Kerry Joins Ashwagandha Standards Alliance

Kerry Group has joined the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance, joining a membership of global suppliers, brands, manufacturers, laboratories, researchers, and other stakeholders in the ashwagandha supply chain. Other founding executive members include Sabinsa, Cepham, Arjuna Natural USA, Botanical Liaisons, and NaturPro Scientific.  

“Ashwagandha has become one of the world’s most important botanical ingredients, and the issues surrounding it are bigger than any one supplier, brand, or market,” said Blake Ebersole, co-founding member of the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance. “Kerry brings significant scientific, regulatory, and global market experience to the table. Their participation is another important step toward building the broad, credible coalition this category needs.”

Prior to joining ASA, Kerry was recognized by the group and the Safeguard Ashwagandha Initiative for presenting scientific evidence to policymakers at the European Parliament in Brussels as European authorities discussed the regulatory future of ashwagandha.

ASA is focused on communicating safety evidence while also addressing legitimate industry responsibilities, including truthful plant-part and potency labeling, appropriate specifications, validated analytical methods, GMP compliance, traceability, and responsible public communication.

“Kerry’s decision to join the Alliance builds on the kind of collaboration we believe is essential,” said Ebersole. “Companies can compete commercially while still working together on the scientific and quality foundations that affect everyone.”

ASA membership is open to ingredient suppliers, finished product brands, manufacturers, testing labs, research organizations, consultants, clinicians, trade organizations, educators, and other professional stakeholders with an interest in botanical science, quality, transparency, and trust, ASA reported. It is intentionally agnostic to plant parts and commercial ingredients, and does not exist to promote one product, supplier, analytical method, or commercial position, but quality, identity, safety, analytical testing, labeling, and responsible communication.

ASA’s six core priorities are:

• Providing clear, science-based information for all stakeholders and the public;
• Evaluating and communicating broader safety evidence;
• Supporting high-quality, responsibly-sourced, and accurately labeled and documented products;
• Analytical harmonization and fit-for-purpose specifications;
• Transparency around composition, testing, sourcing, and science;
• Preserving public trust in the ashwagandha supply

“The Alliance becomes stronger when participation extends across the value chain,” said Ebersole. “Those who formulate and sell ashwagandha consumer products should be involved in the same conversation as the companies producing standards-setting ashwagandha ingredients.”