Top 10 Milk Thistle Extract Suppliers, Manufacturers, Wholesalers, and Traders in Germany

Founded in 1995 in the heart of Bavaria, Bavarian Botanicals GmbH has grown from a small family operation to one of Germany's most trusted names in organic botanical extracts. Specializing in organic-certified milk thistle extract , the company prides itself on sourcing 100% of its milk thistle seeds from local, family-owned farms in southern Germany and Austria. These farms follow strict organic practices, avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, ensuring the raw material is as pure as possible.

Bavarian Botanicals uses a cold-press extraction method to preserve silymarin content, which typically ranges from 70-80% in their standard offerings. Their product line includes powdered extracts, liquid tinctures, and encapsulated formulations, catering to the supplement, cosmetic, and natural food industries. What sets them apart? A commitment to sustainability: their extraction facilities run on 100% renewable energy, and they offset carbon emissions by investing in reforestation projects in the region.

Certifications: EU Organic, USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and ISO 14001 (environmental management). They also offer custom labeling and small-batch production, making them a favorite among boutique supplement brands and natural skincare companies.

For businesses in the pharmaceutical and clinical sectors, Rheinland Extracts Co. is a go-to supplier. Based in Düsseldorf, this GMP-certified manufacturer focuses exclusively on pharmaceutical-grade milk thistle extract , with silymarin concentrations reaching up to 85%. Their state-of-the-art facility, built in 2010, uses supercritical CO2 extraction—a method that produces highly pure extracts with minimal solvent residue, a critical factor for pharmaceutical applications.

Rheinland Extracts works closely with pharmaceutical companies to develop extracts tailored to specific formulations, such as delayed-release tablets or injectable solutions. They also offer extensive documentation, including batch-specific COAs (Certificates of Analysis), heavy metal testing, and microbial purity reports, ensuring compliance with EU and FDA regulations. While their minimum order quantities (MOQs) are higher than some suppliers (starting at 50kg), their bulk pricing and reliability make them ideal for large-scale production.

Notable partnerships: They've supplied extracts for several liver support medications approved in the EU and are currently collaborating with a leading pharma company on a clinical trial investigating silymarin's potential in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

As one of Germany's largest wholesale milk thistle extract traders, Berlin Natural Ingredients (BNI) has built its reputation on variety, affordability, and fast delivery. Founded in 2003, BNI sources extracts from a network of vetted German and European manufacturers, curating a product line that includes conventional, organic, and standardized milk thistle extracts with silymarin content ranging from 50-80%.

What makes BNI a top choice for wholesalers and resellers? Their massive inventory and flexible MOQs. Whether you need 1kg for a small startup or 500kg for a multinational supplement brand, BNI can deliver within 2-3 business days across Europe and 5-7 days globally. They also offer competitive pricing for bulk orders, with discounts starting at 100kg.

Beyond milk thistle, BNI stocks over 200 botanical extracts, making them a one-stop shop for businesses looking to diversify their product lines. Their customer service team includes trained herbalists who can provide technical support, helping clients choose the right extract concentration and form (powder, liquid, or encapsulated) for their needs.

Nestled in the Bavarian Alps, Alpine Extracts & Co. is a boutique manufacturer specializing in high-potency milk thistle extracts for the premium supplement and cosmetic markets. Founded in 2010 by a team of herbalists and biochemists, the company focuses on "slow extraction" methods, using traditional maceration combined with modern filtration to maximize silymarin bioavailability.

The result? An extract with silymarin content of 85-90%, one of the highest in Germany. This makes their products particularly popular among luxury supplement brands marketing "high-strength" liver support formulas. Alpine Extracts also offers a unique "gentle extraction" line for cosmetics, where the extract is processed at lower temperatures to preserve delicate compounds that benefit skin health—think anti-aging serums and detoxifying face masks.

Certifications: EU Organic, Cosmos Natural (for cosmetics), and ISO 22000 (food safety). They're also a member of the German Herbal Association, advocating for sustainable wildcrafting and ethical sourcing practices.

A family-owned business with over 40 years of experience, Northern Germany Botanicals (NGB) blends tradition with innovation. Based in Hamburg, NGB started as a small herbal apothecary and has since expanded into a full-scale manufacturer of botanical extracts, with milk thistle being their flagship product. What sets NGB apart is their focus on traceability: every batch of milk thistle extract can be traced back to the specific farm and harvest season, with detailed soil and seed quality reports available upon request.

NGB offers both conventional and organic extracts, with silymarin concentrations from 60-80%. Their most popular product is a bulk milk thistle extract powder, favored by large supplement manufacturers for its consistency and competitive pricing. They also produce a "pharma-grade lite" option, which meets most pharmaceutical standards but at a lower cost than fully certified pharma extracts, making it ideal for nutraceutical companies.

Fun fact: NGB's founder, Heinrich Müller, is a third-generation herbalist who still oversees the extraction process personally, ensuring each batch meets the company's strict quality standards.

