Turnkey co-packing: we source your ingredients, and you own every pound.
Don't have suppliers yet? Our Chief Procurement Officer has 15 years in ingredient sourcing. We find the ingredients, explain the differences between grades and suppliers, and buy to your spec. Everything we buy for your runs is yours, including what's left over from a supplier's minimum.
Quick answer: North Lakes Copacking offers turnkey co-packing: we source raw materials for your runs, then blend, fill and ship. You own all raw material we buy for you. If a supplier's minimum is 40 lb and your run uses 18 lb, you're billed for all 40 and the other 22 lb is set aside as yours. Sourcing is 15% of the materials we buy. We help brands grow; we don't sit on ingredients.
How does turnkey ingredient sourcing work?
- Spec. You give us the formula and what each ingredient needs to be: form, grade, potency, certifications, allergen status.
- Source. Our Chief Procurement Officer finds suppliers and options, with pricing and the supplier's minimum order quantity (MOQ).
- Explain. You hear what actually differs between the options, such as particle size, carrier, potency, origin and documentation, so you choose on facts, not a price list.
- Approve and pay. You approve each ingredient and quantity, and pay for the materials before we order. We don’t order ingredients on credit. Every ingredient, its supplier price and our 15% sourcing fee are itemized on your quote.
- Receive and release. Ingredients are received against spec with COAs and tested as your product type requires.
Who owns the leftover ingredients?
You do. Ingredient suppliers sell in minimums, not in the exact amount your run needs. Whatever we buy for your product is your raw material.
| Example | Amount |
|---|---|
| Supplier minimum order | 40 lb |
| Your run uses | 18 lb |
| You're billed for | 40 lb |
| Set aside as yours | 22 lb |
The extra goes toward your next run or ships to you. We don't keep leftover ingredients or fold them into our margins. Some co-packers do; we don't.
Why use a co-packer's sourcing instead of buying your own?
- Experience. 15 years of ingredient sourcing means knowing which suppliers deliver to spec, on time, with real documentation.
- Education. You learn why one collagen, electrolyte salt or vitamin form costs more than another, and whether it matters for your product.
- One schedule. Ingredients arrive timed to your production date, not sitting in your garage.
- Supplement paperwork handled. For dietary supplements we still identity-test every dietary ingredient lot under 21 CFR 111, whoever bought it.
Prefer to buy your own? That's the default, and often cheapest. Many brands mix the two: their own hero ingredient, our sourcing for the rest. More in ingredient sourcing for supplement brands and pre-blended vs. bulk ingredients.
Do you source packaging film too?
Yes, on request. Film is printed to your artwork, so it's yours the same way. If you'd rather order it yourself, send our roll stock film specification (PDF) to your printer.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer turnkey co-packing?
Yes. We source ingredients and, on request, film, then blend, fill and ship. Tick “North Lakes sources them (turnkey)” on the quote form.
Who owns ingredients you buy for my product?
You do, all of it, including anything left over from a supplier's minimum order. It's set aside for your next run or shipped to you.
What does turnkey sourcing cost?
15% of the materials we buy for you, on top of the supplier's price. Every ingredient, its supplier price and the fee are itemized on your quote.
Why am I billed for the full supplier minimum?
Because the supplier bills us for it, and it's your product's ingredient. You get the leftover material; we don't keep it.
Can I supply some ingredients and have you source the rest?
Yes. Choose “A mix” on the quote form.
Related reading
- Ingredient Sourcing for Supplement Brands — What to Know Before Your First Run
- Pre-Blended vs. Bulk Ingredients — Which Is Cheaper for Your Supplement Run?
- What Is a Certificate of Analysis?
- Why Your Supplement Ingredients Will Sit in Quarantine (And How to Prevent It)
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