How Brands Maintain Consistent Quality With Pet Supplements

Consistency and quality are essential ingredients for success in the pet supplement industry. Any unexpected change in supplements can unsettle and upset customers — not to mention their pets. For example, pet owners might notice their usual supplements have a vastly different color or smell. These inconsistencies could make them question the product's freshness, integrity, and safety.

Many factors can influence the production of pet supplements, so maintaining consistency is often easier said than done. Manufacturers may switch ingredient suppliers, update equipment, or tweak processes. These seemingly minor changes can impact your final product. However, the strategies below will allow you to deliver the consistent, high-quality pet supplements your clients expect. 

Establishing Quality Controls for Pet Supplements

Defining clear quality standards and specifications will enable you to produce consistent pet supplements. The guidelines should include these criteria: 

• Ingredient sourcing: Create parameters for each ingredient's composition, potency, and purity. These criteria will guarantee you use similar raw materials for every batch of supplements, even if you switch suppliers. Keep in mind, though, the stricter your criteria, the higher the chances of experiencing issues or delays with sourcing.
  
  
• Formulation: Ask the formulator to document every part of your supplement formula thoroughly. These guidelines should define acceptable qualities and specific quantities for each ingredient. You may also identify alternative raw materials you could substitute if you can't obtain your preferred ingredients. 
  
  
• Manufacturing processes: Write clear instructions for every step in the manufacturing process. For instance, you may mix ingredients in a specific order and bake the supplements at a certain temperature. You should also include instructions for preparing ingredients, sanitizing equipment, and performing quality checks. Following the same processes every time will increase the uniformity of your pet supplements. 
  
  
• Finished product testing: Test your finished supplements regularly for consistency, integrity, and quality. These product tests could include analyzing the ingredients to validate the product label. A testing laboratory can also evaluate pet supplements for lead, microorganisms, mycotoxins, pesticides, and other contaminants. 

Align your pet supplement quality control measures with industry best practices and regulatory requirements. For example, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) requires brands to use officially defined animal feed ingredients. 

Selecting the Right Raw Supplement Ingredients Supplier

Raw materials are the foundation of every pet supplement. The right ingredients supplier will provide consistent batches of materials that meet your quality standards. 

Conduct in-depth manufacturer assessments to find reliable and trustworthy suppliers. Explore the National Animal Supplement Council's (NASC) preferred suppliers directory. The companies on this list have received NASC certification after demonstrating that they meet strict quality control standards. 

Once you've created a shortlist of potential suppliers, investigate their reputation in the pet supplement industry. Network with other brand leaders and ask them to share their experiences and recommendations. Customer reviews and testimonials can also provide valuable insights into a supplier's reliability and responsiveness.

Additionally, look for a raw supplement ingredients supplier with relevant certifications. Many reputable suppliers receive the NSF Product and Ingredient Certification. These credentials demonstrate a supplier's commitment to product consistency, safety, and transparency.  

Implementing Quality Supplement Manufacturing Processes

Manufacturing processes can affect the consistency of pet supplements. If these operations change between batches, you could start with identical ingredients but end up with inconsistent final products. 

Avoid this problem by implementing quality control measures throughout the manufacturing process. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has created the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations to guide manufacturers. CGMP regulations include these requirements: 

• Personnel must receive food hygiene training before handling and manufacturing supplements. 
  
  
• Manufacturing facilities must accurately identify raw materials and rework. 
  
  
• Manufacturers should regularly assess ingredients and products with chemical, microbial, or extraneous-material testing methods.
  
  
• Companies should inspect raw materials for contamination and clean them before processing, if necessary. 
  
  
• Brands must identify potential hazards during the manufacturing process and develop preventative controls to minimize them. 

The CGMP regulations enable manufacturers to standardize their operations. They can also help improve product safety and accountability.

You should also perform regular quality checks and inspections at every stage to catch and address deviations promptly. For example, you could visually assess the color and texture of raw materials to detect low-quality ingredients or contaminants. Third-party chemical testing can also help you evaluate the composition and strength of pet supplements. 

These steps will enable you to develop more consistent and higher quality supplement manufacturing processes. They can also increase efficiency and save time by streamlining production workflows. 

Related Content: 5 Ways to Get Your Pet Supplements to Market Quicker

Continuous Improvement and Feedback Loop

Continue looking for ways to improve your products' consistency after they reach consumers. 

Gather feedback about your supplements from customers, manufacturers, and internal stakeholders. You can use many methods to collect relevant information, including: 

• Customer reviews
  
  
• Focus groups
  
  
• Social media listening
  
  
• Surveys

These approaches can provide meaningful insights about the quality of your supplements and help you identify areas for improvement. 

Use this feedback to refine your processes and correct mistakes. Say, for example, several customers complain that your joint chews are sometimes too hard for their pets. You can examine your manufacturing processes to find and correct the reason for this deviation. This constant refinement will enable you to provide the most beneficial and reliable supplements. 

Create the Most Reliable Pet Supplements

Top pet supplement brands offer reliable and trustworthy products. Our proactive strategies will allow you to maintain consistency and adapt to changes. Quality assurance measures also improve the safety and efficacy of your products. By following these simple tactics, you'll deliver excellent supplements every time and keep your customers satisfied.