Capsules
BRCGS AA* capsule manufacturer, from 1,000 units
Vegan (HPMC) and gelatin capsules across sizes 00 to 3, powder-filled under BRCGS AA* controls. Finished retail-ready, with COAs, batch traceability, and Novel Foods authorisation where your formulation needs it.
Our Accreditations
Capability
In-house encapsulation, audited and traceable
Our encapsulation line handles powder-filled capsules in both vegetable cellulose (HPMC) and bovine gelatin shells, across sizes 00 through 3. Every batch runs under our BRCGS AA* audited QMS, with in-process weight checks against a tight tolerance and third-party release testing before despatch.
Fill weight is tuned per formulation. We've run single-active capsules at 100 mg through to dense herbal blends at 1,200 mg per capsule. For multi-active formulations we manage ingredient layering, flowability conditioning, and compaction where needed to maintain consistent dosing across a 500,000-unit batch.
Finished capsules leave here in your primary packaging (HDPE bottles, amber glass, blister packs, or pouches) with labels, tamper-evidence, cartons, and outers applied in-line. All production is fully documented, traceable to ingredient lot, and every batch ships with a Certificate of Analysis.
- Capsule sizes: 00, 0, 1, 2, 3
- HPMC (vegan) and gelatin shell options
- Fill weights from 100 mg to 1,200 mg per capsule
- Single-active, blended, and multi-layer capsule formats
- In-line bottling, labelling, and retail-ready pack finish
- Informed Sport capable production runs available
Format fit
Capsules are the right format if...
Capsules are the format of choice for brands that want precise per-serving dosing, easy retailer distribution, and a format consumers recognise and trust. They work across every supplement category we produce: vitamins, functional herbs, adaptogens, nootropics, sports nutrition, beauty-from-within.
Choose capsules over gummies when active load or precise dosing matters more than mouthfeel. Choose capsules over powders when convenience and portion control matter more than flexible serving size. Choose capsules over liquids when shelf life and distribution economics matter more than rapid onset.
Capsules are particularly good for Novel Foods-authorised actives. The opaque shell masks taste and the sealed format simplifies stability testing for botanicals and peptide actives.
- You need precise per-capsule dosing
- Your target market prefers swallowable formats
- Your formulation involves multiple actives or blends
- You want retail-ready packaging from day one
- You're targeting pharmacy, grocery, or DTC shelves
- You're working with novel or regulated ingredients (where Novel Foods matters)
What brands make with us
Typical capsule product types our manufacturing clients ship.
Vitamin & mineral complexes
Multi-vitamins, single-nutrient capsules (D3, B12, magnesium, zinc), and targeted stacks for men's, women's, and 50+ ranges. Typical fill weights 200 to 800 mg.
Functional herbal extracts
Standardised extracts: ashwagandha, rhodiola, turmeric, adaptogenic botanicals, traditional herbal extracts. Novel Foods status flagged during NPD where relevant.
Sports nutrition
Pre-workout capsules, recovery blends, endurance stacks, with Informed Sport capable production for elite and professional sport brands.
Cognitive & nootropic stacks
Multi-ingredient brain formulas, choline sources, amino acid blends, mitochondrial support capsules. Novel Foods review standard for nootropic actives.
Joint, skin & beauty
Collagen peptide capsules, hyaluronic acid, MSM, glucosamine, antioxidant combinations. Growing category for beauty-from-within retail.
Private-label bespoke capsules
Bespoke formulations under your brand, retail-ready, full compliance pack included. We do not offer white-label. Every capsule is your specification.
Capsule output capability
What we can run, in the range you'd actually order.
Process
From brief to pallet: the capsule pathway
1. Brief and feasibility. You send us a formula or a concept. We check feasibility, size, and commercial viability, plus Novel Foods status if your actives require it. First response within 48 hours.
2. NPD and formulation. We develop the formula against your target claims, source compliant ingredients, and prototype at production scale. Typical capsule NPD runs 4 to 8 weeks.
3. Sampling. Pilot batches for sensory, stability, and claims validation. You see what you're going to launch before you commit to a production run.
4. Manufacture. Production under BRCGS AA* controls in our audited line, with in-process QC and full batch traceability to ingredient lot.
5. Pack and finish. In-line bottling, labelling, tamper-evidence, cartons and outers. Your capsules leave here retail-ready.
6. Despatch. Palletised delivery to your 3PL, distribution centre, or warehouse, with the full documentation pack (COAs, batch records, specifications) retail buyers ask for.
Typical end-to-end timeline for a new product: 3 to 4 months from first enquiry to first pallet out.
Capsule manufacturing FAQs
Common questions from brands looking at UK capsule production.
What is the minimum order quantity for capsule manufacturing in the UK?
Our MOQ is 1,000 units per SKU, one of the lowest published bespoke MOQs in UK capsule manufacturing. Competitors commonly start at 10,000 to 25,000 units for bespoke work or hide the number entirely. Lower sample quantities are available during NPD.
How long does capsule manufacturing take?
Standard production lead time is 6 to 8 weeks from formulation sign-off to pallet despatch. If NPD is needed first, add 4 to 8 weeks depending on complexity. End-to-end from first enquiry to first batch typically runs 3 to 4 months.
What's the difference between HPMC (vegan) and gelatin capsules?
HPMC (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) is a plant-derived cellulose shell suitable for vegan, vegetarian, halal, and kosher markets. Gelatin is bovine-derived and typically slightly cheaper per unit. Both have similar stability and dissolution profiles; the choice usually comes down to target-market positioning and cost.
What capsule sizes do you offer?
Sizes 00 (largest, about 735 mg fill capacity), 0, 1, 2, and 3 (smallest, about 135 mg). We'll recommend a size based on your formulation weight, target swallow size, and packaging format during NPD.
Is your capsule manufacturing BRCGS certified?
Yes, BRCGS AA*, the top available grade. Most UK capsule manufacturers are BRCGS certified but very few publish their grade; AA* is awarded on an unannounced audit with zero non-conformities.
Can you manufacture Informed Sport certified capsules?
Yes. Our production is set up for Informed Sport protocols: raw material screening against the WADA banned-substance list, segregated production runs, and per-batch banned-substance testing. Relevant for brands supplying elite, professional, or collegiate sport.
Can you manufacture capsules with Novel Foods ingredients?
Yes. We hold multiple Novel Foods dossiers. Whether your formulation is in scope depends on the specific active and concentration; we check at NPD feasibility stage. Formulations in scope of our dossiers can manufacture under our authorisation, saving the regulatory time and cost of generating a new dossier.
Do you provide Certificates of Analysis?
Yes, per batch. Every production batch ships with a Certificate of Analysis covering identity, potency (HPLC/UV where applicable), microbial safety (total aerobic count, yeast, mould, specified pathogens), and heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury).
Ready to start a capsule product?
Bring us your formula, or a rough concept, plus your target market and commercial target. We'll scope capsule size, fill weight, compliance pathway, and cost. You'll leave the first call knowing what's possible.
Related
See our BRCGS AA* grade explainer, magnesium capsule manufacturing, and why we're bespoke-only, not white-label.