In a booming supplement space filled with kratom powders, kava shots, adaptogen stacks, and nootropic blends, one trend is clear: new brands are everywhere. But not every shiny label equals quality or safety.
If you’re browsing a local wellness store or an online shop, you need a process for separating trustworthy brands from quick-profit players. This guide walks you through exactly how to vet a supplement company before buying, even without lab access or scientific expertise.
Why Quality Vetting Is More Important Than Ever
In 2025, the global herbal and supplement market is booming, expected to exceed $230 billion. Many products are still self-regulated, and not every brand conducts third-party testing or shares full transparency about what’s inside the bottle.
Some of the most common concerns include:
- Mislabeled or underdosed products
- Vague or undisclosed ingredient sourcing
- Fillers, synthetics, or contaminants slipping through quality checks
This makes it even more important to vet before you buy kratom or any herbal supplement. With so many new names entering the market, especially on large platforms like Amazon, your own quality checklist is your best protection.
Why It’s Risky to Buy Blind in the Herbal Supplement Market
Unlike pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements are not pre-approved by the FDA for safety or efficacy. Many herbal brands operate legally under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), but that law mainly requires that companies self-regulate.
That means:
- There’s no guarantee the label matches the contents
- Dosages may vary from batch to batch
- Contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, or microbes may be present
- Undisclosed ingredients are possible in some products
Consumer responsibility fills the gap. If you care about safety, potency, and consistency, learning how to vet brands is essential.
Understand What You’re Buying: Supplement vs Botanical vs Beverage
Not all wellness products fall under the same rules. Here’s how product types differ:
- Capsules or tablets: Considered dietary supplements; must have a supplement facts panel.
- Functional beverages or RTDs: Often regulated as food products; labeling may be looser.
- Botanical powders (like kratom or kava): Can vary widely depending on whether they are imported, blended, or concentrated.
Understanding the category helps you interpret labels, testing claims, and regulations.
The First 5 Things to Check on a Brand’s Website
Start with a scan of the company’s site. You’re looking for visible signs of legitimacy and transparency:
- Who runs the brand? Look for named team members, founder stories, or a professional “About” page.
- Do they provide ingredient sourcing details?g. “Wildcrafted in Vanuatu” or “sourced from certified farms in Indonesia.”
- Can you find lab reports or COAs? Bonus if batch numbers are visible.
- Is there a real customer service channel? Email, phone, or chat—automated forms don’t count.
- Is there a clear refund policy? Legitimate brands don’t hide behind fine print.
How to Read a Certificate of Analysis (COA) Like a Pro
A COA is the gold standard of transparency. It’s a lab test that shows what’s in the product—and what’s not.
Look for:
- Third-party lab name: Should be unaffiliated with the company.
- Date and batch ID: Make sure it matches the product you’re buying.
- Active compound verification: Mitragynine content for kratom, kavalactone percentage for kava.
- Safety markers: Screens for heavy metals (like lead), mold, salmonella, and E. coli.
- Pass/fail results: Ensure levels fall within safe, published limits.
If a company refuses to provide this, or links to outdated results, that’s a red flag. Good branding isn’t a substitute for substance. Common red flags include:
- Overly vague claims: “Detox,” “vibe boost,” or “clean formula” without detail.
- Medical-style claims: Anything claiming to “cure” or “treat” specific health issues is a regulatory violation.
- Science without sources: Vague references to “studies show” without links to real data.
You’re not just buying a label, you’re consuming what’s inside it. Don’t let packaging persuade you where facts are missing.
Try Customer Support Before You Buy
A real test: Ask a question. This shows if a company stands behind its product.
Try asking:
- “Do you offer COAs for your latest batch?”
- “Where do you source your kratom/kava/mushrooms?”
- “What’s your return policy if the product is damaged?”
Slow, generic, or unhelpful replies signal weak support. No reply at all? Walk away. Once you’ve vetted the brand, don’t go all in. Your test plan:
- Buy the smallest unit or sample pack available
- Track effects over 3–5 days using a journal (taste, onset time, effect duration, any side effects)
- Reorder only after confirming consistency with the same batch or product line
If effects differ wildly between batches—or you can’t replicate the first result—that’s a consistency issue.
Final Thoughts: Trust Is Earned, Not Claimed
A supplement brand’s job is to earn your trust with transparency, testing, and support. Your job is to evaluate them—not with paranoia, but with simple standards anyone can apply. By learning what to look for, you’ll avoid the low-quality outliers and find consistent, clean products that align with your goals.
