Meet the soaring demand for vitamins and supplements with fast, compliant fulfillment

The health and wellness industry is booming, driving a significant rise in demand for vitamins and supplements. In Canada alone, the market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4.94% from 2024 to 2029. Globally, this market is valued at $56 billion in 2024 and is expected to nearly double to $115.5 billion by 2034.  

 With innovative products becoming more accessible through ecommerce to both health-conscious consumers and an aging population, businesses face the challenge of meeting this growing demand while maintaining stringent standards.  

Addressing the unique needs of vitamin and supplement products 

 Effective fulfillment in the vitamin and supplement industry requires more than just moving products from point A to point B. It’s about ensuring that every bottle, box, or package meets stringent quality standards, complies with regulations, and reaches consumers in peak condition. 

Discover how Metro Supply Chain partners with leading vitamin and supplement businesses to ensure seamless order processing, safe handling, efficient inventory management and timely delivery. 

Implementing FIFO and FEFO policies 

Proper inventory management and stock rotation are crucial in the vitamin and supplement industry to ensure your customers receive the freshest and most potent products. Metro Supply Chain can implement FIFO (first-in, first-out) or FEFO (first-expired, first-out) inventory policies to ensure fresh products are shipped first, reducing the risk of older stock sitting in the warehouse. 

Leveraging inventory visibility and analytics 

Effective inventory management involves more than just stock rotation. Metro Supply Chain has advanced inventory management tools and real-time analytics to help you track stock levels, spot trends and make data-driven decisions to optimize your supply chain.  

Tracking and monitoring 

Vitamin and supplement fulfillment should include sophisticated lot tracking to properly manage product lifecycles. Lot tracking is a technology that is implemented to trace ingredients and products back to a manufacturer. It is a vital component of the health and wellness supply chain in case there is a need to remove expired ingredients or if there is a product recall. Metro Supply Chain’s warehouse management system meets Health Canada requirements including recall reporting and retention sampling. Tracking lots and expiration dates means we deliver high-quality goods to consumers with every order.  

Maintaining climate-controlled warehousing 

Many vitamin and supplement products, such as soft gels, gummies and oils, require specific temperature and humidity conditions for safe storage. Metro Supply Chain has an extensive supply chain network that includes Health-Canada Licensed and GMP compliant facilities with temperature controls, humidity monitoring, and specialized handling procedures to maintain the safety and efficacy of products. 

Regulatory compliance and quality assurance 

Depending on their geographic location, or place of origin, products may be required to meet certain health industry related regulations. Metro Supply Chain has robust quality management systems and inbound inspections, as well as segregated returns and quarantine areas to guarantee your operations are fully compliant. We also have relationships with Regulatory Compliance companies who are well-versed in policies, processes, and language to help your company meet health industry requirements.  

Licensing, labelling, and packaging

Depending on the country, province, or state certain vitamins and supplements may require specific label information. This could include warnings, side-effect precautions or language requirements. Metro Supply Chain provides in-house kitting and is licensed for repacking, relabeling and detailed inspections. For brands fulfilling orders across borders, we can re-label or re-package products as required. This is commonly done to meet bilingual packaging language requirements in Canada. 

Adaptable shipping solutions 

As your vitamin and supplements business grows, your shipping needs may evolve. Metro Supply Chain can provide a range of shipping options, from fast two-day delivery to cost-effective ground shipping, to meet the changing demands of your customers.  

Leveraging automation for efficient vitamin and supplement fulfillment 

As the demand for vitamins and supplements continues to soar, businesses must find ways to scale their fulfillment operations without compromising efficiency or profitability. Here are ways automation can help:   

• Packaging automation: Solutions such as box erectors and taping machines can significantly improve the speed and accuracy of your fulfillment workflows. By reducing manual handling, you can boost productivity and minimize the risk of errors.  

• Enhancing order picking: Advanced picking systems, like pick-to-light or voice-directed picking, help optimize the order selection process. These technologies can guide your warehouse associates to the correct items, reducing the time and effort required for each order.  

• Leveraging warehouse robotics: Robotic systems and autonomous guided vehicles can take on the more repetitive and labour-intensive tasks, freeing your team to focus on higher-value activities. This can lead to increased throughput, reduced labour costs and improved workplace safety.  

• Integrating with ecommerce platforms: Metro Supply Chain offers seamless integration with your ecommerce platform and leverages automation technologies. This can help you scale your business efficiently while maintaining high levels of accuracy and customer satisfaction. 

Partner with Metro Supply Chain 

Efficient fulfillment of vitamins and supplements requires careful planning, compliant processes and safe solutions from a team experienced in health and wellness supply chain solutions.  When working with Metro Supply Chain you can expect a team of knowledgeable professionals who are committed to addressing your concerns and helping you navigate the complexities of the vitamin and supplement industry. We help you streamline your processes and provide peace of mind that your sensitive products are in good hands, allowing you to focus on growth and customer satisfaction.  

For more information on how Metro Supply Chain can enhance your vitamin and supplement fulfillment processes, contact us today!