Private Label Supplements: Why We Don't Put Our Name On Them

We are often asked why we don’t have our name on a line of products, like many health food stores, online retailers, pharmacies, grocery stores, doctors' offices, and websites do. The answer is transparency. We believe that the company that makes your supplements and the ingredients that go into them should not be hidden from you.

What are private label supplements?

Private label (also known as white label) is a process where one manufacturer produces the same product for multiple stores or companies, which then apply their own labels and branding to the product. This is very different from custom-formulating or making a unique product. Nearly all (>95%) store-brand supplements (found in grocery stores, online retailers, pharmacies, and doctors' offices, among other places) are private-label.

In making our Farm to Bottle Project, we wanted you to be able to trace a product back to where it was grown and made. You want to know where your food comes from, farm to table, so why not the same for your supplements? With private-label supplements, it is nearly impossible to see where all of this took place. White-label and private-label supplements are the exact opposite of the transparency that we strive for. 

Examples of private label supplements

Many companies and stores present their private label supplements as though they are unique, made just for them, and significantly better than those on the market. If the same product is made for numerous other stores, how unique is it?

Private label is the exact opposite of transparency. While I might be able to identify who is private-labeling a company's products fairly quickly, having examined tens of thousands of labels over the years, the average person does not have the same level of experience to do so. You have to rely on the store to tell you, and they could say anything they want. 

By law, they are required to test each batch they sell, not just accept the manufacturer's testing information, but almost none of them do. Private labeling can foster brand loyalty, but it does not guarantee the quality of the product. Many of the stores lack staff with experience in supplement quality control and manufacturing, so they don't know if their private label products were manufactured and tested correctly.

If we want to be as transparent as possible (and we do), private and white-label supplements are not an option. It would be easy to buy some pre-made products, slap our label on them, and tell a nice story, but we're not in the business of storytelling. It certainly is more profitable. With any of our products, you can easily contact the manufacturer directly and obtain the information for yourself; you don't have to accept our word or go through a complicated process to get real information. 

Why do stores sell private-label supplements?

There are several reasons a brand may opt for private or white-label products. These are the main ones.

1. Branding and Advertising

   1. Every day, you are taking one of their products, so you see their company name, which reinforces the brand.

2. Cost:

   1. Usually, but not always, the cost will be lower than the national brand, or the profit margin will be higher.

3. Competition

   1. If the product is private labeled, you must get it from that store, and it locks you in.​

   
   

None of those benefits you. They are all done to benefit the business and promote brand loyalty. Yes, we are a business. We have bills to pay and mouths to feed, like everyone else, but we want to do business in a way that benefits you most, not our profit margins.

The next time a store tries to convince you that their products are unique or better because they have their name on them, think twice; odds are, it's just some other company's products they slapped their label on, and hundreds or thousands of stores have those same identical products. 

Private label supplements questions and support

If you have questions about white label and private-label supplements, feel free to email us at info@rooted-nutrition.com, and we will be happy to answer them.