How Vision Meditech and Barriere Are Bringing Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Financing to Wellness Buyers in the U.S.
Vision Meditech - a sector leader with a persistent problem
Vision Meditech is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative transdermal and topical health products. Partnering with wellness brands, consumer goods companies, and retailers, the company formulates and produces science-backed solutions that deliver vitamins, supplements, and medicines through the skin, which their consumers find convenient and effective.
One of its customers, Barriere, is a growth-stage consumer brand known for premium topical supplements. Both companies share a commitment to high-quality, science-backed products. Like many in the wellness supply chain, they have faced a common obstacle: limited access to fair, flexible financing.
Barriere faced exactly this challenge where strong consumer demand amplified working capital pressures and exposed friction in the supply chain.
Challenge - market growth but still no infrastructure for finance
Operating in a niche segment of the health and wellness industry there are persistent barriers when it comes to financing. Large retailers often impose extended payment terms of up to 60 days or more, leaving emerging brands to bridge the cash gap between paying suppliers and receiving payment. In periods of rapid growth, this funding mismatch becomes even more painful, and is often the single biggest constraint to scale.
Barriere faced exactly this challenge where strong consumer demand amplified working capital pressures and exposed friction in the supply chain.
01.
Constrained Cash Flow
Barriere wanted to increase order volumes but lacked the working capital to do so. As a manufacturer, Vision Meditech wasn’t positioned to offer upfront capital or trade credit.
02.
Lost Opportunities
Capital constraints forced Barriere to place smaller, more frequent orders. This reduced operational efficiency for Vision Meditech and prevented Barriere from qualifying for volume-based pricing
03.
Working Capital Strain
To bridge the financing gap, Barriere stretched their own liquidity, delaying investments in growth and increasing cash flow risk. This self-financing approach created uncertainty in day-to-day operations and made long-term planning challenging.
04.
Supplier Uncertainty
Barriere’s capital challenges put pressure on Vision Meditech which sometimes had to begin production before payment was confirmed, forcing them to act as an informal provider of credit. This forced them to absorb more risk and operate without the assurance of timely payment. This uncertainty strained the supplier relationship and made it harder for both sides to plan confidently for growth.
Solution: Alethium’s Trade Financing for Buyers
To eliminate financing friction and support customer growth, Vision Meditech partnered with Alethium to offer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) terms at checkout. This allowed Barriere to unlock working capital and place larger, more strategic orders without upfront payment.
With Alethium’s support, Barriere could finance purchases on 30-, 60-, or 90-day terms, improving cash flow and operational flexibility. Alethium handled credit assessment, compliance, and collections, removing risk and overhead from Vision Meditech’s operations.
Jon Bowtell, CEO, Vision Meditech
The Results: Unlocking Growth While Minimising Risk
Vision Meditech fulfilled a larger order than originally planned and got paid the next day. This ensured predictable cash flow, reduced credit exposure, and eliminated the need to extend informal terms. With better visibility into order volume, they also improved production planning and reduced per-unit costs.
Barriere was able to secure the inventory volumes required by retail partners without locking up critical cash. With flexible financing terms, they scaled production and met demand, positioning themselves to grow faster, launch new products, and win repeat business.
Easier Access to Credit
Barriere now has a financing solution built for the realities of the wellness market. With Alethium, they can place larger orders, unlock volume discounts, and fulfill demand using stock on hand. This was previously out of reach due to limited credit options.
Alexa Adams, CEO, Barriere
Stronger Buyer Relationships
What was once a transaction is now a growth-enabling relationship built on faster fulfillment, greater flexibility, and shared momentum.
Freed-Up Working Capital
With Alethium ensuring instant payouts, Vision Meditech no longer has to act as a financier. They can now invest that freed-up capital into R&D, new product development, and customer support fueling innovation instead of floating receivables.
This isn’t just a one-off success, it’s proof of a scalable model. Barriere and Vision Meditech have shown what’s possible when financing is embedded into the transaction flow: faster payments, bigger orders, stronger partnerships.
In a market where traditional credit is often out of reach, embedded financing becomes a catalyst for growth. It transforms fragmented workflows into scalable, high-volume transactions across the wellness ecosystem, setting a new standard for how the wellness supply chain operates and grows.
As the industry modernises, financing isn’t a back-office function anymore. It’s the engine that powers marketplace growth. By enabling flexibility and predictability in every transaction, Alethium is laying the financial infrastructure for a modern, connected marketplace that supports a network of buyers and sellers ready for their next stage of their growth.
