INGREDIENT & MATERIAL SOURCING

Our purchasing agents are active members of the Institute for Supply Management and follow Good Purchasing Practices (GPP). They have alliances with a network of quality suppliers capable of providing NLI with safe, high quality raw materials.

NLI’s Purchasing Department is dedicated to selecting botanicals, synthetics, vitamins, minerals and packaging materials to meet client specifications, manufacturing needs and consumer demands for quality and safety. Quality materials are secured at the best value, not just the lowest price.

We utilize a TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) approach, wherein criteria such as quality and delivery are evaluated in order to obtain the right product at the right cost, every time. We work with suppliers to reduce lead times and lower costs for clients.

NLI safeguards against non-quality raw materials by investigating and evaluating suppliers using a 4-tiered auditing process:

Step 1 – Supplier Pre-Qualification

Brief written questionnaire focusing on capabilities and product offerings

Step 2 – Supplier Pre-audit

Full scale written audit focusing on company capabilities as well as internal protocols and processes

Step 3 – On-Site Supplier Audit

First-hand evaluation of production processes and protocols

Step 4 – Approved Vendor Material Verification

Material samples obtained and a myriad of tests performed in order to ensure that the material meets supplier claims and NLI/customer requirements

Suppliers are scored in accordance to NLI’s purchasing-devised point system. All resulting qualification and audit data (original investigation, organizational charts, annual reports, company history and performance evaluation) are maintained in a qualified supplier profile and retained for future Purchasing Department reference.