Almost every supplement manufacturer's website says "cGMP." Far fewer can hand you a certificate, issued by an independent auditor, that names the facility where your product will actually be made. That gap is where a lot of sourcing mistakes start. A brand signs with a manufacturer that describes itself as GMP compliant, then finds out during a retailer onboarding or a marketplace compliance review that nobody outside the company has ever verified the claim.
Certifications are how a manufacturer proves what its website says. Each one answers a different question a buyer, a retailer, or a regulator will eventually ask about your product. Eagle Labs holds each of the certifications described here across its U.S.-based facilities in Florida, and every certificate is posted publicly on our Awards and Certifications page.
Every company that makes dietary supplements in the United States is legally required to follow FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practice rule for supplements, 21 CFR Part 111. It governs how ingredients are identified and tested, how batches are documented, how equipment is cleaned, and how complaints are handled. So when a manufacturer says it is "cGMP compliant," it is describing an obligation every manufacturer already has. It is not evidence.
FDA enforces the rule through inspections, but FDA does not certify supplement facilities, and it does not visit any single facility often. GMP certification fills that gap. An accredited third party audits the facility against the regulation, issues a certificate tied to that specific site, and comes back on a recurring schedule to renew it. The certificate carries an expiration date, which means it has to be earned again. That is the difference between a claim and a credential.
For years, manufacturers selling into major retailers sat through overlapping GMP audits, each run to a slightly different checklist. The NSF/ANSI 455 standards were developed with retailers and manufacturers to replace that patchwork with a single, public audit standard that retailers accept. It is split by product category, and the category matters because the underlying regulations are different.
NSF/ANSI 455-2 audits a facility against the supplement cGMP rule in 21 CFR Part 111, with additional retailer requirements layered on top. For a supplement brand, this is the certification that matters most. It shows that identity testing, batch records, and quality control have been checked by an outside auditor rather than described in a sales deck. All four Eagle Labs facilities hold NSF/ANSI 455-2 certification. For a deeper look at the standard, see what NSF/ANSI 455-2 certification covers.
Cosmetics and personal care products fall under a different framework. NSF/ANSI 455-3 is aligned with ISO 22716, the international GMP guideline for cosmetics, and it has become more relevant since the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) raised FDA's expectations for cosmetic manufacturers. Brands that sell both supplements and skin care should check this one separately, because a supplement GMP certificate says nothing about how creams and serums are made. Our Seminole, Almighty Nutrition, and CORE facilities hold NSF/ANSI 455-3 certification, and we cover the MoCRA angle in more detail in what NSF/ANSI 455-3 verifies.
Sunscreens, acne treatments, antiseptics, and topical pain relievers are regulated as drugs, not cosmetics, and their manufacturers answer to the drug GMP regulations in 21 CFR Parts 210 and 211. NSF/ANSI 455-4 audits against those requirements. If your product line includes anything with an active drug ingredient and a Drug Facts panel, your manufacturer needs this certification, and all four Eagle Labs facilities hold NSF/ANSI 455-4 certification.
Supplement facilities must register with FDA as food facilities, and MoCRA now requires cosmetic facilities to register as well. Eagle Labs is FDA registered. But registration is a listing, not an approval. FDA does not approve supplement manufacturers, and a company that advertises an "FDA approved facility" is misstating what registration means. Treat registration as the minimum, and look to third-party certification for proof of quality. We walk through what to look for in finding an FDA-registered cGMP manufacturer.
GMP certification tells you a facility is well run. The next group of certifications determines where your product can be sold and what it can say on the label. These are easy to overlook early and expensive to add later, because switching manufacturers mid-launch to get one is rarely an option.
A Halal claim requires more than a compliant formula. The certifier reviews ingredient sources (gelatin in capsules and gummies is a common sticking point), processing aids, equipment, and how materials are handled and stored to prevent cross-contact. Halal certification matters for brands selling to Muslim consumers in the U.S. and for retailers and export markets that require it. Eagle Labs holds Halal certification HPFR 7334-CH.
Under the USDA National Organic Program, a product can carry the USDA Organic seal only if every operation that handles it along the way is certified, including the manufacturer. A brand cannot add an organic claim to a product made in an uncertified facility, no matter how its ingredients were sourced. Eagle Labs maintains USDA NOP organic certification through OneCert, certificate 2580006210.
Canada regulates supplements as natural health products, and Canadian importers must identify every foreign site that manufactures or packages the products they bring in. A Foreign Site Reference Number (FSRN) shows that Health Canada has already reviewed evidence of the site's GMP compliance, which removes a step for your Canadian importer. Eagle Labs holds Health Canada FSRN 63033. For a U.S. brand planning to expand north, that registration is one less obstacle between you and Canadian shelves.
Certificates are issued to sites, not to companies. A manufacturer with several facilities can truthfully say "we are NSF certified" while the plant that will run your product holds a different set of certificates than the one pictured on the website.
Eagle Labs is a good example of why this matters. Our Oldsmar facility produces capsules, tablets, and powders, and it holds NSF/ANSI 455-2 and 455-4. It does not hold 455-3, because it does not make cosmetics. Our Seminole and Almighty Nutrition facilities, which make liquids, creams, serums, and gummies, hold all three. Our CORE warehouse holds all three as well, so certified handling does not stop when production ends. We publish certificates facility by facility for exactly this reason: you should be able to match your product to the site that makes it and confirm that site's credentials yourself.
Before you sign a supply agreement, ask for answers you can verify:
A manufacturer that is confident in its credentials will answer all of these quickly, with documents. Hesitation on the first question tells you most of what you need to know.
Holding the full NSF/ANSI 455 family across multiple facilities is unusual in contract manufacturing. Most manufacturers certify for the one category they serve. We certified for supplements, cosmetics, and OTC drugs because our customers' product lines cross those boundaries, and we want a brand to be able to move from capsules to a topical cream without changing manufacturers or starting a new qualification process.
Every product we make is manufactured in the United States at our facilities in Florida, and every certificate we hold is posted with its facility, number, and expiration date. If you are evaluating manufacturers and want to see how our certifications map to your product, talk to our team.
It means an accredited third party has audited the facility against FDA's supplement GMP rule (21 CFR Part 111) and issued a certificate for that site. Unlike a "cGMP compliant" claim, certification is independently verified, carries an expiration date, and must be renewed through recurring audits.
No. Supplement and cosmetic facilities are required to register with FDA, but FDA does not approve or certify supplement manufacturers. Registration means FDA knows the facility exists. It says nothing about quality on its own.
Ask for the certificate issued to the specific facility that will make your product, confirm the expiration date, and look the facility up in the certifying body's public listings. A reputable manufacturer will provide certificates without hesitation.
Yes. Cosmetics and OTC drugs fall under different regulations than supplements, so they are audited under different standards. NSF/ANSI 455-3 covers cosmetics and NSF/ANSI 455-4 covers OTC drugs. A supplement GMP certificate does not extend to either.
Not if the product will carry the claim. The USDA Organic seal requires every handler in the chain, including the manufacturer, to be certified, and a Halal claim requires the certifier to review the manufacturing site's ingredients, equipment, and handling. Neither can be added to a product after the fact.
A Foreign Site Reference Number is issued by Health Canada to manufacturing sites outside Canada after it reviews evidence of the site's GMP compliance. Canadian importers of natural health products use it to show their foreign suppliers meet Canadian requirements.
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