Indigo Labs: Bringing Liquid Nutrition Ideas to Life

Indigo Labs, Vista, CA, burst onto the nutraceuticals scene just last year, with a mission to bring liquid nutrition to the masses, or at least to the marketers that serve the masses. The co-founders of the company, Maria Czech and Joe Warne, maintain a combined 30 years of experience in the natural products and cosmetics industries. Their goal is to marry their expertise to serve clients interested in developing liquid nutrition products. And so far, according to Ms. Czech, business is booming. In fact, business is so good that the company recently re-located to larger facilities.

For companies that do not have liquid capabilities, Indigo helps them branch out to this fast-growing arena for nutraceutical delivery. The company can do this because its team possesses a wealth of knowledge in manufacturing, product development, sales and marketing.

Most of the company’s clients specify 32-oz. bottles, but it can also manufacture liquid products in bottles as small as 1-oz. and as big as gallons and bulk drums. Indigo happily embraces sourcing raw materials, or finding the right labels and packaging for clients. But it doesn’t stop there; the company also has the flexibility to adjust components, flavorings or ingredients in a particular formula, as well as alter the preservative structure depending upon the desires of the client and the intended positioning of the product in the marketplace.

Though barely a year old, the company has already reeled in some major clients hailing from various distribution channels, including MLM, direct sales, and the food-drug-mass (FDM) market. Ms. Czech attributes the company’s early success to the recent high interest in liquid nutrition. “I think liquids are very much on the rise, as delivery of nutrients continues to get more creative. There is always something innovative going on in this market,” she said. “Additionally, consumers are looking for their own health solutions because they are not finding them in the realm of traditional healthcare, and these types of products give them options.”

So what are some of Indigo’s most popular liquid formulations right now? “The antioxidants are really hot because of the anti-aging trend and the demand from Baby Boomers,” said Ms. Czech. “We are doing a lot of formulations containing ingredients like açai, goji, CoQ10 and astaxanthin.” While these ingredients remain popular across many segments of the nutraceuticals industry, Ms. Czech admits they are not the easiest materials to use in liquid formulations. That’s why she says her R&D team works extra hard to make these liquid products more than palatable. “Taste will always be number one. Consumers will buy something once, but for repeat purchase these types of products must be tasty! So far we have had really good luck using different types of natural sweeteners, flavor extracts and juice concentrates.”

Most recently, Indigo was awarded designation as a Certified Organic Manufacturer by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), which is a registered certifier with the National Organic Program (NOP). According to the company, its management policies and production processes are in strict accordance with the requirements for certified organic manufacturing. Furthermore, organic ingredients are separated from conventional ingredients at all times, with special rack and container labeling. Lastly, all growers, manufacturers and distributors of the organic raw materials the company uses must provide Indigo with a certificate from a recognized certifier to prove the authenticity of the organic material.

With its recent organic status and a thriving liquids market, the future looks bright for Indigo. “I believe this company offers a unique service because we work with our customers throughout the entire process,” Ms. Czech said. “We are also fully aware that our success depends on their success.”—R.W.

Indigo Labs
4039 Calle Platino, Suite C
Oceanside, CA 92056
Telephone: 760-727-3455
Fax: 760-724-0449
Sales Inquiries: 303-986-3221;
303-815-8684
E-mail: indigosales@msn.com
Website: www.indigo-labs.com