Skip to content
DAT Supply Log in
DAT Supply Nutraceutical manufacturing
Start your project
Manufacturing / Softgels

Softgels — the format for oil-active stacks and lipid-soluble vitamins.

Gelatin or plant-based shell options, project-managed inside the quality-controlled supply chain.

Request Quote Talk to our team
Shell
Gelatin · Plant-based
Routes
Semi-custom · Custom
Pathways
EU · UK · US
Softgels — the format for oil-active stacks and lipid-soluble vitamins. — DAT Supply manufacturing
Working routes
3

white-label · semi-custom · custom.

Project gates
4

brief · spec · artwork · release.

Pathways
EU · UK · US

reviewed per target-market framework.

View as private-label format →

Format manifest

Softgels are the format of choice for oil-actives — omega-3, vitamin D, CoQ10, MCT-based stacks. The fill chemistry is reviewed before spec lock so what ships matches what was promised.

Softgels at a glance
Shell
Gelatin · Plant-based
Fill
Oil-active
Best routes
Semi-custom · Custom
Gates
Brief · Spec · Artwork · Release
Best-fit use cases

When softgels fit

Softgels are right when the active is lipid-soluble or oil-based, when the brand needs a premium clinical SKU, or when the active dose would oxidise in a non-protected format.

Manufacturing capability

How softgels are made

A softgel is an encapsulated oil or oil-suspension fill held inside a one-piece gelatin or plant-based shell formed and sealed in a single rotary-die step. Shell options include bovine or fish gelatin, and plant-based shells built from modified starches and carrageenans for vegan positioning. Fill is the spine of the format: omega-3 fish oil and algal oil for DHA/EPA stacks, MCT-carrier vitamin D₃, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin A, CoQ10, astaxanthin, lutein, sea-buckthorn oil and other lipid-soluble bioactives. Active dose is driven by fill volume, which in turn drives softgel size and shape (oval, round, oblong, twist-off). Standard finish options include enteric coating for fishy after-taste mitigation, printed identification, and twist-off configurations for liquid extracts. Payload is wide for oil-actives but constrained for water-soluble actives — softgels are the wrong choice for B-vitamin stacks or mineral salts that perform better in a hard-shell capsule. Brands choose softgels when the active is lipid-soluble or oil-carried, when oxidation protection matters, or when the SKU sits at the premium end of a clinical range alongside a capsule daily-use.

Launch routes

Pick the route that matches the brief.

Every project moves through one of three routes. Final routing is confirmed inside the portal — the route shapes the documentation set and the timeline.

01 · White-label

Reviewed concept, brand artwork.

Pick a reviewed pectin-gummy concept from the catalogue and adapt brand artwork. The fastest path from brief to launch — packaging, claims and documentation are reviewed against the target market.

Best for
First gummy SKU · short timelines
Lead time
Confirmed in the quote
Start with this route 02 · Semi-custom

Adjusted within an existing matrix.

Adjust dose, flavour or active stack within an existing matrix. Differentiate the SKU without a full custom-development cycle. Documentation route follows the same project gates.

Best for
Differentiated SKU · existing brand
Lead time
Confirmed in the quote
Start with this route 03 · Custom

Bespoke formulation and dieline.

Fully bespoke formulation, custom flavour profile and packaging dieline. The right route for category-defining launches with longer planning windows and committed quantities.

Best for
Category-defining launch · committed quantities
Lead time
Confirmed in the quote
Start with this route
Working routes in detail

What each route looks like for softgels

White-label

White-label availability is reviewed per project. The fill chemistry sits inside the spec, so true white-label is usually limited to canonical reviewed concepts (omega-3, vitamin D₃, CoQ10) where the brand can adopt the spec directly. DAT confirms availability in the brief.

Semi-custom

Semi-custom is the typical softgel route: a reviewed fill adjusted for the brand — dose tier, shell choice (gelatin vs plant-based), softgel size and shape, or a co-active added within compatible chemistry. First runs land at the 2,500-unit MOQ tier and DAT confirms feasibility before spec lock.

Custom

Custom softgel development covers novel oil-actives, multi-active premium stacks, bespoke shell systems and specialised formats (twist-off liquid extracts, enteric coatings, premium fish-oil concentrates). First runs land at the 5,000-unit MOQ tier and timelines are confirmed per project after the fill feasibility review.

Packaging options

PET bottle · Blister

Softgel packaging is confirmed per project — PET bottle is canonical; blister suits pharmacy-channel SKUs.

