Silymarin, the powerful antioxidant derived from milk thistle seeds, has become a cornerstone in liver health supplements, pharmaceuticals, and even skincare products. Its reputation for supporting liver function, reducing inflammation, and fighting oxidative stress has made it a sought-after ingredient worldwide. And when it comes to sourcing high-quality silymarin, Costa Rica stands out—not just for its lush biodiversity, but for its commitment to sustainable farming, rigorous quality standards, and a growing network of trusted botanical extract producers. Whether you're a small supplement brand, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, or a skincare formulator, finding the right silymarin supplier is key to ensuring your products are effective, pure, and ethically sourced. In this guide, we're diving into the top 10 silymarin suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and traders in Costa Rica, highlighting what makes each one unique and how they can meet your specific needs.
1. Costa Rica Botanical Labs
Founded in 2005, Costa Rica Botanical Labs (CRBL) has grown from a small family-run operation to one of the country's most respected names in botanical extracts. Specializing in organic and sustainably sourced ingredients, CRBL's silymarin extract is a standout for its high purity—often testing at 80% silymarin content, well above industry averages. What sets them apart? Their direct partnerships with local milk thistle farmers in the Guanacaste region, where the dry climate and nutrient-rich soil produce milk thistle seeds with exceptional potency.
CRBL prides itself on transparency: every batch of silymarin comes with a detailed Certificate of Analysis (CoA) and is third-party tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial contaminants. They offer both standard and custom formulations, including oil-soluble and water-soluble silymarin, making it easy to integrate into everything from capsules to liquid supplements. For bulk buyers, their minimum order quantity (MOQ) starts at 25kg, with discounts for larger purchases. Customers rave about their responsive customer service and consistent delivery times—critical for businesses that can't afford delays in production.
Beyond silymarin, CRBL also produces a range of other botanical extracts, but their milk thistle extract remains their flagship product. If sustainability is a priority for your brand, you'll appreciate their commitment to eco-friendly extraction methods, using 70% less water than traditional processes and recycling 95% of their solvents. It's no wonder they've earned certifications like USDA Organic, EU Organic, and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices).
2. Tico Silymarin Solutions
Tico Silymarin Solutions, based in San José, has built its reputation on serving the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries with pharmaceutical-grade silymarin. Established in 2010, this woman-led company focuses on precision: their state-of-the-art extraction facility uses supercritical CO2 extraction, a method that preserves the integrity of silymarin's active compounds without leaving chemical residues. The result? A silymarin extract with a minimum 90% purity, ideal for high-end supplements and pharmaceutical applications where potency is non-negotiable.
What makes Tico Silymarin Solutions a favorite among large-scale buyers? Their ability to handle massive bulk orders—up to 500kg per month—with consistent quality. They also offer custom particle sizes, from fine powder to granular forms, to suit different manufacturing needs. For businesses new to silymarin, their technical support team is a treasure: they provide formulation guidance, stability testing data, and even help with regulatory compliance for markets like the EU and the US.
Another perk? Their strategic location near the Port of Limón means faster shipping times to international destinations, reducing lead times from weeks to days. Tico Silymarin Solutions is also committed to fair trade, ensuring that the farmers who grow their milk thistle receive above-market wages and access to healthcare. Certifications include ISO 9001, GMP, and Kosher, making them a versatile choice for brands with strict quality requirements.
3. Arenal Extracts Co.
Nestled at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, Arenal Extracts Co. draws inspiration from Costa Rica's natural beauty to create silymarin extracts that are as kind to the planet as they are effective. Founded in 2012 by a team of botanists and environmental scientists, this company specializes in organic, wild-harvested milk thistle, sourced from small-scale farmers in the Tilarán Mountain Range. Their silymarin extract is unique for its rich profile of flavonolignans, including silybin, silydianin, and silychristin, which work together to enhance liver support benefits.
