Private Label
A custom-formulated product built specifically for your brand, as opposed to a shared stock formula sold to many brands.
Private label manufacturing means the manufacturer develops or customizes a formula specifically for you, rather than selling you a formula they also sell to other brands under different labels. This gives you more control over ingredients, dosage, and positioning, but it typically requires a larger minimum order and longer development timeline than white label.
Many buyers start with a white-label product to validate demand, then move to private label once they have proven sales and want a differentiated formula.
Example
A wellness clinic works with a manufacturer to develop a proprietary blend of ingredients specific to their patient protocol, rather than using an off-the-shelf formula.
Worth Knowing
"Private label" and "custom formula" are sometimes used to describe different tiers of customization...ask specifically whether you're modifying an existing formula or building one from scratch, since the cost and MOQ differ significantly.