Supplement formats we manufacture
British VitaTech is a UK contract manufacturer that makes custom gummies, capsules, tablets, softgels, powders, sachets and stick packs, liquids, drinks, coffee and tea, bars, gum, pouches and cosmetics for wellness brands, all in-house in Leicester.
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Every supplement format we develop and manufacture
As a UK contract manufacturer, we develop and make the supplement formats below for wellness brands, every one in-house in Leicester, from microgram doses in a gummy or a drop to gram doses of creatine and protein in a stick pack or a shake. One team manages every project from brief to finished product. British VitaTech is ISO 9001, HACCP and GMP certified by BSI, and FDA registered. Capsules, gummies, pouches and liquids are GMP certified, named in our HACCP and GMP certificate, and every other format is made in the same Leicester facility. Every batch is tested by accredited partner laboratories as part of every order. Your formula is yours, whichever format it takes.
- Gummy manufacturing: pectin and gelatine gummies, including reduced-sugar recipes, made in-house and GMP certified, plus soft chews and functional chocolate made in Leicester.
- Powder and drink mix manufacturing: tubs and pouches for protein, creatine, electrolytes, greens and collagen, made in-house in Leicester.
- Sachet and stick pack manufacturing: single-serve powders for dosing on the move, made in-house in Leicester.
- Liquid supplement and shot manufacturing: drops, tinctures, oils, oral sprays and shots, with liquids inside our HACCP and GMP certification.
- Functional drinks: ready-to-drink formulas for energy, calm, gut health and hydration, made in Leicester.
- Protein and energy drinks: ready-to-drink protein shakes and caffeinated energy drinks, made in Leicester.
- Functional coffee and tea: instant coffee, tea and matcha blends carrying protein, collagen or mushroom extracts, made in Leicester.
- Liposomal supplements: phospholipid-encapsulated liquids and powders, made in Leicester and positioned on absorption only where the data support it.
- Effervescent tablets: hydration and vitamin tablets that dissolve in water, made in Leicester.
- Functional pouch manufacturing: caffeine, energy and nootropic pouches, made in-house and GMP certified.
- Capsule and tablet manufacturing: plant and gelatine capsules made in-house and GMP certified, plus tablets, chewables, orodispersible tablets and oral thin films made in Leicester.
- Softgels: oil-based actives such as omega-3, vitamin D and coenzyme Q10, made in Leicester.
- Protein bars and snacks: bars and bites built to protein and fibre targets, made in Leicester.
- Functional chewing gum: sugar-free gum carrying actives such as caffeine, made in Leicester.
- Cosmetic formats: creams, serums, lotions, balms, washes, masks and mists for skin, hair and body care, made in Leicester alongside our supplements.
How to choose a supplement format
Choose the format after the formula, not before it. Start from the dose your evidence needs, then test stability, taste and the routine your customer will keep. Our research and development team runs this assessment at the brief stage. R&D is a paid stage that can be included with an order of the right size.
Dose per serving
Gram-level doses decide the format. The authorised creatine claim on the GB and EU registers applies at 3 g a day. One scoop or stick pack delivers that easily, but a size 00 capsule holds just under 1 ml of powder (UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy), so the same dose takes several capsules. Protein, fibre, collagen and electrolytes follow the same logic and suit powders, sticks and drinks. Milligram and microgram actives, such as vitamin D, B12, folate and standardised botanical extracts, fit any format, including gummies, drops and pouches.
Stability
Water activity, heat and oxygen set shelf life. Capsules and powders are dry, but hygroscopic ingredients such as electrolytes and some extracts cake without a moisture barrier. Gummies are cooked, deposited hot and hold more water, so sensitive vitamins need overages and real-time stability data to keep the label accurate. Liquids need control of pH, preservation and headspace oxygen. Live cultures and omega-3 oils need extra care: cultures survive longest in dry formats, and oils need antioxidants, nitrogen flushing and light-protective packs. Under EU packaging rules, packs must meet recyclability design criteria from 2030 at the earliest (as of October 2026), so we design sticks and pouches in mono-material films wherever the barrier allows.
Taste and texture
Capsules and tablets hide taste; powders, liquids, gummies and pouches put it in the mouth. Minerals such as magnesium, zinc and iron, bitter botanicals, amino acids and caffeine all need work, from sweetener and acid balance to encapsulated actives. Our flavour development and taste masking starts at the first bench sample, because in every non-pill format taste drives repeat use.
Adherence and pill fatigue
Fewer doses a day means better adherence, and the firmest data come from medicines. A systematic review of 76 studies of prescribed medicines, measured by electronic monitoring, found adherence of 79% for once-daily dosing against 51% for four doses a day (Claxton and colleagues, Clinical Therapeutics, 2001). Supplements are not medicines, but the routine logic carries over: a single stick, shot or gummy serving fits a day more easily than a six-capsule regimen, which is why multi-capsule formulas are often rebuilt as powders or sticks. Nutrition Business Journal data show non-pill formats rising from 37% of US supplement sales in 2013 to 56% in 2021, as reported by NutraIngredients in January 2026. Where customers already take capsules every day, cutting the capsule count can matter more than a change of format.
