The UK’s food supplement sector is now a core part of the health routine for millions with around 70% of adults taking supplements, and one in three using them daily (HFMA, 2021). Demand is showing no sign of abating with the UK market currently worth about £3.3 billion and expected to top £5 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2024). Much of this growth is being driven by protein powders, creatine, sports blends and gut health powders, with single-serve packaging, pouches and sustainability promises dominating buying choices. New brands keep appearing, but plenty disappear too and the difference comes down to understanding what really goes into launching a compliant, well-packed product that customers actually trust.
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Some first-time supplement brands start with a cost-effective white label solution. This means using a pre-formulated powder or capsule blend made by an established manufacturer. You can then apply umayour own labels to a finished and packaged solution. Minimum order quantities for white label supplements are usually realistic at around 25kg of finished product such as a simple protein, gut health or greens powder.
Most companies start with a preformulated blend and a private label service which enables them to have fully customised and printed packaging. Suppliers will generally supply all of the nutritional information for you, but you won’t know the specific formula of your product. Typically this starts at around 75kgs of finished product, which would equate to 500 x 150g pouches.
The alternative is a custom formulation that can take longer to get right and costs more with specialist NPD required. If you want to develop a new blend with higher protein content, added adaptogens, or a unique probiotic strain, expect expensive lab work, more compliance checks and larger minimums.
Depending on what route you decide on, prices can range anywhere from £1,500 to £12,000 to get your finished packaged product ready for marketing.
Once you know your product, you need to package it properly. Pouches are now the standard for sports nutrition powders and functional blends for a reason. They’re much lighter than tubs and jars, more cost-effective for transportation, and easier to customise to your exact serving size.
For the majority of products we come across, printed stand up pouches are the most practical solution. They’re custom made to fit your products weight, barrier needs and shelf presentation and can be purchased in small quantities.
A typical minimum order quantity for SPS Pouches is 1,000 pouches, however we can start at lower quantities when required. For startup volumes, digital pouch printing keeps you flexible. No plates, no cylinders, faster turnaround. If you’re after short runs under 5,000 pouches, digital printing is usually the best option. Some larger brands move to gravure once they have finalised their nutritional information between batches. You can read how both methods stack up in our digital vs gravure printing guide.
If you plan single-serve sachets for on-the-go pre-workouts or hydration powders, you should be aware that this can add a layer of cost and complication. The main sachet formats available are preformed stick-packs, three-side seal sachets and form-fill-seal solutions which each have different co-packing minimums and processes.
It’s important to note that supplements can be sensitive to UV, moisture and oxygen so you need to choose the right materials for your packaging. If for example you have gone for a low cost or super eco-friendly solution and your creatine ends up clumping together, then you’ve already destroyed your reputation before you got started.
Most reliable supplement pouches use a multilayer film with a barrier like aluminium to remove the risk of air and moisture getting into your product. For brands that also want to make recyclability claims we offer specifically designed mono-material pouches that are designed for recyclability.
Mono-material films are improving but aren’t always practical for powders that need serious barrier layers. One option is to use a mono-material film with EVOH for a better balance between protection and recycling (see our mono-materials guide).
Most new supplement brands underestimate three things.
The UK treats supplements as food, not medicine. That sounds simple, but it comes with strict rules. Every claim on your packaging must match the actual nutrition profile. If you get it wrong, Trading Standards can delist your product or force a relabel. Ashwagandha, for example, is under review for safety in the UK (NutraIngredients, 2025). We always recommend that supplement business get compliance advice upfront, then finalise the label design only once everything is signed off. The FSA’s guide is a good start, but generally it’s better to consult with a regulations specialist during the design phase.
Custom pouches aren’t held in stock and digital printing can take 3–4 weeks from sign-off to delivery. If your packaging design isn’t ready or you keep tweaking your claims, we are unable to get started with production. Waiting for a contract packing slot can 12 weeks alone, so make sure to get the full timeline mapped out with all of your suppliers early on.
Buying cheap generic pouches from a random online supplier is how people lose money and things go wrong. Poor sealing and the wrong barrier can destroy your product shelf life and it’s important to ensure everything is certified as food-grade and made to suit your products. A good pouch supplier should act as a partner, flagging what you’ve overlooked and pointing you to reputable co-packers and fillers if you don’t have them lined up yet.
Here's a breakdown of the generic steps to launch your supplements business
If you’re planning to launch a supplement brand in 2025, don’t waste time and budget on avoidable problems.
At SPS Pouches, we work with established supplement manufacturers and co-packers that know the process inside out. We integrate with them to ensure you receive the correct supplement pouches for your products. Our experience in this industry make it easy for brands to move from tubs to stand-up pouches, develop single-serve sachets and navigate realistic MOQs for startups that match their situation.
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We offer free expert advice and support for anyone who needs product packaging, and we’d love to hear about your project and help find the right pouch for you.
If you have any enquiries concerning our pouch packaging, or would simply like to get in touch with our team, you can use the contact form or details below.