Arenal Extracts Co. caters to both wholesale and retail clients, with MOQs as low as 5kg for small businesses and startups. They offer flexible packaging options, from vacuum-sealed bags to drum containers, and can even private-label products for brands looking to launch their own silymarin supplements. Their customer base includes natural health stores across Costa Rica and eco-conscious brands in Europe and North America.
Sustainability is at the heart of everything they do: they use solar power to run their extraction facility, compost waste materials to fertilize local farms, and donate 5% of profits to reforestation projects in the Arenal region. Certifications include Fair Trade, Ecocert, and USDA Organic. If you're looking for a silymarin supplier with a story that resonates with environmentally conscious consumers, Arenal Extracts Co. delivers on both quality and purpose.
4. Pacific Coast Botanicals
Pacific Coast Botanicals, located in Puntarenas, has made a name for itself as a one-stop shop for botanical extracts, with silymarin being their top-selling product. Since 2008, they've focused on serving the food, beverage, and cosmetic industries, offering silymarin extracts tailored for functional foods (like energy bars and wellness drinks) and skincare products (such as serums and creams). Their silymarin is available in both powder and liquid forms, with options for water-soluble extracts that blend seamlessly into beverages and emulsions.
What sets Pacific Coast Botanicals apart is their emphasis on innovation. They recently launched a microencapsulated silymarin, which improves stability and bioavailability—perfect for products that need a longer shelf life or better absorption. For cosmetic brands, their silymarin extract is also tested for skin irritation, ensuring it's gentle enough for sensitive skin formulations. Their R&D team is always experimenting with new extraction techniques, and they welcome custom projects for clients with unique needs.
With a focus on affordability, Pacific Coast Botanicals offers competitive pricing for bulk orders, with MOQs starting at 50kg. They also provide fast turnaround times—most orders ship within 3–5 business days—and have a dedicated logistics team to handle international shipping, including documentation for customs clearance. Certifications include ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management) and Halal, making them a reliable choice for food and beverage manufacturers.
5. Monteverde Extract Traders
Monteverde Extract Traders, based in the cloud forest town of Monteverde, is a family-owned business with a passion for traditional herbal medicine. Founded in 1998, they've been perfecting their silymarin extraction process for over two decades, using a cold maceration method that's gentle on the plant's active compounds. The result is a silymarin extract with a warm, earthy aroma and a naturally high concentration of antioxidants—qualities that have made it a favorite among herbalists and natural product formulators.
Unlike larger manufacturers, Monteverde Extract Traders keeps their operation small and hands-on: every batch of milk thistle is harvested by local farmers, sorted by hand to remove impurities, and extracted in small batches to ensure quality control. They offer both standard silymarin (70–80% purity) and a premium "ultra-pure" version (95% purity), with the latter being popular among high-end supplement brands. Their MOQ is just 1kg, making them ideal for small businesses, herbalists, and product developers testing new formulations.
What truly makes Monteverde Extract Traders special is their connection to the community. They host regular workshops for farmers on sustainable harvesting practices and offer tours of their facility for clients who want to see their process firsthand. Their silymarin extract is certified organic by the Costa Rican Organic Association (ACOR) and is often featured in local wellness stores and eco-lodges. If you value artisanal quality and supporting small-scale producers, this is the supplier for you.
6. Green Valley Nutraceuticals
Green Valley Nutraceuticals, located in Heredia, is a leading supplier of silymarin to the global nutraceutical market, with exports to over 20 countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia. Established in 2015, this company focuses on scalability and reliability, with a production capacity of 1,000kg of silymarin per month. Their facility is GMP-certified and follows strict quality control protocols, from seed selection to final packaging, ensuring every batch meets international standards.
Green Valley's silymarin extract is known for its consistency: they source milk thistle seeds from a network of trusted farmers in the Central Valley, where the climate is carefully monitored to ensure optimal growing conditions. They offer both conventional and organic silymarin, with the organic option certified by the National Organic Program (NOP). For clients in regulated markets like the EU, they also provide detailed dossiers for EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) compliance, simplifying the approval process for new products.
