Private label collagen: powder, gummies or capsules, which format to launch?

Why format matters so much for collagen

For most supplements, choosing between powder, gummies and capsules is about taste and target audience. For collagen, it is first a question of quantity. Collagen peptides are typically used at several grams per day, far above the few hundred milligrams of most vitamins or botanical extracts.

A capsule or a gummy holds only a fraction of a gram of ingredient. The format therefore decides the dose actually delivered and how many units a consumer has to take each day.

What your label can and cannot say

Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 only allows health claims listed in the EU register set by Regulation (EU) No 432/2012. Collagen is not on that list: EFSA issued negative opinions on the applications for collagen hydrolysate, including joint and skin claims. A label cannot attribute an effect on skin, wrinkles or joints to collagen itself.

Brands build their claims on the nutrients added to the formula. The most common in beauty supplements are:

• Vitamin C: vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin (as well as blood vessels, bones, cartilage, gums and teeth).
• Zinc: zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, normal hair and normal nails.
• Biotin: biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin and normal hair.

Each claim requires the daily portion to provide at least a significant amount of the nutrient, that is 15% of the reference intake (for example 12 mg of vitamin C). In France, the vitamins and minerals used must also comply with Directive 2002/46/EC and Decree No 2006-352.

Powder: the reference format for high doses

Powder is the most consistent format for a collagen dosed in grams. One serving mixed into a drink is enough. Hydrolysed collagen peptides dissolve well and are almost neutral in taste, so both unflavoured and flavoured versions work.

• Packaging: doypacks from 50 g to 1 kg, or single-dose stick packs for on-the-go use and gift sets.
• Formulation: powder easily takes vitamin C, hyaluronic acid or flavours. Our 4 blending rooms keep every batch homogeneous.
• Watch points: the smell of some marine collagens, flavour stability and dissolution, all checked during trials.

See our private label collagen manufacturer page and our powder manufacturing page.

Pectin-based gummies: the enjoyable format

Gummies appeal to consumers who dislike swallowing capsules or mixing a drink. We make them pectin-based, without gelatine. The amount of collagen per gummy is limited by texture: above a certain level, collagen disturbs gelling.

Collagen gummies are therefore designed as complete formulas, with vitamin C, zinc or biotin, rather than as a high-dose collagen source. We cover these constraints in our article on gelatin-free collagen gummies.

Capsules and tablets: precision and concentrated formulas

Capsules give precise dosing and a neutral taste. We manufacture capsules in sizes 1, 0 and 00, packed in PET bottles, jars or doypacks. As a capsule holds little powder, it suits low-dose actives such as type II collagen, or formulas combining collagen with vitamins and minerals.

One consistency point is often overlooked: for a marine collagen, a plant-based capsule avoids pairing it with a bovine or porcine gelatine shell. Tablets, including chewable tablets, are another option for combined formulas.

Source, quality and labelling

Collagen used in food supplements is mostly bovine, porcine or marine. Raw materials for human consumption must meet the hygiene requirements of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. We require a certificate of analysis and a technical data sheet for every batch.

Labelling follows Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and, in France, Decree No 2006-352: the name “food supplement”, the recommended daily dose, a warning not to exceed it, a statement to keep out of reach of young children, and the amounts per serving. Marine collagen comes from fish and must be highlighted as an allergen. The powders and tablets we manufacture have a 24-month best-before date.