Pet Supplement Contract Manufacturing: Client Onboarding

Step 1: Your Discovery Call
Step 2: Intake Call-A Deep Dive Into Your Vision
Step 3: Quoting Process
Step 4: Sample Development
Step 5: Artwork Design
Step 6: Purchase Order and Production Scheduling Process
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Step 1: Your Discovery Call

Our onboarding process begins with an initial discovery call. Like every phase, this call is a collaborative conversation. You discover Pet Tech Labs’ services, and we discover your story.

Here are a few key topics we’ll cover during this conversation as we get to know each other.

What’s Your Story?

We’ll start by asking you to tell us about your business and its central mission. How did you start your company, and what values shape it? Understanding your core values will help us personalize our services to support your goals.

This is a great time to share how you became interested in selling pet supplements. Maybe you’re a pet owner who has seen the impact of supplements firsthand while caring for a sick dog or cat. Or perhaps you’re a long-time pet retailer looking to expand into the growing supplement market. Or you might
be a first-time entrepreneur who’s been studying the industry. Your story drives your business, and we want to hear it.

What’s Your Vision?

The discovery call lets you share your vision for your pet supplement line. The clarity of this vision will vary depending on how far along you are in the brainstorming and research process.

If you’ve been dreaming about launching your product line for a while, you may have a detailed concept ready. You may clearly understand what supplements you want to offer and the customers you want to serve. You may have even envisioned the packaging and marketing campaigns.

This vision might be a bit fuzzy if you’re still exploring possibilities. You might know that you want to focus on specific animals or aspects of health but not have exact products in mind. No matter what stage you’re at, we’re here to listen and help you shape your ideas.

• Regulatory and compliance assistance

• Export assistance

• Testing

• Research and development services

• Artwork design services

This is just the beginning of the variables that determine cost. Other factors include:

• Packaging type

• Formula

• Specific health claims

• Manufacturing scale

Consider a business that wants a product marketed as GMO-free, all-organic, sourced from specific 100% American ingredients, and produced in a fully certified facility with a production methodology tested by a third-party agency. That product will be much more expensive than one that does not have those desired claims.

The retail markup can be determined by the business plan crafted with a strong understanding of what customers are willing to pay for the product. This markup can commonly range from 30 to 50%, but it will depend on the structure of each company.

Next is a closer look at the three main factors influencing costs.

What’s Your Marketing Plan?

Finally, we’ll ask about your current and future marketing plans. This information will help us understand your target audience and identify areas where we can help you grow.

We’ll discuss your plans to market your pet supplement line. Where do you plan to sell your products, and will you target specific pet owners? Are you hoping to meet any external milestones? For example, you might plan to launch your supplement at a major pet show or before a holiday. This information lets us provide personalized manufacturing and marketing advice so you can reach your audience effectively.

Mutual Confidentiality Agreement

The pet supplement market can be fiercely competitive. Your insights and unique strategies help you stand out from other businesses, so safeguarding them is essential. During this call, we’ll discuss executing a mutual confidentiality agreement to protect your business and privacy.

This document lets you confidently disclose your brand strategies, goals, and plans. It also lets Pet Tech Labs freely discuss our proprietary formulas and pricing information. That way, we can guarantee that all the valuable information we share during our partnership will remain confidential and secure. It’s a win-win scenario for mutual success and open communication.

The discovery call lets you introduce your vision and learn about our pet supplement manufacturing services. During the following five stages, we’ll work together to create the perfect solution for your specific needs. By the end of the onboarding process, you’ll be ready to start selling your first pet supplements.

Step 2: Intake Call - A Deep Dive Into Your Vision

You’ve already shared a little about your business and overarching goals. During the intake call, we’ll explore your vision in much greater detail so we can start developing a solution that fits your needs.

First, we’ll match you with an expert consultant from our team who will support you throughout the onboarding process so you have a smooth and stress-free experience. Think of them as your personal advocate, cheerleader, and problem-solving whiz.

Your consultant will help you clarify your vision and define the parameters for your pet supplements. Brainstorming about these specifications ahead of time can set you up for a productive intake call.

However, you don’t need to stress about having all the answers right away. Your consultant will offer feedback and recommendations to assist you as you perfect your vision. They may also suggest fresh ideas you haven’t considered, so we encourage you to approach this conversation with an open mind.

Here are a few topics your consultant will address during your intake call. Don’t worry about filling out any forms at this stage. The representative will take plenty of notes throughout your conversation so they can recommend products that fit your needs and preferences.

Supplement Types of Interest

Your consultant will ask if you have specific products in mind for your pet supplement line.

You may plan to offer supplements that address certain health conditions, such as:
Stress or behavior | Senior health | Gastrointestinal health | Skin health or environmental allergies | Joint discomfort | Kidney health
You can also provide supplements to support specific areas of well-being including:
Kelp to support oral health | Omega-3 to support the immune system and skin health Probiotics to support digestion | Zinc to support skin and coat health

Private Label vs. Custom Formulations

Pet Tech Labs offers two types of pet supplements: private label formulas and custom formulas.
We’ve developed a diverse array of private label pet supplements to support pet wellness. We research, test, and perform quality checks on every stock formulation. Your business can sell the finished products under your marketing and branding. These pre-made formulas mean you get your products onto the market and into customers’ hands faster.

If you have something truly unique in mind, we do offer the option to create a custom formula that is exclusively yours. However, this process takes longer and includes higher costs. Your consultant can help guide you to the best service for your needs.

Ingredients of Interest

The intake call is the perfect time to discuss specific ingredients to incorporate into your products. This interest may stem from personal experiences or scientific studies you’ve read.