Bulk buyers appreciate their competitive pricing and flexible payment terms, including letter of credit (LC) options for international orders. They also offer private labeling and contract manufacturing services, helping brands launch their own silymarin supplements without investing in production facilities. With a dedicated quality assurance team and 24/7 customer support, Green Valley Nutraceuticals is a reliable partner for businesses looking to scale their silymarin-based products.
7. Caribbean Botanical Exports
Caribbean Botanical Exports, based in Limón, specializes in exporting Costa Rican botanical extracts to the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Since 2012, they've built a strong network of distributors in countries like Panama, Colombia, and Brazil, making them a go-to for businesses in these regions looking for high-quality silymarin. Their silymarin extract is available in bulk quantities (starting at 100kg) and is priced competitively to meet the needs of price-sensitive markets.
What makes Caribbean Botanical Exports stand out is their focus on regional logistics. They understand the unique challenges of shipping to tropical countries, from humidity control to customs delays, and have tailored their packaging and shipping methods accordingly. Their silymarin is packaged in moisture-resistant, UV-protected containers, and they offer expedited shipping options for urgent orders. They also provide bilingual customer support (Spanish and English), making communication easy for clients across Latin America.
In addition to silymarin, Caribbean Botanical Exports offers a range of other botanical extracts, including turmeric, ginger, and green tea, allowing clients to source multiple ingredients from a single supplier. Their silymarin is tested for compliance with local regulations, such as ANVISA in Brazil and INVIMA in Colombia, ensuring a smooth import process. If you're based in the Caribbean or Latin America and need a reliable silymarin supplier with regional expertise, this is the company to call.
8. Mountain View Extracts
Mountain View Extracts, nestled in the hills of Cartago, is a small but mighty supplier that prides itself on "slow extraction for better results." Founded in 2018 by a team of pharmacists, this company uses traditional ethanol extraction combined with modern filtration techniques to produce silymarin extract with exceptional clarity and potency. Their focus is on serving small to medium-sized supplement brands and compounding pharmacies that require high-quality, small-batch silymarin.
Mountain View Extracts offers a range of silymarin concentrations, from 60% to 95%, and can customize the extract's solvent (ethanol, glycerin, or water) based on client needs. They also provide sample sizes (as small as 100g) for product testing, a service that's invaluable for startups developing new formulations. Their facility is small but immaculate, with a lab on-site for in-house testing, ensuring quick turnaround for CoAs and batch reports.
What clients love most about Mountain View Extracts is their attention to detail and personalized service. The team takes the time to understand each client's goals, whether it's creating a vegan-friendly silymarin supplement or a water-soluble extract for a children's multivitamin, and offers tailored solutions. They're also transparent about their sourcing: clients can request information about the farm where their milk thistle was grown, including soil test results and harvesting dates. For businesses that value a close, collaborative supplier relationship, Mountain View Extracts delivers.
9. Costa Rica Bulk Extracts
As their name suggests, Costa Rica Bulk Extracts is all about large-scale supply, making them a top choice for multinational corporations and large supplement manufacturers. Based in Alajuela, this company has been in operation since 2003 and has a production capacity of 2,000kg of silymarin per month. They source milk thistle seeds from across Costa Rica, as well as imported seeds from Hungary and Argentina (known for their high silymarin content), ensuring a steady supply even during peak demand seasons.
Costa Rica Bulk Extracts offers silymarin in both powder and liquid forms, with bulk packaging options including 25kg drums, 50kg bags, and even 1-ton supersacks for industrial clients. They also provide just-in-time (JIT) delivery services, helping clients reduce inventory costs by receiving shipments as needed. Their pricing is volume-based, with significant discounts for orders over 500kg, making them a cost-effective choice for large buyers.
Quality control is a top priority: their facility is ISO 13485-certified (for medical devices) and undergoes annual audits by third-party organizations like SGS. They also participate in the FDA's Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP), making it easier for US-based clients to import their products. While they may not offer the same personalized service as smaller suppliers, Costa Rica Bulk Extracts excels in reliability, scalability, and meeting the needs of high-volume buyers.
