Capsule Supplement Manufacturing supports a wide range of capsule types, including vegetarian HPMC, gelatin, enteric-coated, and liquid-filled capsules.
The combined gelatin and vegetarian capsule shell market is projected to grow from roughly $2.96 billion in 2024 to $6.38 billion by 2034, an 8.0% CAGR, according to industry market research cited by CapsCanada.
That growth is not confined to one shell type. Brands are formulating across vegetarian, gelatin, enteric, and liquid-filled capsules simultaneously, often within the same product line.
A brand launching a probiotic alongside a fish oil softgel capsule and a vegan multivitamin needs three different shell technologies, not three different vendors.
Most capsule manufacturers only run one or two of these well.
But CPack Manufacturing, all four capsule types run through the same capsule supplement manufacturing line in Orem, Utah.
Why Capsule Type Range Matters More Than Brands Think
A brand that formulates across multiple capsule types but sources from a single-format vendor ends up managing two or three manufacturer relationships instead of one.
That fragmentation carries a real cost.
Every additional vendor relationship means a separate onboarding process, a separate quality audit, a separate minimum order commitment, and a separate shipping and fulfillment chain.
None of that shows up on a per-unit cost sheet, but it shows up in the time a founder spends managing vendors instead of managing the brand.
This matters because the fragmentation is avoidable. A facility that runs vegetarian, gelatin, enteric, and liquid-filled capsules under one roof lets a multi-SKU brand consolidate sourcing, testing, and shipping into a single relationship.
One manufacturer, one Certificate of Analysis process, one shipping schedule. That is the actual value of single-roof production.
Vegetarian HPMC Capsules
Vegetarian HPMC capsules are made from plant-derived hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and carry no animal-derived material.
They are the standard choice for vegan, vegetarian, Halal, and Kosher label claims.
HPMC shells resist moisture better than gelatin, which makes them more stable in humid shipping and storage conditions.
They dissolve at a moderate, consistent rate, which suits probiotics, herbal extracts, and other moisture-sensitive actives.
This matters for brands targeting the fastest-growing consumer segment in the category. Plant-based capsule demand keeps climbing as more shoppers actively look for vegan and clean-label claims on the bottle, not just the ingredient panel.
A vegetarian shell is a label claim and a stability decision at the same time.
Gelatin Capsules
Gelatin capsules use bovine or porcine collagen for the shell and remain the most widely used, most cost-effective capsule format on the market.
They dissolve quickly and work with the broadest range of active ingredients.
Gelatin’s long manufacturing history means predictable behavior at scale: consistent fill weights, dependable dissolution, and lower per-unit shell cost than HPMC or enteric alternatives.
For brands not targeting a vegan or Halal claim, gelatin remains the default for a reason.
The distinction matters for margin-sensitive brands running high-volume SKUs. A gelatin shell costs less per unit, and at scale that difference compounds across a full production run.
Enteric-Coated Capsules
Enteric-coated capsules carry an acid-resistant coating that keeps the shell intact through the stomach and releases contents only in the small intestine.
They are built for ingredients that acid would otherwise destroy or irritate.
Probiotics, digestive enzymes, and omega-3s are the three active categories that benefit most. Left in a standard shell, stomach acid can degrade a live probiotic culture before it ever reaches the gut, which is the entire mechanism the capsule manufacturing process has to account for during formulation.
This matters because an enteric claim on packaging is only credible if the coating actually performs. A manufacturer offering enteric capsules needs the coating equipment and the testing protocol to back up the claim, not just the shell.
Liquid-Filled Capsules
Liquid-filled capsules are hard shells, either gelatin or HPMC, filled with a liquid or semi-solid formula rather than a dry powder.
They suit oil-based actives that need precise dosing without a full softgel format.
This format bridges the gap between a standard dry capsule and a softgel. It allows oil-soluble ingredients, like certain vitamins and specialty extracts, to be dosed accurately in a shell format that still reads as a familiar capsule to the consumer.
The trade-off is production complexity. Liquid-filled capsules need tighter seal integrity checks than dry-filled shells, which is why fewer manufacturers offer the format well.
The Detail Almost Every Capsule Guide Misses
Here’s the part worth sitting with: shell type and fill technology are decided independently, not as a single choice.
A brand can pair an enteric coating with either a gelatin or an HPMC base shell.
Most comparison content treats capsule type as one linear decision: pick a shell, done. In practice, a manufacturer capable of combining enteric coating with a vegetarian base, for instance, opens formulation options a single-shell vendor simply cannot offer.
This is where a single-roof manufacturer earns its keep. Combining shell material with fill technology in-house means a brand can test a vegetarian enteric-coated probiotic without coordinating between a shell supplier and a separate coating vendor.
Shell and coating are two decisions. Treat them as one, and you limit your own formulation.
Comparing the Four Capsule Types
No single type is the right default. A multivitamin brand chasing a Halal claim needs vegetarian HPMC. A high-volume protein-adjacent brand running thin margins often stays with gelatin.
A probiotic brand has no real alternative to enteric-coated. The product decides the shell, not the other way around.
How CPack Can Help
CPack Manufacturing produces all four capsule types, vegetarian HPMC, gelatin, enteric-coated, and liquid-filled, from one FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility in Orem, Utah, with 25-plus years of encapsulation experience.
- Shell options: vegetarian HPMC, bovine and porcine gelatin, enteric-coated, and liquid-filled, in sizes 000 through 3.
- Formulation support: shell and coating technology chosen together, matched to your active ingredients and label claims.
- Private label or custom: choose from pre-formulated stock capsule formulas or build a custom capsule formula from your brief, across any of the four shell types.
- Quality and compliance: third-party testing for potency, purity, and heavy metals, with a Certificate of Analysis on every batch.
If your catalog spans more than one capsule type, contact our team and we will map every SKU to the right shell under one production relationship.
Frequently Asked Questions
CPack Manufacturing produces vegetarian HPMC capsules, gelatin capsules, enteric-coated capsules, and liquid-filled capsules, all from one FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility in Orem, Utah, in sizes 000 through 3.
Vegetarian capsules use plant-derived HPMC and carry no animal material, supporting vegan, vegetarian, Halal, and Kosher claims. Gelatin capsules use bovine or porcine collagen, cost less per unit, and remain the most widely used shell format.
Enteric-coated capsules resist stomach acid and release their contents in the small intestine instead. They are built for acid-sensitive actives like probiotics, digestive enzymes, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Liquid-filled capsule runs typically take 6 to 9 weeks, longer than standard dry-filled shells, because seal integrity testing and precise dosing checks add time to the production schedule.
Yes. CPack Manufacturing pairs shell material with fill and coating technology in-house, so brands can develop combinations like an enteric-coated vegetarian capsule without coordinating between separate shell and coating vendors.