For instance, you’ve given your elderly dog joint supplements to support their mobility. You may have noticed that supplements with curcumin and green-lipped mussel have the biggest impact on your pet’s well-being. You may have also read research about the efficacy of specific ingredients for promoting joint health in aging pets. We’ll help you decide which ingredients are feasible and effective for your pet supplements.

"We'll help you find ways to keep costs reasonable without sacrificing product integrity."

We’ll also discuss strategies to balance quality and cost. Most businesses want to use premium ingredients—after all, you want to give your customers and their pets the best. However, the highest quality materials can be expensive. We’ll help you find ways to keep costs reasonable without sacrificing product integrity. That way, you can sell excellent products at accessible price points for your target audience.

What Attributes Do You Want to Prioritize?

Pick two or three key attributes you want to focus on for your pet supplement line. That way, we can recommend products and services that match your goals.

Efficacy: Are you committed to providing pet supplements that have been proven to support pet wellness?
Ingredients: Do you want to focus on ethically sourced or herbal ingredients?
Quality control: Are you dedicated to providing clean supplements that have undergone rigorous quality testing?
Taste: Do you care most about offering palatable supplements for picky pets?

Competitor Comparison

You’ve probably spent a little time—or maybe even an obsessive amount—exploring the pet supplement marketplace. Feel free to share what you like and dislike about existing products and brands. You can even share competitor products with your consultant to discuss your preferences in detail.

We’ll ask you to point out anything you see missing in the current marketplace. For instance, you may have noticed no one offers certain cat supplements in liquid format. You could fill this space with your particular vision to capture a niche audience and distinguish your brand.

Supplement Format

Pet Tech Labs offers pet supplements in various formats, including:

Chews

Granules

Liquids

Powders

Tablets

Your consultant will help you choose the right format(s) based on your vision and target audience. For example, suppose you plan to offer anxiety supplements for dogs and cats. Pet owners may prefer to add granules or powders to their pets’ bowls instead of trying to deliver tablets to picky eaters.

Flavor and Palatability

Flavor and palatability are key considerations for many customers. After all, there’s nothing more disappointing than a pet turning its nose up at an expensive supplement.

Help your customers avoid this issue by choosing delicious flavors and textures for your pet supplements. We offer a variety of great flavors like bacon, beef, and peanut butter! Your consultant can also recommend ways to add appealing flavors without compromising nutritional value. By prioritizing flavor and palatability, you’ll satisfy both pets and their owners.

Timeline to Launch

Pet Tech Labs offers different pet supplement services to suit different timelines. If you want to get your products to market as quickly as possible, you’ll likely prefer private label supplements. These ready-made formulas let you skip the research and development phase and quickly get your products out the door. Businesses with more flexible timelines can consider custom formulations. These products typically take several months to develop, test, improve, and finalize.

Internal Teams and Guidelines

We’re eager to learn more about your internal teams during the intake call. Tell us about the departments and employees that will assist with your pet supplement line, like marketing, quality control, and regulatory teams.

This conversation is also an excellent time to share specific documents, policies, and manuals you give to your vendors. This information will help us understand your expectations and how we can best support your business.

Step 3: Quoting Process

If you choose a custom formulation, your consultant will share the information you provide during the intake call with our research and development team.

These experts will design a product based on your unique vision and parameters. This process typically takes less than 10 business days.

Next, your representative will schedule a time for a detailed review of your quote. We’ll discuss the specifics of your stock-keeping units (SKUs), including:

Cost

Ingredients and potency

Packaging requirements

Palatability

Testing process

This conversation helps us capture your vision accurately and meet your formulation needs. We’ll also break down the factors that affect the cost so you can understand the value you’re receiving for your money.

If we need to make adjustments, we will provide a new quote based on this new information. This reassessment ensures that we meet your price point needs without sacrificing the attributes you value.

Step 4: Sample Development

After we finalize the paperwork, we’ll create a product sample for you and your team to review. The timeline for this step varies depending on the complexity of your project.

Pet Tech Labs uses the same manufacturing processes and machinery for samples as we do for full- scale production runs. That means you’ll get an accurate representation of what your product will look like when it reaches customers. We also send it to our in-house palatability team: our own cats and dogs!

If these elite taste-testers approve the product, we’ll send it to you to examine. This is one of the most exciting parts of the process for many clients. You’ll get to hold your vision in your hands for the first time, give it to your pet to try, or even taste it yourself if you’re feeling brave.

You’ll provide feedback on the color, size, shape, texture, and other factors. Based on your input, we’ll revise the formula and quote until you’re satisfied with the sample.

Private_Label_Process_1

Step 5: Artwork Design

Once you approve your sample, you can design the artwork for your packaging. Pet Tech Labs provides label templates with specific technical information, including:

Ingredients
Net weight
Product count
Product warnings

Your design team will apply the artwork, branding, and marketing copy to this template. These visual elements will influence how customers perceive your supplements, so creating a design that appeals to your target audience is essential.

Finally, our product development and regulatory teams will review the label for accuracy and compliance. We’ll also provide suggestions if you need to make adjustments to comply with industry best practices and regulatory requirements. Our guidance will help you create clear, so customers know what to expect.

Step 6: Purchase Order and Production Scheduling Process

After you’ve finalized the artwork, you’ll place and confirm your first purchase order. This order starts the production process, which has an average lead time of 12 weeks.

We manufacture all products in a Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) environment. We also follow strict quality control standards endorsed by the National Animal Supplement Council. You can trust that your pet supplements will undergo quality testing throughout manufacturing.

You’ll receive a notification as soon as we’ve completed production. Next, our customer care and logistics teams will collaborate with you to ship your pet supplements to the destinations of your choice. From there, you’ll have full control over your products as you market and sell them.