10. EcoHerbals Costa Rica
EcoHerbals Costa Rica, located in Turrialba, rounds out our list with its focus on organic and biodynamic silymarin extract. Founded in 2007 by a group of environmentalists, this company operates a 100-acre organic farm where they grow their own milk thistle, ensuring complete control over the supply chain from seed to extract. Their biodynamic farming practices go beyond organic, using lunar cycles to guide planting and harvesting and avoiding all synthetic inputs, even for pest control.
EcoHerbals' silymarin extract is certified by Demeter (the international biodynamic certification body) and is a favorite among luxury supplement brands and wellness retreats that cater to health-conscious consumers. Their extract has a distinctive, earthy flavor, making it ideal for herbal tinctures and teas, though they also offer deodorized versions for capsules and tablets. They're one of the few suppliers in Costa Rica that offers silymarin extract in glycerin base, a popular choice for alcohol-free supplements.
In addition to silymarin, EcoHerbals produces a range of biodynamic botanical extracts, and clients often combine orders to reduce shipping costs. They also offer tours of their farm, giving clients a firsthand look at their sustainable practices, from composting to beekeeping (the bees help pollinate the milk thistle crop). For brands that want to tell a story of regenerative agriculture and biodynamic excellence, EcoHerbals Costa Rica is the perfect partner.
| Rank | Company Name | Key Focus | Certifications | MOQ | Notable Products |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Costa Rica Botanical Labs | Organic, sustainable sourcing | USDA Organic, EU Organic, GMP | 25kg | 80% purity silymarin (oil/water-soluble) |
| 2 | Tico Silymarin Solutions | Pharmaceutical-grade, bulk orders | ISO 9001, GMP, Kosher | 50kg | 90% purity silymarin (supercritical CO2 extracted) |
| 3 | Arenal Extracts Co. | Wild-harvested, eco-friendly | Fair Trade, Ecocert, USDA Organic | 5kg | Flavonolignan-rich silymarin (80% purity) |
| 4 | Pacific Coast Botanicals | Food, beverage, cosmetics | ISO 22000, Halal | 50kg | Microencapsulated silymarin, water-soluble extract |
| 5 | Monteverde Extract Traders | Artisanal, small-batch | ACOR Organic | 1kg | Ultra-pure silymarin (95% purity), cold-macerated extract |
| 6 | Green Valley Nutraceuticals | Global nutraceutical exports | GMP, NOP Organic | 100kg | Conventional/organic silymarin (60-95% purity) |
| 7 | Caribbean Botanical Exports | Regional exports (Caribbean, Latin America) | ANVISA, INVIMA compliant | 100kg | Bulk silymarin powder, liquid extract |
| 8 | Mountain View Extracts | Small-batch, custom formulations | GMP | 1kg | Custom solvent silymarin (ethanol, glycerin, water) |
| 9 | Costa Rica Bulk Extracts | Large-scale industrial supply | ISO 13485, FDA VCRP | 500kg | Industrial-grade silymarin powder (60-80% purity) |
| 10 | EcoHerbals Costa Rica | Biodynamic, regenerative agriculture | Demeter, USDA Organic | 5kg | Biodynamic silymarin (glycerin-based, deodorized options) |
Choosing the right silymarin supplier in Costa Rica is about more than just price—it's about aligning with your brand's values, whether that's sustainability, purity, scalability, or artisanal quality. From the pharmaceutical-grade precision of Tico Silymarin Solutions to the biodynamic excellence of EcoHerbals Costa Rica, each supplier on this list brings something unique to the table. Whether you're a small startup or a multinational corporation, there's a partner here that can meet your needs, ensuring your silymarin-based products are effective, reliable, and rooted in Costa Rica's legacy of botanical excellence.
When evaluating suppliers, don't forget to ask about their sourcing practices, quality control measures, and customer support—these factors can make a big difference in the long run. And remember, the best supplier for you is the one that understands your goals and works with you to achieve them. With Costa Rica's thriving botanical extract industry, you're sure to find a silymarin supplier that not only meets but exceeds your expectations.
