Supplement and nutraceutical 3PLs

Find a supplement 3PL that keeps your lots straight

A supplement 3PL holds more than boxes. It holds your lot numbers, your expiry dates and your recall plan. Here is what to require, what to ask, and 3PLs that work with supplement brands.

Get the readiness kit See the 3PLs

What to require from a supplements 3PL

FDA food facility registration

Warehouses that hold dietary supplements for US consumers generally must register with FDA as a food facility. Ask for the registration and confirm it is current.

Holding practices under 21 CFR Part 111

The supplement cGMP rule covers holding and distributing, not only manufacturing. Ask how they control temperature, humidity, pests and quarantine, and whether they've been through a third-party audit.

Lot and expiry captured at receiving

Every inbound carton should be received against a lot number and expiry date, not just a SKU and a count. If lots are not captured on the way in, they cannot be traced on the way out.

Earliest-expiry-first picking

Ask whether they pick first-expired, first-out (FEFO) by default, and how they block lots that are short-dated, on hold or quarantined.

Lot on every shipment record

In a recall you need the list of orders that shipped a given lot. The 3PL should be able to export it the same day.

Retail and Amazon readiness

If you sell wholesale or on Amazon, confirm they handle retailer routing guides, case labels and FBA prep alongside direct-to-consumer orders.

Questions to ask before you sign

Can we see your FDA registration and your most recent third-party audit?
How do you receive lots and expiry dates, and what happens when a carton has no lot label?
Do you pick FEFO by default? Can we set a minimum shelf life for retail orders?
How fast can you produce a list of every order that shipped a given lot?
How do you quarantine a lot, and who can release it?
What temperature and humidity ranges do you hold, and do you log them?
Which warehouse system do you run, and will you give us API access to our account?

Supplements 3PLs

A short list of 3PLs whose own websites say they serve this specialty.

We are checking supplements 3PLs now

Every listing is checked against the 3PL’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The guide above and the readiness kit below are ready today.

Run a 3PL that fits? Request a listing

The 3PL readiness kit

Everything we would want in hand before talking to a 3PL: questions to send before the sales call, an onboarding checklist, and a worksheet to compare quotes line by line. Free to print, no sign-up.

3PL readiness kit

Choose, compare and onboard a 3PL

Questions to ask every 3PL

Send these before the sales call, and ask for answers in writing.

Receiving: how fast is inbound stock available to ship, and what do you charge for unlabeled or mixed cartons?
Lots and expiry: do you capture lot and expiry at receiving, and are they on every shipment record?
Picking rules: FEFO, FIFO, or a lot we choose? Can we set a minimum shelf life per customer?
Holds: how do you quarantine a lot, and how fast does it stop shipping?
Accuracy: how do you measure order accuracy and inventory accuracy, and how do you credit errors?
Cut-off: what is the same-day ship cut-off, and what happens on peak days?
Returns: how are returns inspected, restocked or disposed of, and how is that reported?
Integrations: which warehouse system do you run? Will you give us API access to our own account?
Retail and Amazon: can you handle routing guides, EDI orders and FBA prep?
Insurance and liability: what is your liability per unit, and what does your insurance cover?
Contract: term, notice period, minimums, and how we get our stock out if we leave.

Onboarding checklist

Work through this in the four to six weeks before your first inbound shipment.

Clean SKU list: one SKU per sellable unit, with barcodes, weights and dimensions.
Units of measure: each, inner pack, case and pallet quantities for every SKU.
Lot and expiry rules: label format, where the lot sits on the carton, and your minimum shelf life.
Kits and bundles: component lists for every kit, and who builds them.
Packaging: boxes, mailers, inserts and coolant, and who supplies them.
Channels connected: store, marketplaces and wholesale orders flowing to the 3PL.
Inventory sync: stock counts, lots and shipments flowing back into your own system.
First inbound: advance ship notice sent, with lots and expiry on it.
Test orders: one of each order type, including a retail order and a return.
Reconciliation: weekly count comparison between your system and the 3PL for the first two months.

Cost worksheet

Fill in one column per quote, using your real monthly order and pallet numbers.

Line item	3PL A	3PL B	3PL C
Account or setup fee
Receiving (per hour, pallet or carton)
Storage (per pallet, shelf or bin, per month)
Pick and pack (first item)
Pick and pack (each additional item)
Packaging and inserts
Kitting or assembly
Retail or B2B order handling
Returns processing
Monthly minimum
Estimated monthly total

Frequently asked questions

Does a supplement 3PL need to be FDA registered?

In most cases, yes. Facilities that hold food for consumption in the US, which includes dietary supplements, generally must register with FDA. Ask the 3PL for its registration and check that it has been renewed in the current cycle.

Does the supplement cGMP rule apply to a 3PL?

The dietary supplement cGMP rule (21 CFR Part 111) covers holding and distributing as well as manufacturing, so a 3PL holding your product should follow its holding requirements. You remain responsible for your product, so ask how they meet it.

What is FEFO and why does it matter for supplements?

First-expired, first-out means the lot with the earliest expiry date ships first. It keeps short-dated stock from aging on the shelf and is the usual rule for supplements, food and cosmetics.

Who is responsible for a recall, the brand or the 3PL?

The brand. The 3PL helps by quarantining stock and reporting which orders shipped the affected lot, which is why lot capture at receiving and on every shipment matters.

Other 3PL specialties

Run a 3PL?

If you serve brands that make their own products, request a free listing. No paid placement.

Request a listing