Herbalife India and IIT Madras Sign a Landmark Agreement to Establish India's First Centre of Excellence on Plant Cell Fermentation

Bangalore, India – On April 16, 2026, Herbalife International India Private Limited and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) announced a groundbreaking agreement to establish the Herbalife–IIT Madras Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Plant Cell Fermentation Technology. This initiative marks the first dedicated facility in India focused on advanced translational research and development (R&D) in plant cell-based fermentation.

Overview of the Centre of Excellence

The Herbalife–IIT Madras Centre of Excellence will be located at the IIT Madras Research Park. This pioneering initiative is part of a continued collaboration between Herbalife India and IIT Madras, funded through Herbalife India’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. The CoE aims to promote R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the sustainable production of herbal biomass, enriched herbal extracts, and high-value phytochemicals.

Objectives and Focus Areas

The Centre will focus on the following key areas:

• Sustainable and scalable production of herbal biomass.
• Development of high-value phytochemicals for applications in human health and wellness.
• Integration of advanced upstream cultivation systems with state-of-the-art downstream processing and metabolomics platforms.
• Capacity building and technology transfer to industry.
• Fostering entrepreneurship in the herbal product sectors.

Benefits of the Centre

The CoE is expected to provide numerous benefits to a wide range of stakeholders, including:

• Students and researchers who will gain access to cutting-edge technology and research opportunities.
• Industry professionals who can leverage the CoE for skill development and collaboration.
• Entrepreneurs in the herbal product sectors who will benefit from technology transfer and support.

Expected Outcomes

Some of the anticipated outcomes from the establishment of the CoE include:

• Creation of national and international academic-industry R&D partnerships.
• Skill development through student and faculty exchanges.
• Intellectual Property (IP) creation and technology transfers to industry.
• Support for start-ups as spin-offs from research conducted at the CoE.

Statements from Leadership

Mr. Ajay Khanna, Managing Director of Herbalife India, commented on the partnership, stating, “At Herbalife, driving innovation that advances sustainability remains a top priority, particularly as the industry moves towards more scalable and traceable nutritional sources. The development and large-scale production of plant-based ingredients is being revolutionized by technologies such as plant cell fermentation. We aim to strengthen scientific capacity and facilitate more robust industry-academia collaborations in this field through our partnership with IIT Madras. We believe that this initiative will help shape India’s role in the future of bio-based manufacturing while enhancing quality, consistency, and long-term sustainability in the wellness sector.”

Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Madras, also expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. He stated, “It is encouraging to witness the next phase of collaboration between IIT Madras and Herbalife. This initiative is a meaningful step towards strengthening India’s presence across the globe in the field of commercial plant cell fermentation. With a strong focus on facilitating this research beyond the lab and converting it into scalable, real-world solutions, the Centre of Excellence will support the development of high-quality, sustainable plant-derived products. We truly appreciate Herbalife’s continued support in moving this important area of innovation forward.”

Operational Timeline

Once operational, the Centre is expected to play a transformative role in enabling environmentally sustainable production of high-quality plant biomass and its phytochemicals. The CoE is projected to commence operations in June 2026, advancing India’s capabilities in commercial plant cell fermentation. This initiative aims to address the growing demand for high-quality, sustainable plant-derived healthcare products using relatively low-cost indigenous technologies.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Herbalife India and IIT Madras represents a significant milestone in the field of plant cell fermentation technology. By establishing the Centre of Excellence, both organizations are committed to fostering innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship in the herbal product sector. This initiative not only enhances India’s capabilities in bio-based manufacturing but also aims to improve access to high-quality and sustainable solutions for human health and wellness.

Note: The information presented in this article is based on the announcement made on April 16, 2026, and aims to provide insights into the collaboration between Herbalife India and IIT Madras.