Chennai: Herbalife International India Pvt ltd and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have signed an agreement to establish a Centre of Excellence focused on plant cell fermentation technology at the IIT Madras Research Park.
The facility, described as the first of its kind in India, will focus on research and development in plant-based fermentation to enable sustainable production of herbal biomass, extracts and high-value compounds used in health and wellness products, PTI reported.
The initiative is part of the second phase of collaboration between the two partners and is being funded through Herbalife India’s corporate social responsibility programme. The centre will work on developing scalable technologies for producing plant-based ingredients using advanced cultivation and processing systems.
Officials said the centre will also support training, innovation and technology transfer, helping students, researchers and industry professionals. It is expected to promote partnerships, skill development and the creation of new technologies for commercial use.
Herbalife India Managing Director Ajay Khanna said the partnership aims to strengthen scientific capabilities and support industry-academia collaboration in sustainable nutrition. IIT Madras officials said the initiative would help translate research into practical applications and support the development of plant-based products.
The centre is expected to begin operations in June 2026 and is likely to play a role in boosting India’s capabilities in plant-based manufacturing while reducing dependence on imports.