Softgel packaging is reviewed against the channel and shelf-life claim. PET bottle is canonical for daily-use ranges — 30, 60 or 90-day counts, child-resistant or standard caps, induction-sealed liners and a tamper-evident outer where the channel calls for it. Blister packs suit pharmacy-channel SKUs and premium clinical positioning; aluminium-aluminium blister provides the strongest moisture and oxygen barrier for oxidation-sensitive oil-actives. Outer cartons and shipping configuration are reviewed alongside the inner pack.

  1. PET bottle

    Canonical supplement-shelf format for 30/60/90-day daily-use ranges.

  2. Blister

    Pharmacy-channel premium presentation.

Packaging considerations
  • PET bottle (30/60/90-day)
  • Blister pack (PVC / Alu-Alu)
  • Amber bottle (light-sensitive oils)
  • Tamper-evident induction seal
  • Child-resistant cap
  • Premium outer carton
  • Desiccant liner
  • On-pack QR / batch code
Documentation route

Project gates, not promises

DAT releases documentation as the project moves through each gate. Batch-release documents are issued after production and QC release.

  1. 01
    Stage
    Brief review
    Reviewed

    Target market, format, quantity, claims direction

    When

    Project entry

    Receives

    Feasibility view + working route confirmation

  2. 02
    Stage
    Formula & spec confirmation
    Reviewed

    Formulation route, allergen statement, per-SKU specification

    When

    After brief sign-off

    Receives

    Specification draft + spec-locked formula

  3. 03
    Stage
    Artwork & label review
    Reviewed

    Dieline, on-pack copy, claim wording per market framework

    When

    In parallel with spec lock

    Receives

    Reviewed artwork against the target-market framework

  4. 04
    Stage
    Production & QC
    Reviewed

    In-process control plan, stability and QC release rules

    When

    Once spec & artwork are signed off

    Receives

    Production run + in-process control records

  5. 05
    Stage
    Batch-specific documents
    Reviewed

    Per-batch QC, traceability, release-for-shipment

    When

    After production & QC release

    Receives

    Batch-specific Certificate of Analysis + traceability

  6. 06
    Stage
    Repeat order support
    Reviewed

    Forecast review, raw-material lead times, improvement notes

    When

    Per repeat order

    Receives

    Refreshed documentation per project stage

Documentation availability depends on product, market and project stage. The brand owner remains the food business operator and is responsible for final filings in each target market.

Related product concepts

Concepts reviewed for this format

A short pick of reviewed concepts. Final positioning, claims and documentation are reviewed per project.

Explore the full product catalogue →

Reviewed ingredients

Top ingredients reviewed in softgels

Ingredients commonly reviewed for this format in the DAT Supply dossier library. Open a dossier to see dose anchors, working forms and per-format formulation considerations.

Browse all reviewed ingredients →

Solid dosage

Other formats in the solid dosage group

Adjacent manufacturing formats DAT supports. Routing, gates and documentation framework carry across the family.

Browse all manufacturing formats →

Related ingredients

Common actives for this format

Regulatory framework

EU, UK and US documentation for softgels

Softgels are placed as food supplements under EU Directive 2002/46/EC with FIC labelling and Article 13/14 health claims where applicable. UK retained law mirrors this with FSA notification per the target nation. US launches treat the SKU as a dietary supplement under DSHEA with structure-function claims and a supplement facts panel. Oil-active SKUs carry additional documentation around oxidation values (peroxide, anisidine, total oxidation), heavy metals and PCB limits — these are folded into the dossier alongside the standard brief, spec, artwork and batch CoA documentation.

Frequently asked questions

  • Are plant-based softgel shells available?

    Yes — plant-based shells are routine alongside gelatin. Shell choice is confirmed during the brief against the active list.

  • Why a softgel rather than a capsule?

    Softgels protect oil-active and lipid-soluble actives that would not perform inside a hard-shell capsule. Active selection drives the format choice.

  • Is white-label available for softgels?

    Softgels typically route through semi-custom or custom because the fill chemistry is part of the spec. White-label availability is confirmed per project.

  • What documentation gates apply?

    Brief review, spec confirmation, artwork review per the target-market framework, and batch-specific Certificate of Analysis after QC release.

  • What is the order of magnitude for a first run?

    Semi-custom starts from 2,500 units; custom development from 5,000 units. Final volumes are confirmed in the quote.

Related

Continue exploring

Other surfaces on this format — private-label framing, related formats and the public-ready catalogue.

Project handoff

Request a softgel quote

Send the brief — DAT will confirm shell choice, review fill chemistry and frame the spec lock.

Request Quote Talk to our team
Quick context request

Get manufacturing context

Drop your work email and a member of the DAT team will follow up with the right context for this concept. Project documents, certificates and pricing are released through the project workspace in the DAT portal.

You will receive a short confirmation email. Project documents (specification, batch-specific COA, packaging documents) are released through the project workspace in the DAT portal once a brief is in place.