Here’s Why Global Healing Doesn’t Use Contract Manufacturers
When you pick up a bottle of supplements, you might assume that the brand selling it also made the product. But in most cases, that’s not what’s happening.
Many supplement companies rely on contract manufacturers (CM), which are third-party facilities that can handle everything from sourcing and formulation to production and packaging. The practice can either be a smart, efficient way to produce high-quality products – or a hands-off way for brands to cut corners for the sake of saving money.
As someone who cares about what you put in your body, you deserve to know how this process works, why so many brands rely on it, and – most importantly – how it can affect the quality and safety of your supplements.
This article will give you the information you need to make confident, informed decisions when shopping for health and wellness products.
What Is Contract Manufacturing?
Contract manufacturing happens in nearly every industry. Simply put, it’s the practice of outsourcing production to a third-party organization that has the capacity and expertise to manufacture goods on a large scale.
There are three main methods of contract manufacturing:
- Private Labeling – The manufacturer has pre-made formulas that any brand can pay to use and put their labels on. (This means more than one brand is selling the exact same formula while marketing them differently and charging different prices.)
- Custom Formulation – The brand brings a specific formula to the manufacturer, often working collaboratively to refine and produce it. Brands have more control here, and their formula will likely be unique, but quality is ultimately up to the CM.)
- Full-Service CM – The manufacturer handles everything – sourcing, formulation, production, packaging – and delivers a ready-to-sell product. The brand could be completely hands-off and have no real oversight into production quality. Reputable brands will use a strict vetting process when selecting their CM to ensure it operates with integrity.
Why Do Supplement Brands Use Contract Manufacturers?
Outsourcing manufacturing to a third party can be a very practical business decision for supplement brands of any size.
New or Small Brands Can Get Products On Shelves
Instead of investing in all the manufacturing equipment, staff, licensing, packaging, and so on, the company pays a flat rate for someone else to handle everything. Because the contract manufacturer is already set up for production, the brand can get its products on the market quickly.
Fast-Growing Business Can Keep Up with Demand
It can also be a strategic move for brands that are selling faster than they can produce. Switching to a well-equipped contract manufacturer means they can scale production to meet demand, add more products to their line, and focus on distribution deals.
Big Companies Can Produce More for Less
For the most well-known supplement companies – the ones you see in nearly every store – contract manufacturing helps them keep overhead low and output high. They outsource to production powerhouses that are optimized for speed and volume.
How Can Contract Manufacturing Impact Quality?
When a supplement brand hands over manufacturing to a third party, they’re potentially outsourcing control over the aspects that determine a product’s safety, potency, and effectiveness.
Unless the brand is actively involved in every step of the process, there’s a lot that can go wrong.
Low-Quality Ingredients
Ingredient quality is often determined by the supplement brand’s budget. They will let their CM know what they want to spend, and the CM will source accordingly. Some will use premium, traceable ingredients, while others will go with whatever is cheapest on the global market.
The risk: Possible substitution with low-grade alternatives, using fillers (like maltodextrin) to bulk up weight and volume, or buying from questionable sources with contamination risks (heavy metals, pesticides, solvent residues, etc.).
Inconsistent Formulas
If a brand or its CM doesn’t have strict quality control measures in place, there may be variability from one production run to the next. The problem is that the label will stay the same, and you’ll never know that the formula is off.
The risk: You may not be getting the amount of active ingredients listed on the label. Your supplement could be overdosed with nutrients or completely ineffective.
Cross-Contamination
Residues from previous runs can contaminate the next product if a CM doesn’t follow proper cleaning and allergen control protocols. This is especially worrisome in shared facilities where multiple brands are being manufactured on the same equipment.
The risk: Trace amounts of gluten, soy, dairy, or other allergens can end up in your supplement even if it’s labeled “free from.” A serious issue for people with allergies or sensitivities.
Minimal Testing
Testing adds cost, and not all brands are willing to pay for it. Some CMs only perform the bare minimum in-house testing that’s required of them, while leaving it up to the brand to request third-party verification or more rigorous testing.
The risk: Supplements could contain the wrong ingredients, improper dosages, or be contaminated with microbes, heavy metals, fillers, or other harmful compounds.
How Does In-House Manufacturing Compare?
Owning the manufacturing process from start to finish gives a brand complete oversight over the things that matter most: ingredient sourcing, equipment sanitation, formulation accuracy, batch consistency, and testing protocols. Nothing is left to chance.
In-house manufacturing isn’t the industry norm because it takes commitment, infrastructure, and a long-term vision. But for brands that truly believe in the power of their products (and respect the people who use them), it’s the most powerful way to ensure quality, from raw material to finished bottle.
Global Healing’s In-House Manufacturing
Global Healing didn’t want to guess what was happening behind the scenes. We wanted to know. Instead of outsourcing production to a third party, we built our own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility – a space we designed from the ground up to meet the highest standards in the supplement industry.
✓ We source traceable ingredients directly from trusted, sustainable suppliers we’ve vetted ourselves.
✓ We test every batch multiple times for identity, purity, and potency.
✓ We manufacture in small, controlled batches in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), USDA Organic, Kosher-certified facility.
✓ We innovate and problem-solve faster because we’re not waiting on a third party to make the moves.
In-house manufacturing gives us something contract manufacturing never could: complete confidence in what we’re creating and Pure Transparency for our customers.
You deserve to know exactly what you’re putting into your body, where it comes from, and how it’s made. If you have questions, ask us. Our Customer Success Team is here to give you real answers. No runarounds. No vague claims. Just Pure Transparency. (Se habla Español).
Dr. Edward Group, DC
FOUNDER | HEALER | ADVOCATEDr. Group, DC is a healer and alternative health advocate, and an industry leader and innovator in the field of natural health who is dedicated to helping others. He is a registered doctor of chiropractic (DC), a naturopathic practitioner (NP), and proud alum of Harvard Business School and MIT Sloan School of Management. Dr. Group, DC is the founder of Global Healing – a mission and vision he has shared through best-selling books and frequent media appearances. He aims to spread his message of positivity, hope, and wellness throughout the world.
