So, you think you’ve found a high-quality bulk hemp seed oil supplier for your next blockbuster product. But how do you know if you have a winning supplier in your corner to make the best possible product for your brand? 

Here’s what you need to know and ask a prospective hemp seed oil wholesale supplier: 

Ensure the Supply Chain Is Sustainable

If your brand focuses on eco-friendly, sustainable products, it’s critical that your hemp seed oil wholesale supplier meet that ethos. After all, your brand story and formula quality start with your ingredients. 

Here are five things to look for, or simply select the ones that are most important to your brand. 

1. Minimally processed. When methods that don't use ultra-high heat or harsh chemicals are used to extract oil from the hemp seed or hemp heart, more of those good-for-your-body nutrients are preserved. 
2. Certified organic. When a farm and its products are certified organic, they’re grown in a way that follows certain government-outlined rules that look at soil quality, pest and weed control, use of additives, etc. (Sidenote: All of Victory Hemp’s ingredients are available as USDA Certified Organic.) 
3. Grown using sustainable farming practices. This is a way of farming that aims to preserve, and even replenish, the land on which crops are grown—and there’s even a certification for it: Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC). At Victory Hemp, we work with some farmers that are working towards getting their ROC. And all of our products are Non-GMO Project Verified. 
4. A relationship with their farmers. When your hemp seed oil supplier knows who is growing their raw ingredients it’s an indication that they’re more invested in both their product and their people.
5. A company with a history of reliability. How well has the supplier filled orders in the past, and are the sizes of those orders comparable to what you need? Being able to acquire the quantity of hemp seed oil is just as important—if not more important—than the quality.  

Ask to See Documentation

Not only do you want to see the documentation first-hand, but also the documents you request should be easily accessible and shareable for the wholesale hemp seed oil supplier. Ask for the following: 

1. Certificate of Analysis. This technical document is a form of quality assurance and is sometimes requested by governing bodies, such as the Food and Drug Administration, depending on the type of product you’re formulating. 
2. Technical Data Sheet. Another technical document (as its name implies!) that outlines the specifications (regulatory data, nutritional data, chemical and physical properties, etc.) of the ingredient.
3. Primary research references and/or clinical or lab test results to support all performance claims.
4. The appropriate documentation for any certifications, such as USDA organic, vegan statement, or a ‘no animal testing’ statement.
5. An ingredient label that is easily readable and clearly lists both an expiration date and a batch number. 

Confirm That the Ingredient Qualities Align with Your End Product

The characteristics of the hemp seed oil you are considering sourcing must meet the demands of your formula and the vision of the final product. Here are a few examples: 

• Agreeable Scent or Flavor Profile: Does the scent or flavor profile of your product formula demand a neutral scent or flavor (like our V-ONE™ Hemp Heart Oil provides) or will the herbaceous scent or flavor of a standard cold-pressed hemp seed oil work? 
• Agreeable Color Profile: Is color important — does your formula require a light-colored oil (like V-ONE™), or is the dark green hue of a cold-pressed hemp seed oil OK? 
• Important Certifications: Are certifications necessary—do you plan to label your product organic, vegan, etc.? 
• Price Point: Inquire about the price point to ensure that the cost of the hemp seed oil aligns with your total budget for the entire product. 

Inquire About the Supplier’s Business

Remember, your product’s success hinges on high-quality, readily available ingredients. And so with that said, this company needs to be one that you want to partner with. Here are a few questions to ask yourself, and the other decision-makers at your brand: 

1. Does the supplier truly understand the ingredient they are selling? 
2. Will your hemp seed oil supplier readily and quickly supply documentation?
3. Are they following good manufacturing practices that meet your brand’s standards? 
4. How responsive and supportive have their sales team and customer service been to your questions? 
5. Do they willingly supply bench samples of the ingredient for you to do test formulations? 

What to Look for in a Hemp Seed Oil Supplier 

To recap, the key tenets of what to inquire about and seek additional information on when it comes to selecting a hemp seed oil supplier are the supply chain (is it sustainable, and in a way that aligns with your brand?); ingredient quality (again, does it align with what your product needs?); documentation; and the supplier’s overall business approach. For your product to be successful and financially sustainable, aligning yourself with an equal-minded supplier is helpful. 

Learn more about Victory Hemp Foods and our approach to hemp seed ingredients, here.