WASHINGTON, July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Organic & Natural Health Association (Organic & Natural Health) and the Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL), an export promotion council sponsored by India’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, have entered into a strategic partnership to strengthen scientific collaboration, trusted supply chains and responsible trade between the United States and India for natural health products, nutraceuticals, botanicals and functional ingredients.
The agreement represents SHEFEXIL’s first strategic partnership with a U.S. natural health trade association and expands the council’s broader international strategy to strengthen confidence in India’s nutraceutical sector through complementary collaborations spanning certification, industry engagement, scientific exchange and market development.
“Our partnership with the Organic & Natural Health Association creates a stronger bridge between India and the United States for science, innovation, and responsible commerce,” said Debjani Roy, Ph.D., executive director of SHEFEXIL. “Together, we are building a trusted global ecosystem through scientific collaboration, regulatory dialogue, and industry engagement that benefits both consumers and the natural health sector.”
Anand Swaroop, founder and president of Cepham and a member of Organic & Natural Health, will serve as lead facilitator for the partnership through the association’s working group. He said the agreement establishes a direct channel for long-term collaboration between the United States and Indian natural health sectors.
“India has long sought deeper engagement with the U.S. natural products industry, but until now there has not been a formal relationship between SHEFEXIL and a U.S. trade association representing manufacturers, brands, researchers, and other industry stakeholders,” said Swaroop. “This relationship complements SHEFEXIL’s broader international initiatives by advancing scientific exchange, market development, education and the trusted relationships that support responsible growth in both countries.”
The partnership also marks the first major international initiative under the leadership of Mark Thurston, president of AIDP, who was recently elected president of the Organic & Natural Health Association. It also coincides with the continued expansion of the association’s Board of Directors, including the appointment of Gina Benninger, director of business development and marketing at Nutriience. Benninger joins board members Charles G. Brown, Heather Granato, Todd A. Harrison, Chris Holland, Sandra Lee, Alan Lewis, Doug Lynch, Ray Martinez, Todd Norton, and Brian Terry as the association continues to expand its international engagement.
“A trusted global supply chain depends on scientific collaboration, transparency and meaningful relationships,” said Thurston. “This initiative creates new opportunities to strengthen those foundations alongside our colleagues in India for the benefit of industry and consumers.”
Planned activities include executive exchanges, regulatory roundtables, scientific forums, trade missions, buyer and seller introductions, educational programming, manufacturing and research facility visits, academic exchanges, and working groups addressing emerging issues affecting the global natural health industry.
“This collaboration demonstrates what is possible when organizations unite around a common purpose,” said Karen Howard, CEO and executive director of Organic & Natural Health. “Today’s natural health challenges and opportunities extend well beyond national borders. By bringing together leaders from the United States and India, we are creating a framework for stronger scientific collaboration, more resilient supply chains, and greater consumer confidence for years to come.”
The organizations will celebrate the partnership during the Bharat Nutraverse Expo, Sept. 7-9, in New Delhi. Their first joint U.S. conference is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2027, at Anresco NJ Labs (East Coast) in Middlesex, New Jersey. More information is available at: https://organicandnatural.org.
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