Ingredient branding for medicinal and aromatic plants: An alternative branding strategy to ensure differentiation and suppliers empowerment

Abstract

Indian medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are globally known for their unique medicinal properties. However, due to limited strategic marketing and branding interventions in the sector, the MAPs are sold as commodities across markets, and intermediaries typically control the market mechanism of these resources. Consequently, the baseline suppliers of the sector remain relegated in the whole MAP business value chain. To address the inequalities of the existing Indian MAP business and enable suppliers to play an inclusive role in the country's MAP business value chain, this article attempts to conceptualize an ingredient branding strategy for the MAP resources and offers two strategic options. With a constructivist philosophical approach, conceptual methodology synthesizes related concepts and theories and offers the ingredient branding strategy for Indian MAP resources. The critical contribution of the article lies in its ability to reflect on a brand ecosystem framework and two strategic options for MAP ingredient branding.