How Hightekers enabled Ingredients4U to expand globally without borders

Author

Oliver

International Business Consultant

About Ingredients4U – a vision for global nutraceutical innovation

Ingredients4U is a Singapore-based distributor of high-quality nutraceutical ingredients. Serving clients in the dietary supplement sector, they connect global suppliers with local manufacturers—delivering technical excellence and natural ingredients that power wellness products worldwide.

But while their products were global, their hiring model wasn’t—yet.

Watch the interview: Giorgio Reali on scaling Ingredients4U with Hightekers

See the full conversation between Giorgio Reali and Antonio from Hightekers. In this candid video, Giorgio shares how leveraging an Employer of Record (EOR) allowed Ingredients4U to expand internationally—fast, flexibly, and compliantly.

The challenge – managing global hiring without a legal entity

With a fast-growing remote team of consultants and technical experts based in Australia, Japan, Thailand, the US, and Europe, Ingredients4U faced a critical issue: hiring full-time employees in countries where they had no legal presence.

A costly and complex path to compliance

Opening local entities in every country wasn’t realistic or financially viable—especially for hiring fewer than ten employees per market.

“If you have to hire 20–25 people, sure, open a company. But if it’s just a few, the cost and bureaucracy don’t make sense.” — Giorgio Reali, Ingredients4U

They needed a solution that could:

• Offer compliant, full-time employment contracts
• Eliminate the need to open foreign subsidiaries
• Maintain legal compliance across jurisdictions
• Simplify cross-border payroll and HR admin

The Hightekers solution – Employer of Record for global teams

After a web search led them to Hightekers, Giorgio and his team learned about our Employer of Record (EOR) services. Through this model, Hightekers hires international employees on behalf of clients—handling employment contracts, local tax compliance, and payroll in each jurisdiction.

Why EOR was the right fit

• Global hiring without incorporation – Ideal for testing new markets and remote-first growth
• Time and cost savings – Focus on core operations instead of legal setups
• Flexibility for hybrid teams – Suitable for both contractors and full-time employees
• Risk reduction – Avoid costly missteps in international labour laws

“With EOR, we solved the problem. Our team could focus on ingredients and customers, not contracts and compliance.” — Giorgio Reali

Results – from headache to high performance

By partnering with Hightekers, Ingredients4U:

• Expanded into multiple countries without forming legal entities
• Hired top-tier international talent quickly and compliantly
• Improved offer acceptance rates by offering full-time contracts instead of freelance work
• Boosted internal efficiency by letting experts handle the legalities

“Everyone was relieved—our team, our leadership, even our candidates. EOR turned a challenge into a strategic win.” — Giorgio Reali

Future outlook – scaling with agility and confidence

As Ingredients4U continues to grow, they plan to use EOR services as a scalable solution for expansion into new territories like Belgium, France, and Spain. They see this approach as a strategic advantage in a world where flexibility, remote work, and rapid market entry are key.

“The world is moving fast, but laws aren’t. Hightekers helps bridge that gap so we can focus on growing our business.” — Giorgio Reali

Ready to expand globally like Ingredients4U?

If you’re scaling your business internationally, but not ready to set up local entities, Hightekers’ Employer of Record services are built for you. Avoid compliance risks, cut overhead, and attract top talent—anywhere in the world.

Get expert advice for your expansion strategy

Author

Oliver

International Business Consultant

As a strategic business expansion specialist based in Manchester, Oliver guides international companies through their journey of establishing and growing their presence in the UK market. Drawing from his extensive background in cross-border business operations, he specialises in helping foreign businesses navigate the UK's business landscape, regulatory requirements, and talent acquisition processes. Outside of work, you might find Oliver exploring the city walls on his trusty bike or enjoying a pint at a traditional pub – he's a true history buff with a soft spot for a good British ale!