B2B customer projects
Customer projects.
From samples to shipment.
See how product specifications, packaging decisions and shipping documents come together in oral pouch and oral dissolving film projects. Review two customs cases, client packaging photos and the questions different buying teams need answered.
We review the destination, product category and proposed formula before accepting a production deposit.
01 / Customs cases & quality checks
Check the market first.
Keep the documents with the order.
A finished product needs a suitable import route, an agreed specification and a supplier who can answer questions after dispatch. These cases show why those decisions belong in the first buying discussion.
Australia / Customer case
Classification before freight.
An Australian buyer arranged their own import broker for a shipment of tens of thousands of boxes. At the destination airport, the product was treated as a therapeutic good requiring registration that had not been secured. The shipment was detained and the buyer suffered a substantial financial loss.
That experience changed our order review. We now start with the destination, ingredients, dose, format and intended claims. If the proposed product has no acceptable route into that market, we pause or decline the order, or work through a reformulation before taking a production deposit.
A broker or freight booking cannot replace the required product classification and import authorisations.
TGA: supplying therapeutic goods in AustraliaEurope / Customer case
Responding to a customs document check.
A European customer's shipment was selected for a customs document check. Cara supplied the batch and product information and the applicable export records to the buyer's broker. The shipment was subsequently released.
Prepare the required declaration and any applicable outbound inspection before dispatch. Batch COA, product specification and inspection records should identify the actual goods. Where a carrier requests an SDS/MSDS or transport assessment, its scope must match the product and packaging in that shipment.
Keep the importer, broker and factory working from the same product description and document set. Customs decides whether and when goods can be released.
Review our shipping responsibilitiesFactory practice / Incoming materials
Keep failed lots out of production.
Incoming materials are checked before release to production, with testing selected for the ingredient and specification. Identification, assay, impurities, moisture and microbiological limits are reviewed where applicable. Lots that fail the agreed acceptance criteria are rejected and returned to the supplier.
Our 1,200 m² laboratory supports material and batch checks. For a repeat order, the approved sample, formula revision and finished-product specification provide the production reference. Confirm the required tests and the scope of applicable CNAS accreditation with Cara.
Agree measurable acceptance criteria before production, then review the records for the batch being shipped.
Review manufacturing quality & documents02 / Client packs & evaluation samples
Look at the pack.
Then agree your own specification.
These packaging references show the can format, a concealed back label and a flavour evaluation set. Client details are kept private. Formula, pack specifications and destination artwork are agreed for each order.
Oral pouch packaging front view
Client branding and product identifiers are concealed. Use the reference to discuss the can format, lid fit and label area before approving your own packaging.
Back label with client details concealed
Client branding, product data, barcode and batch codes are concealed. Agree the label layout, required product information and lot coding for your own order; market requirements are reviewed separately.
Flavour evaluation sample cans
Mint, Mango, Berry, Watermelon, Blood Orange and Spearmint samples are shown. Use sampling to compare taste, cooling and mouthfeel. Confirm the available flavours and sample contents with Cara.
Client ODF cartons & foil sachets
Review the product format and retail packaging before discussing your own strip project.
Watch on YouTubeZestDose Sample Showroom
Take a look around the sample showroom and compare the product and packaging samples on display.
Watch on YouTube03 / Purchasing briefs by buying team
Different buyers.
Different details to settle.
Ten project notes for distributors, retail buyers and own-brand sellers. Use the filters to find the questions closest to your brief.
Showing 10 project notes
01 / European importer
Prepare for a document request.
Use the European customs case as a document checklist. Confirm the importer, broker, product description, batch identifiers and records required before booking freight. Ask who will respond if customs requests additional information.
02 / Oral pouch brand
Approve the can and the contents together.
Compare the mint energy pouch photos with your proposed pack. Set the caffeine amount, pouch count, flavour, can specification and artwork as one brief. Check the ingredient panel and warnings against the final formula and destination category.
03 / Multi-market distributor
Review each country separately.
Send the exact countries and channels you intend to supply. An ingredient, dose or claim accepted in one market may need a different route in another. Settle the product category and importer requirements before paying for production.
04 / Amazon & online seller
Specify storage and transit conditions.
Choose the strip format and sachet structure around the actual formula. Ask for relevant stability and packaging information, and agree the warehouse and transit conditions to be evaluated. Do not infer a universal temperature limit from another SKU.
05 / UK retail distributor
Compare stock foil with custom cartons.
Universal stock inner foil with your own outer carton may reduce custom sachet printing setup. Confirm the available film and required label space. A 500-box-per-flavour ODF tier needs written approval for the qualifying larger order; SKU count alone does not qualify it.
06 / Beauty wholesaler
Start with the ingredient specification.
For biotin, glutathione and other beauty strip briefs, agree ingredient identity, active amounts and the test methods needed for your market. Confirm any requested certification against the relevant product and facility records before committing to a retail claim.
07 / First-time own-brand buyer
Assign artwork and shipping responsibilities.
Confirm your right to use the brand and artwork, the product category and the importer before printing. Use your own forwarder or request a route from Cara. Set the named place and delivery term in writing, including import clearance and duties where applicable.