Formats by category
| Category | Formats that suit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sports nutrition | Powders, stick packs, capsules, gummies, bars, protein drinks | Gram doses of creatine, protein and electrolytes; mixability |
| Gut health | Capsules, powders, sachets | Live cultures need low moisture; fibres need gram doses |
| Healthy ageing | Capsules, softgels, powders | Multi-ingredient formulas and oil-based actives |
| Weight management and metabolic health | Powders, sachets, capsules | Protein and fibre at gram doses |
| Women's health | Capsules, gummies, powders | Life-stage blends, from iron to menopause formulas |
| Sleep, stress and mood | Gummies, capsules, liquids, drinks | Small doses taken as an evening routine |
| Beauty from within | Powders, liquids, gummies | Collagen at gram doses; taste-led daily use |
| Cognitive health and focus | Capsules, pouches, powders, gum, coffee | Caffeine and nootropic blends taken during the working day |
| Vitamins and everyday health | Gummies, capsules, tablets, drops, effervescent tablets | Small doses; choice by age and preference |
The legal category changes with the format
As of October 2026, a food supplement in GB and the EU is marketed in dose form, such as capsules, tablets, sachets of powder, ampoules of liquids or drop bottles (Directive 2002/46/EC). A ready-to-drink or a bar is usually regulated as a food, with different labelling and composition rules. In the US, FDA's January 2014 guidance on liquid dietary supplements classes a liquid as a conventional food when its name, packaging, serving size or marketing present it as a beverage. For UK drinks, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy is due to change in 2028 under draft legislation, so we design new recipes below the planned sugar threshold.
Every format starts with the ingredient: our ingredient library lists what we formulate with, A to Z. Bring us the dose, the market and the customer, and we will recommend the format. Start your project.
References: Nutrition Business Journal and Informa format data, via NutraIngredients (2026); SPINS, via Nutraceuticals World (2026); IQVIA France (2026); Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (2025); Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, creatine claim (2012); Claxton, Cramer and Pierce, Clinical Therapeutics (2001); Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements (2002); FDA guidance on liquid dietary supplements and beverages (2014).
Where this is going
To 2030
Up overall but uneven: powders and drinks gain, gummies mature
To 2036
Flat: non-pill formats become the norm
What to watch
Pill fatigue is not uniform; gummies and tablets are slowing
Questions brands ask
Which supplement formats do you make in-house?
We make every format in-house in Leicester: gummies and soft chews, capsules, tablets, softgels, powders, sachets and stick packs, liquids and oral sprays, functional pouches, effervescent tablets, liposomal formats, functional, protein and energy drinks, functional coffee and tea, protein bars, snacks and chewing gum, alongside cosmetics. One team manages every project from brief to finished product, and your formula is yours whichever format you choose.
Are your supplement formats GMP certified?
Capsules, gummies, pouches and liquids are GMP certified: our HACCP and GMP certificate from BSI names them. Powders, sachets, stick packs, tablets and every other format are made in the same Leicester facility. British VitaTech is ISO 9001, HACCP and GMP certified by BSI, and FDA registered as a food facility for dietary supplements. You can check our certificates on BSI's online directory.
How do I choose between a gummy, a powder and a capsule?
Start from the daily dose your evidence needs. Gram-level doses such as creatine, protein, fibre or collagen suit powders, stick packs and drinks, while milligram doses suit capsules, gummies and drops. Then weigh stability, taste and the routine your customer will keep, since one serving a day is easier to stick with than several. Our R&D team runs this assessment at the brief stage.
Can the same formula be made in more than one format?
Yes, but it is rarely a straight copy. Moving a capsule formula into a gummy changes the dose per piece, the overages needed for stability and the taste masking, while a powder needs flow and mixability work. We reformulate for each format and run stability studies so the label stays accurate through shelf life. Your formula is yours in every version.
Which supplement formats are growing fastest?
It depends on the market. SPINS recorded 7.1% growth for US gummies in the year to November 2025, ahead of tablets and capsules, while IQVIA France reports pharmacy gummies down 5% in 2025 and orodispersible tablets up 43%. Pill-like formats still hold nearly 34% of US sales in Informa's 2025 data. We make every one of these formats in Leicester, so your format follows your dose and your market.
Does the format change how my product is regulated?
Yes. In GB and the EU, a food supplement is marketed in dose form, such as capsules, tablets, sachets of powder or measured liquids, while a ready-to-drink or bar is usually regulated as a food. In the US, FDA classes a liquid presented as a beverage as a conventional food, not a dietary supplement. We confirm the legal category for each market before formulation.
Start your project
Tell us what you want to make. Every project starts with a conversation about your product, your customers and your markets.