Swedish Herbal Institute

What Swedish Herbal Institute does

Swedish Herbal Institute AB, trading as SHI Pharma, is a privately held Swedish pharmaceutical manufacturer founded in 1969 and headquartered in Vallberga. The company develops, manufactures, and sells plant-based medicinal products and dietary supplements across four therapeutic categories: cold/cough (Kan Jang), fatigue/recovery (Chisan), iron supplementation (Femineral), and stress/sleep/energy (Adapt Energy Boost and Adapt Anti-stress). Its flagship Kan Jang and Chisan brands are registered as traditional herbal medicinal products (TVBL) with the Swedish Medical Products Agency and have been on the Swedish market since 1978 and 1979 respectively, with Kan Jang accumulating over 100 million daily doses sold in Sweden since launch.

The company's core technical asset is its 6,000 m2 GMP- and API-certified production facility in Vallberga, where it has operated its own extraction capability since 1983. Proprietary botanical extracts — including the patented ADAPT232-S (schisandra, rhodiola, eleuthero with pantothenic acid, covered by European Patent EP 2 995 311 B1), SHW-2 ashwagandha, and SHC-1 chamomile — are produced in-house and frequently serve as reference extracts in peer-reviewed clinical research, of which the company has published more than 80 articles. SHI's research and product development is grounded in synergistic adaptogen formulation rather than synthetic drug discovery.

Commercially, SHI sells its products exclusively through Swedish pharmacy retail chains (Kronans Apotek, Apotek Hjärtat, Apoteket, Dozapotek, Apotea, MEDS, Apohem) and grocery and health retail chains (ICA, Coop, Willys, Hemköp, Hälsokraft). The company does not operate a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront and instead directs consumers to retail partners. Revenue is generated through unit sales of registered traditional herbal medicines (regulated as pharmaceuticals) and dietary supplements (manufactured under HACCP), with no disclosed pricing, licensing, or contract-manufacturing revenue streams. The company has no parent, no subsidiaries, and no external institutional investors documented.

Name

Swedish Herbal Institute

Legal name

Swedish Herbal Institute AB

Website

https://shi.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Swedish Herbal Institute (SHI Pharma) is a privately held Swedish pharmaceutical manufacturer, founded in 1969 and based in Vallberga, that develops, produces, and sells GMP/API-certified plant-based traditional herbal medicines and dietary supplements, distributed through Swedish pharmacy and grocery retail chains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Herbal Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Herbal & Botanical Supplements (CRADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bio-based Pharmaceuticals, Nutraceuticals & Specialty Bioactives (EUAAAIAK), Botanical & Herbal Extracts (Adaptogens, Polyphenols, Essential Oils, Standardized Extracts) (AFAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Herbal medicine
• Dietary supplements
• Plant extracts
• Traditional medicine
• Adaptogen formulations

Headquarters

HQ city

Vallberga

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products: SHI Pharma manufactures and sells traditional herbal medicinal products including Kan Jang (cold relief) and Chisan (fatigue), registered as TVBL (traditionella växtbaserade läkemedel). These products are sold through pharmacy retail chains in Sweden. Kan Jang has been on the market since 1978 and Chisan since 1979.
2. Dietary Supplements: The company also sells dietary supplements including Femineral (iron supplement), Adapt Energy Boost, and Adapt Anti-stress. These are sold through the same pharmacy retail distribution network as the medicinal products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Swedish Herbal Institute (SHI Pharma) develops, manufactures, and sells traditional herbal medicinal products (Kan Jang for cold relief, Chisan for fatigue) and dietary supplements (Femineral iron supplement, Adapt Energy Boost, Adapt Anti-stress). Production is conducted in-house at a 6,000 m2 GMP- and API-certified facility in Vallberga, Sweden, using proprietary plant-extraction technology and patented synergistic adaptogen formulations dating to 1969.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kan Jang oral solution Traditional herbal medicinal product combining echinacea, malabar nut, and eleuthero, sold in 500 ml oral solution form for the symptomatic relief of common cold (runny nose, cough, sore throat, mild fever) in adults and adolescents from 12 years. Sold over 100 million daily doses in Sweden alone since launch.
• Chisan 500 ml traditional herbal medicinal product containing the ADAPT-232 adaptogen combination (schisandra, Russian root/eleuthero, rhodiola rosea) used for adults and adolescents over 12 experiencing fatigue, weakness, or reduced mental and physical performance, with a maximum 2-month treatment session.
• Femineral 500 ml dietary supplement featuring ferric sodium EDTA with 2-3x higher bioavailability than other iron sources, plus 9 minerals, 9 vitamins, plant extracts, and eleuthero. Intended for women of childbearing age (menstruation-related deficiency), athletes, vegans, teenagers, and the elderly, supporting normal red blood cell and hemoglobin formation and reducing fatigue.
• Adapt Energy Boost Dietary supplement built on the patented ADAPT232-S composition (rhodiola, schisandra, eleuthero) with B vitamins, positioned for vitality, energy, stamina, and recovery from stress-related fatigue.
• Adapt Anti-stress Dietary supplement combining the proprietary SHW-2 ashwagandha extract (clinically studied via EEG showing improved deep sleep and REM sleep versus placebo), SHC-1 chamomile extract, magnesium (liquid), and ADAPT-232-S. Marketed for stress defense, cortisol balance, and maintenance of healthy sleep and calm mood.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 million daily doses of Kan Jang sold in Sweden since 1978
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Salus Haus: German manufacturer of plant-based medicinal products and dietary supplements distributed primarily through pharmacy retail. Comparable as a vertically integrated herbal medicines producer of similar scale.
• BioGaia AB: Swedish probiotic/health-products company combining proprietary R&D, branded consumer health products and pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing. Similar Swedish base, clinical evidence-led approach and pharmacy distribution.
• A. Vogel (Bioforce): Swiss herbal medicines company (Bioforce) selling clinically-studied plant-based products through pharmacy and health retail across Europe. Similar niche-herbal positioning with proprietary extracts.
• Himalaya Wellness: Global herbal healthcare company combining proprietary botanical extracts and clinically-studied supplements sold through pharmacy and mass retail. Comparable science-led herbal pharma approach targeting stress, immunity and wellness.
• Midsona AB: Swedish public health and wellness company selling herbal and dietary supplements through pharmacy and grocery retail in the Nordics. Highly comparable in size, geography and category mix.
• Bionorica SE: German phytopharmaceutical company developing and manufacturing clinically-studied herbal medicinal products. Comparable as a science-led herbal pharma manufacturer with proprietary extracts sold through pharmacy channels.
• Dr. Willmar Schwabe Group: German herbal pharmaceutical group specializing in proprietary plant-based medicinal products with pharmacy distribution. Same business model of GMP-manufactured, clinically tested herbal medicines.
• New Nordic Healthbrands: Nordic-headquartered herbal and dietary supplement brand sold through pharmacy and health retail. Direct overlap in herbal consumer health products targeting stress, sleep and women's health in the Nordic markets.

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Health Science: Global consumer-health division of Nestlé selling nutritional supplements, vitamins and herbal-based products. Overlaps in the adaptogen, sleep and women's health supplement categories but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Perrigo Company: Large consumer healthcare company with broad OTC and supplement portfolio including some herbal lines, sold through pharmacy retailers. Relevant incumbent comparator for SHI's pharmacy-channel consumer health model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swedish-herbal-institute-pharma
• Instagraminstagram.com/shi_pharma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swedish Herbal Institute