08 / Pet wellness buyer
Treat the pet range as a separate brief.
Discuss the intended species, ingredients, amount per serving, directions and claims. Pet products need a separate destination review from human supplements. Confirm the available stock range and sampling route before planning a veterinary or pet-store listing.
09 / Sports nutrition brand
State the serving size clearly.
Set active amounts per strip and per serving, along with strip count per box. Use sampling to assess texture, dissolution and taste at the proposed loading. Keep the approved formula, serving directions and retail pack consistent.
10 / Supermarket & pharmacy buyer
Build a repeat-order file.
Record the approved sample, formula version, artwork, barcode, case pack and acceptance criteria. Before the 30% pre-shipment balance, review the batch COA, product specification and factory inspection report. Confirm the same references for the next order.
04 / From brief to dispatch
Agree the product.
Keep each handover clear.
- 01
Country & product review
Share the target country, channel, ingredients, dose, format and intended claims. We work through the manufacturing and document requirements with your buying team and importer before confirming the order.
- 02
Sampling & specification
Compare stock samples or develop a formula or flavour sample. Record the sample revision, pack specification and acceptance criteria. Sampling usually takes 7–10 working days; transit is additional.
- 03
Artwork & batch records
Approve the final artwork and production specification. Review the batch COA, product specification and factory inspection report before the pre-shipment balance. Confirm the applicable export declaration and inspection requirements.
- 04
Freight & follow-up
Use your own forwarder or request a route. Agree the named place, transport mode and delivery term. We provide the applicable product and batch records if your broker or carrier needs further information after dispatch.
EXW, FOB, CFR and DDP allocate different responsibilities. CFR is a sea or inland-waterway term; DDP includes the seller's agreed import clearance, duties and taxes. The quotation must identify the actual route and named place.
Review Shipping PolicyOrder quantities, samples & timing
- In-stock oral strips
- 16 human and 3 pet product ranges. From 500 boxes. Confirm the SKU mix, pack count and availability. Stock dispatch is usually around 7 days after availability and payment are confirmed.
- Private label / custom ODF
- Normally 1,500 boxes per flavour. A 500-box-per-flavour tier may apply to qualifying larger multi-SKU orders with written confirmation.
- Oral pouches
- From 1,500 cans per flavour. The formula, pouch count and packaging specification are confirmed in the quotation.
- Evaluation samples
- US$10 per in-stock sample box (5 samples); shipping extra. Sample fees are credited against the bulk order total, as recorded on the PI.
- Custom formula / flavour samples
- US$58 per formula or flavour, plus shipping. Sample fees are credited against the bulk order total, as recorded on the PI. Preparation and dispatch: 7–10 working days, approximately 7–15 calendar days.
- Custom bulk & payment
- Custom bulk dispatch: 25 calendar days after design approval. Standard payment: 70% deposit / 30% pre-shipment balance. Freight time is additional.
05 / Buyer questions
Questions before
your next order.
How do you reduce customs and sales-channel risk?
We review the destination, ingredients, dose, format, intended claims and importer requirements before accepting a production deposit. The Australia case shows why a freight arrangement alone is insufficient. We pause or decline unsuitable briefs, or discuss reformulation. The importer and relevant authorities must confirm the required market route; no supplier can guarantee customs release or a marketplace listing.
What happens if customs asks for more documents after dispatch?
Tell Cara and share the broker's or carrier's exact request. We provide the applicable batch COA, product specification, inspection records and export documents, with SDS/MSDS or transport assessments where required and available for the actual goods and packaging. In the European case on this page, documents were supplied to the buyer's broker and the shipment was released. Each inspection is decided by the relevant authority.
How are raw materials and repeat-order quality checked?
Incoming materials are checked against the agreed specification before release to production. Failed lots are rejected and returned to the supplier. Our 1,200 m² laboratory supports material and batch checks; the required tests and relevant CNAS scope are confirmed for the project. The approved sample, formula revision and finished-product specification provide the repeat-order reference.
What does our buying team need to approve?
Provide the exact destination and channel, product direction, formula requirements, pack and first-order quantity. Approve the physical sample, final specification, artwork and commercial terms. Confirm your importer and any market registrations or permissions required. Cara coordinates sampling, manufacturing, the applicable document set and the agreed shipping arrangements.
What are the MOQs, sample fees and lead times?
In-stock oral strips start from 500 boxes. Private label or custom ODF normally starts at 1,500 boxes per flavour; a qualifying larger order may receive written approval for 500 boxes per flavour. Oral pouches start from 1,500 cans per flavour. Stock sample boxes are US$10, and custom formula or flavour samples are US$58, with shipping extra. Samples take 7–10 working days. Stock dispatch is usually around 7 days, subject to availability and payment; custom bulk dispatch is 25 calendar days after design approval. Transit time is additional.
Why are client details obscured in the packaging photos?
Client brand identifiers are obscured so buyers can review the pack format and printing without exposing those details. The photographs are packaging references. Final ingredient amounts, required warnings, claims and product classification must be checked against your approved formula and destination requirements before printing.
Tell Cara what you need
Bring your country, product and pack.
Start with the format, destination and first-order quantity. Add the questions you want settled before samples or production.
