day-to-day operations. This can also affect the transparency around timelines, not getting necessary updates, or not being able to resolve problems quickly.

When communication fails, it can result in small issues becoming major operational challenges. Strong communication and transparency should be a priority of your manufacturer.

You’ve Outgrown Their Capacity

When your brand is growing, your manufacturer should be able to sustain that growth. As the demand for your products, as well as new ones, increases, your manufacturer should be able to scale with you. If you’re noticing increasing lead times, difficulty with accommodating larger orders, or limited abilities with packaging and ingredient sourcing, it may be time to move on.

Choosing a Nutritional Powder Manufacturer that Supports Growth

The right partner should be invested in your brand’s success and have the ability to scale while your brand grows. If there are more obstacles than opportunities with your current manufacturer, it may be time to look for a new partner that can align with the goals of your brand and provide you with a consistent product that’s delivered on time.

Looking for a new manufacturing partner? Let COMMAND Nutritionals help you. Contact us!