Italian manufacturing · International business
Find the right Italian manufacturing partner.
Nucleo helps international buyers identify Italian manufacturers, suppliers and commercial partners across supplements, nutraceuticals, private label, functional ingredients and specialised packaging.
Nucleo is an independent sourcing and commercial introductions business. We are not a manufacturer or a laboratory.
- Supplements
- Nutraceuticals
- Functional ingredients
- Private label
- Contract manufacturing
- Packaging
- + more
What we source
One brief, several sourcing routes.
We work across a narrow set of categories on purpose. Depth in a few sectors is worth more to a buyer than a directory of everything made in Italy.
- 01
Supplements
Capsules, tablets, softgels, sachets, gummies, liquids.
- 02
Nutraceuticals
Formulated products for international brands, distributors and retailers.
- 03
Functional ingredients
Actives, extracts, raw materials, blends and specialised ingredients.
- 04
Private label
Existing formulations produced under your brand.
- 05
Contract manufacturing
Manufacturing to your own brief, specification or formulation.
- 06
Packaging
Bottles, jars, sachets, pouches, cartons, labels, closures and finishing.
How it works
From brief to quotation.
- 01
Send your brief
One structured form covering the product, market, volumes and timing. Blanks are fine.
- 02
Requirements assessed
We check it against what we can actually serve, and come back with questions where the brief is open.
- 03
Routes identified
We identify the Italian manufacturing or commercial routes that fit the format, volume and market.
- 04
Introductions coordinated
Quotes, samples and commercial introductions coordinated, with the follow-up handled.
Why Italy
A manufacturing base built for other people's brands.
A large part of Italy's supplement and nutraceutical manufacturing is organised around producing for other companies' brands. Which manufacturers that includes, and whether any of them fits a given requirement, is what the research answers.
Private label as core business
For many manufacturers in the sector, third-party and private-label production is the main activity rather than an exception, so the commercial conversation tends to start from a familiar place.
Suppliers within reach of each other
Formulation, filling, packaging and finishing suppliers are often within reach of one another, which can shorten the distance between a specification and a sample.
EU regulatory context
Production inside the EU falls under the EU food-supplement framework. What that requires for your destination market is part of what the brief establishes.
Export experience varies
Some manufacturers export routinely and handle multi-market labelling as a matter of course; others do not. It is one of the first things worth establishing about any route.
None of this makes a given manufacturer the right one for your product. Origin is a starting point for a search, not a guarantee — which is what the brief and the assessment are for.
Who we work with
Buyers who already know what they want to build.
- Distributors and importers
- Retail groups and specialist retailers
- Wellness and supplement brands
- E-commerce brands
- Companies launching a private label
- Buyers sourcing for a specific market
Common questions
Before you send a brief.
Do you own a factory?
No. Nucleo Agency is a sourcing and commercial matchmaking desk. We are not a manufacturer, a laboratory or a certification body. Any supply contract is between you and the manufacturer you engage.
What does it cost?
Commercial terms are agreed in writing before work begins, and depend on what the engagement involves. We do not publish a price list for work whose scope is set by your brief.
What minimum order quantity should I expect?
It depends on the format and the manufacturer — a capsule run and a glass-bottled liquid do not carry the same floor. Getting the MOQ established early, rather than three weeks into an email thread, is part of what the brief is for.
How quickly will you reply?
We read every brief before replying. We do not publish a response time we have not measured against real volume, because a number we cannot hold is worse than no number.
Who handles regulatory compliance?
The manufacturer you contract with holds responsibility for product compliance and documentation. Our part is making sure the requirements for your destination market are in the conversation from the first brief, rather than discovered at the end.
What if my requirement falls outside your categories?
We will tell you, rather than take the brief and improvise. A narrow focus is only worth anything if we are honest about where it ends.
Will my company name be shared with suppliers?
Only what is needed to get a meaningful answer. If you would rather we approached manufacturers without naming you at first, say so in the brief and we will.
Tell us what you are sourcing.
One brief is enough to start. We read it before we reply.