Istarted my supplement nutrition manufacturer almost 15 years ago because I wanted my own whey protein brand and, being more than a little naive, I thought manufacturing your own products was just how you did things. Little did I realize that all of the brands that I admired instead wisely chose to outsource their manufacturing instead of making it themselves. That way they could more effectively focus on their brand development rather than the factors of production.

But but then it was too late for me. I had invested too much time and money into my factory and equipment that I was effectively handcuffed to life as a manufacturer. I switched my focus from being a CPG brand to being a copacker and all of the daily challenges from machinery malfunctions, inventory loss and regulatory compliance were now my burden to shoulder forever. But that's ok because I like doing things the hard way, at least that's what I tell myself everyday. 

About the Author

Greg Simek is the founder & CEO of Body Nutrition, a nutritional supplement manufacturer and copacker. He loves tradeshows more than anything else on the planet obviously.