Finding a herbal extract supplier is easy. Search any marketplace and you'll get hundreds of names, all promising "premium quality" at good prices. Finding one you can rely on for years is harder. The cost of getting it wrong isn't just a bad batch; it's a recalled product, a rejected shipment at the border, or a launch that slips by months.
The checks below are the ones experienced buyers actually use. None of them needs a lab of your own. Most just need a few direct questions and the patience to read the answers carefully.
1. Are they the manufacturer, or a trader?
Both can be fine, but you should know which one you're dealing with. A manufacturer controls extraction, testing and documents. A trader may offer more range but depends on someone else's factory, which can change from one order to the next. Ask directly: "Where is this extract made, and is that your own facility?" A clear answer with an address is a good start.
2. Which certificates can they actually show you?
Look for a food safety system such as ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 or HACCP, plus GMP. For the USA, the facility should be registered with the FDA. Don't stop at the logos on the website: ask for the certificates themselves and check the company name, address, scope and expiry date. A certificate that covers "trading" won't cover manufacturing.
3. Do they give you a written specification?
A specification is the agreement on what you're buying: botanical name and plant part, extraction solvent, ratio or standardisation, test methods, and limits for moisture, heavy metals, microbes and pesticides. If a supplier can't put this in writing before you order, you have nothing to hold them to later. Our article on extract ratios and standardised extracts includes a specification template you can copy.
4. Is every batch tested, and how?
Ask which tests are run on every batch and which are periodic. Then ask about methods. Is the marker measured by HPLC or UV? Are heavy metals tested by ICP-MS? Is identity checked by HPTLC? Vague answers like "we test everything" are a warning sign. Specific ones are reassuring.
5. Will they share a real batch COA?
A "typical" certificate shows what a product usually looks like. A batch COA shows what you'll actually receive. Ask for a recent batch COA before you order, and check that it has numbers rather than "complies" for metals and microbes. If you're not sure what to look for, our guide on how to read a COA walks through it line by line.
6. Do they know your market's rules?
A supplier who exports regularly will know that the EU tests herbs from India for ethylene oxide, that the USA needs FDA Prior Notice for every food shipment, and that some plants are restricted in certain countries. You don't need them to be your regulatory adviser, but they should understand the basics. Our guides for the EU and the USA cover the main points.
7. Can they trace the raw material?
Ask where the plant comes from and how it's checked when it arrives at the factory. Good suppliers can tell you the region, how they approve their farmers or collectors, and how a batch of extract links back to its raw material lots. Traceability is what lets you act quickly if a problem appears months later.
8. How do they handle out-of-specification results?
This one question separates serious suppliers from the rest. Ask what happens when a batch fails a test. A good answer describes an investigation, a decision by the quality team, and a record of what was done. "That never happens" is not a good answer.
9. Will they send a proper sample?
A sample should come with its own COA and be representative of what they can supply in volume. Test it in your actual formula, not just on its own: check colour, taste, flow and how it fills capsules. If the sample is perfect but the first bulk order isn't, you'll at least have a reference to compare against.
10. Is the price realistic?
Very cheap quotes are tempting. But extraction has real costs: raw material, solvent, energy, testing. When one price is far below every other quote for the same specification, something has usually been cut. That could be a lower-grade raw material, a different plant part, or a UV assay presented as HPLC. Compare quotes on identical specifications, not just on the product name.
11. Are the commercial terms clear?
Check the minimum order quantity, lead time, packing, Incoterm (EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP), payment terms and who pays for extra tests. Clear terms in writing avoid most disputes. Ask too how they'll handle a claim if a batch doesn't meet the specification on arrival.
12. Do they answer properly?
It sounds soft, but it's one of the best predictors. A supplier who answers your technical questions clearly and on time before the order will usually do the same when there's a problem. One who dodges questions now will be harder to reach later.
The best audit questions are the ones that can't be answered with marketing language: which method, which lab, which batch, which date.
A quick comparison you can use
| Check | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Certificates | Shares PDFs with name, scope and expiry | Logos only, or "available on request" that never arrives |
| Specification | Written, with methods and limits | "Same as market standard" |
| COA | Batch number, methods, real numbers | "Complies" everywhere, no batch number |
| Testing | Names HPLC, ICP-MS, HPTLC, accredited labs | "We test everything" |
| Price | In line with other quotes for the same spec | Far below everyone else |
| Communication | Clear, technical, on time | Slow, vague or pushy |
Start small, then scale
Even after all these checks, the safest path is a trial order before a long-term commitment. Approve the sample, place a smaller first order, test it on arrival, and then increase volumes. It costs a little more at the start and saves a great deal later.
Checking us out
Arizone International LLP manufactures herbal extracts, herb powders, oils and private label supplements in Daman, India. You can see our ISO 22000:2018, GMP, HACCP, FSSAI, U.S. FDA registration and Halal documents on our certificates page, and we're happy to answer every question on this list. We supply export customers only, in the EU, the UK, the USA, the Middle East, Australia and 40+ other countries.
Supplier Questions
Look for a food safety certification such as ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 or HACCP, plus GMP. For the US market, the facility should be registered with the FDA. Always check the actual certificate, not just a logo.
Ask where the extract is made and whether it's their own facility, then check that the factory address appears on their certificates and registrations.
Often the specification isn't the same: a different plant part, a lower-grade raw material, or a UV assay instead of HPLC. Compare quotes against an identical written specification.
Yes. Approving a sample, then placing a smaller first order and testing it on arrival is the safest way to start with a new supplier before committing to larger volumes.
At minimum a commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of analysis and certificate of origin, plus any extra test reports or statements your market requires.