Frankfurt Pharma Ingredients (FPI) is a leading supplier of pharmaceutical grade milk thistle extract for the global pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Founded in 1998, FPI operates a state-of-the-art GMP-certified facility in the Frankfurt Rhein-Main region, equipped with advanced testing labs and cleanrooms to ensure product purity.

FPI's milk thistle extract is known for its ultra-high silymarin content (up to 85%) and low heavy metal and pesticide residues (below EU and FDA limits). They specialize in custom formulations, working with clients to develop extracts with specific particle sizes, solubility profiles, and stability characteristics—critical for pharmaceutical dosage forms like tablets, capsules, and oral suspensions.

Certifications: GMP, ISO 9001, FDA registered, and EUGMP. They also comply with the strict requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), ensuring their extracts meet the highest standards for identity, purity, and potency. With a global distribution network, FPI exports to over 50 countries, making them a key partner for multinational pharmaceutical companies.

Southern Bavaria Extract Works (SBE) is all about scale. As one of Germany's largest manufacturers of bulk botanical extracts, SBE specializes in producing bulk milk thistle extract in quantities ranging from 500kg to 10,000kg per order. Their target clients? Large-scale supplement brands, food and beverage manufacturers, and animal health companies (milk thistle is also used in some livestock liver support supplements).

Located in a 50,000-square-meter facility in Augsburg, SBE uses industrial-grade supercritical CO2 extraction to process over 1,000 tons of milk thistle seeds annually. Their standard extract has a silymarin content of 70%, and they offer a "budget-friendly" option with 60% silymarin for cost-sensitive applications. While they don't specialize in organic products, they do offer conventional extracts with low pesticide residues (meeting EU standards) at highly competitive prices.

SBE's claim to fame? They're the official supplier of milk thistle extract for several European sports nutrition brands, who use it in liver support formulas for athletes. They also offer private labeling services, making it easy for clients to launch their own extract-based products without investing in manufacturing infrastructure.

Hamburg Herbal Traders (HHT) is a global trading company with a focus on connecting international buyers with top German and European botanical extract manufacturers. Founded in 2005, HHT doesn't produce extracts themselves but instead curates a portfolio of trusted suppliers, including some of the names on this list, to offer clients a wide range of milk thistle extract options.

What makes HHT unique is their flexibility. Whether you need a small sample (as little as 250g) for product testing or a full container load of bulk extract, HHT can source it. They also handle all logistics, from customs clearance to door-to-door delivery, making them ideal for international buyers who may be unfamiliar with German import/export processes. Their team includes multilingual account managers who speak English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin, ensuring clear communication with global clients.

HHT's product range includes organic, conventional, pharmaceutical-grade, and cosmetic-grade milk thistle extracts, with silymarin content from 50-85%. They also offer third-party testing services, arranging for independent labs to verify product quality before shipment—adding an extra layer of reassurance for buyers.

Munich Natural Solutions (MNS) is a niche supplier specializing in cosmetic-grade milk thistle extract for the beauty and skincare industry. Founded in 2012 by a former cosmetic chemist, MNS recognized the growing demand for natural, plant-based ingredients in skincare and developed a line of gentle, skin-friendly milk thistle extracts.

Unlike many pharmaceutical-focused suppliers, MNS uses a water-based extraction method that produces a milder extract with lower silymarin content (50-60%) but higher levels of other beneficial compounds like flavonoids and polyphenols, which are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes their extract ideal for serums, creams, and masks targeting dullness, redness, and signs of aging.

Certifications: Cosmos Natural, Cruelty-Free International, and Leaping Bunny. They also offer custom formulations, such as oil-soluble extracts for facial oils and hydrosols for toners. MNS has partnered with several high-end German skincare brands, and their extract is a key ingredient in a popular anti-aging serum sold in Sephora stores across Europe.

Rounding out our list is Saxony Botanicals Ltd., a research-driven manufacturer based in Leipzig, Saxony. Founded in 2008, the company has quickly made a name for itself by combining traditional herbal knowledge with cutting-edge science. Their team of biochemists and herbalists work closely with the University of Leipzig to develop innovative extraction techniques, and they hold several patents for methods that boost silymarin bioavailability by up to 30% compared to standard extracts.

Saxony Botanicals offers a range of milk thistle extracts, including a "high-bioavailability" powder with 75% silymarin that's designed to be more easily absorbed by the body—ideal for supplement brands marketing "fast-acting" liver support products. They also produce a nano-encapsulated liquid extract, which can be added to beverages or skincare products for improved stability and absorption.

Certifications: GMP, ISO 9001, and EU Organic. They're also a member of the German Botanical Extract Association, where they actively contribute to setting industry standards for quality and safety. With a focus on innovation, Saxony Botanicals is a great partner for businesses looking to differentiate their products with science-backed, high-performance extracts.