As the year wraps up, many in the supplement industry are finalizing production schedules and sourcing plans for early 2026. One topic quietly shaping those plans is the evolving tariff environment between the United States and China, particularly for nutrition supplement ingredients and raw materials.
At Nutrient Innovations, we monitor every trade adjustment that could affect ingredient cost, customs clearance, or lead time, so our partners can move confidently through year end and into Q1.
Current Landscape as of December 1, 2025
The IEEPA “Reciprocal Tariff” on goods imported from abroad remains in effect and is country-specific. The active exemptions and product listings under Annex II and Annex III determine which items are subject to, or excluded from, these reciprocal duties.
Annex III exclusions for many nutraceutical, functional food, and superfood ingredients are now active. This reduces or removes additional reciprocal tariffs for those categories when the products meet the specific criteria.
Following recent negotiations between the United States and China, the so-called “fentanyl” tariffs imposed on nearly all Chinese goods have been reduced from 20% to 10%, effective November 10, 2025.
Many nutrition-related materials from China already carry Section 301 duties of 7.5% to 25%, imposed several years ago and still in effect.
When all additional tariffs apply, the effective total duty on certain Chinese-origin ingredients can reach approximately 45%, before standard HTSUS base duties (0% to 5%).
A smaller subset of categories, mainly chemical intermediates, still fall under 20% rates, while most food-grade and nutraceutical inputs are now in the 10% to 25% combined range.
The administration has confirmed that the 10% reciprocal tariff will remain in place through at least November 2026, with no immediate escalation announced.
For supplement manufacturers, this means cost exposure has stabilized. The era of sharp tariff swings has shifted into a new normal that must be managed, not feared.
Practical Impact for the Supplement Supply Chain
Most functional and botanical ingredients—including amino acids, herbal extracts, vitamins, minerals, and specialty nutraceuticals—continue to move steadily from China despite these tariffs. What matters now is disciplined sourcing and accurate classification.
Key operational levers:
HTS accuracy prevents overpayment or underpayment of duties.
Multi-origin sourcing protects against future tariff changes or customs delays.
Predictive cost modeling keeps production schedules and quoting timelines on track.
Nutrient Innovations integrates these factors into every quote and purchase order, incorporating duty costs into landed pricing long before products reach our customers.
What We Are Doing for Our Partners
We understand our clients depend on predictable ingredient supply and stable pricing. Our logistics and procurement teams:
Track all current Annex II and Annex III classifications to confirm which HTS codes remain under special action.
Maintain active supplier networks across five continents to allow substitution of non-China origins when beneficial.
Audit and update customs documentation continuously to keep shipments compliant and friction-free.
Smooth tariff impacts wherever possible through long-term volume contracts and consolidated shipping lanes.
The result: no interruptions, no surprise surcharges, and confidence that Nutrient Innovations has already accounted for the complexities behind the scenes.
Looking Ahead to Q1 2026
As brands and manufacturers prepare new product launches and production runs, the trade environment should not slow innovation. With tariffs relatively stable and supply chains normalized, the focus can stay on formulation, marketing, and customer growth—while we continue managing import logistics, duty exposure, and regulatory compliance.
We will continue monitoring updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for any material policy changes. When action is required, our partners will hear it from us first.
Nutrient Innovations
Reliable Ingredients. Reliable Partnership.