All India Spices Exporters Forum

What All India Spices Exporters Forum does

All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1987 and headquartered in Ernakulam (Kochi), Kerala, India, representing the majority of India's spice export industry. Its 200+ member entities account for approximately 80% of India's spice exports by value, spanning individuals, firms, associations, joint stock companies, and corporations engaged in spice export and auxiliary trades. The organization runs two membership tiers — Ordinary Membership (with voting rights and Managing Committee eligibility) and Associate Membership (information and networking access without voting rights) — both priced at Rs 15,000 one-time enrolment plus Rs 7,500 annual subscription plus 18% GST.

AISEF's core offerings are delivered through an event-driven, association-based platform rather than a unified technology stack. The flagship asset is the annual International Spice Conference (ISC), which in its 2026 edition attracted over 1,000 delegates from 60+ countries, 50+ speakers, and 60+ exhibitors. Complementary products include Compliance Intelligence Services (real-time MRL limits and food safety updates for US, EU, and Middle East markets), the Kisan Pragati Yojana farmer outreach program (with WSO and IDH), the Global Trade Network linking exporters to buyers across 60+ countries, and quarterly newsletters plus circulars on regulatory matters. Distribution is primarily through the AISEF website (self-serve membership applications), email newsletters, and direct engagement with the Spices Board of India.

The business model is subscription-recurring membership fees supplemented by ISC conference revenue, with strategic alliances anchoring AISEF's regulatory influence. Core partnerships include a 2026 two-year MoU with the European Spice Association covering food-safety compliance and EU regulatory alignment, alongside ongoing relationships with the Spices Board of India, Ministry of Commerce, FSSAI, Codex Committee, ASTA, IISR, WSO, and IDH. The organization operates with a small 1-10 employee team, is governed by an elected Managing Committee, and has no parent company, external investors, or public listing.

Name

All India Spices Exporters Forum

Legal name

All India Spices Exporters Forum

Website

https://aisef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

All India Spices Exporters Forum is a 1987-founded Indian trade association whose 200+ members represent approximately 80% of the country's spice export value, delivering regulatory advocacy, the annual International Spice Conference, and global trade networking across 60+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spice Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Single-Origin Spices (Geographic/Varietal, Premium Grades) (AFAJANAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Seed & Flavoring Crop Farming (Vanilla, Sesame, Mustard) (AFAGAGAN)

Keywords

• Spice export advocacy
• Trade association membership
• Spice industry events
• Exporter compliance support
• International spice conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Ernakulam

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Ordinary and Associate membership subscriptions providing access to ISC conferences, regulatory updates, quarterly newsletters, and networking with global spice associations. Ordinary members have voting rights and eligibility for Managing Committee election; Associate members have informational access without voting rights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AISEF is a non-government, non-profit trade body that represents Indian spice exporters before regulators, international counterpart associations, and global buyers. It sells tiered membership (Ordinary and Associate categories), convenes the annual International Spice Conference, runs farmer-development initiatives such as Kisan Pragati Yojana, and coordinates cross-border industry alignment through MoUs such as the one with the European Spice Association. Members are reported to account for around 80% of India's spice exports by value.

Product overview

All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF) is a trade association founded in 1987 that represents India's spice export industry. Rather than a unified software platform, AISEF operates as a membership-based organization offering Ordinary and Associate Membership tiers. The forum provides compliance intelligence, regulatory updates on MRL limits and food safety standards, and facilitates global trade networking across 60+ countries. AISEF organizes the annual International Spice Conference (ISC), runs the Kisan Pragati Yojana farmer outreach program, and collaborates with international bodies including ESA, ASTA, Codex Committee, and the Spices Board of India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ordinary Membership A tiered trade-association membership designed for Indian spice exporters, granting full participation in AISEF governance, advocacy, events and international representation. Carries a one-time enrollment fee of Rs 75,000 plus an annual subscription of Rs 50,000.
• Associate Membership A secondary tier of AISEF trade-association membership for firms allied to the spice export trade, providing access to association events and industry representation under different eligibility and fee terms than Ordinary Membership.
• International Spice Conference (ISC) An annual industry conference convened jointly by AISEF, the Spices Board of India and co-host international spice associations, providing Indian exporters and global buyers a structured venue for trade, technical sessions, and regulatory dialogue.
• Kisan Pragati Yojana (KPY) A farmer-development program of AISEF aimed at improving spice cultivation practices, sustainability and supply-chain quality at the farm level, supporting the export value chain that AISEF member firms depend on.
• Bilateral Industry Coordination under MoU with European Spice Association (ESA) A formal cooperation arrangement between AISEF and the European Spice Association for joint work on industry development and food safety standards, giving AISEF members structured alignment with the European spice trade.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% market coverage of India's spice exports by value through member representation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• European Spice Association (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Two-year MoU signed at International Spice Conference 2026 in Kochi to strengthen food-safety compliance, sustainability standards, and regulatory alignment in India-EU spice trade. Includes joint declaration condemning food adulteration, explicitly banning ethylene oxide and other EU-prohibited sterilisation methods for products destined for European markets. Establishes frameworks for information sharing and coordinated EU regulatory engagement addressing tightening residue norms, traceability mandates, and sustainability expectations.
• Spices Board of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier government body responsible for spice exports in India. AISEF has established excellent rapport with the Spices Board and presents spice industry problems on behalf of members. Forum provides direct advocacy channel between exporters and the regulatory authority.
• Ministry of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive collaboration with Ministry of Commerce on policy matters affecting spice exports. AISEF undertakes activities to influence policies of state and central bodies on behalf of the spice export industry.
• Codex CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAISEF plays a direct role in setting global spice standards through Codex Committee participation. Active voice at Codex and international regulatory forums protecting Indian spice interests.
• American Spice Trade Association (ASTA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational body collaboration for spice trade standards and regulatory harmonization. AISEF maintains bilateral relationships with spice associations in both producing and consuming countries.
• FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with food safety regulator on standards, compliance frameworks, and regulatory alignment for spice exports ensuring alignment with international food safety requirements.
• IISR (Indian Institute of Spices Research)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution collaboration for technology development, better technologies, farm practices, and standards of cleanliness in the spice supply chain.
• World Spice Organisation (WSO)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sustainable cultivation, food safety, and farmer welfare programs at the grassroots level. Supports Kisan Pragati Yojana farmer outreach initiatives.
• IDH (Sustainable Trade Initiative)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for traceable, responsible supply chains and sustainability programs. Collaborates on farm-level sustainability initiatives alongside WSO.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Spices Board of India: Government statutory body for Indian spice exports; while not a private association, it is AISEF's closest institutional counterpart and primary advocacy counterpart for Indian spice exporters.
• Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI): Indian commodity-specific export promotion council; comparable institutional structure and Indian export-promotion mandate, but focused on cashews rather than spices.
• Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC): Export promotion council for oilseeds and related produce in India; similar institutional role, comparable membership model, and adjacent commodity coverage to AISEF in the agri-export space.
• India Pepper and Spice Trade Association (IPSTA): Indian trade body for pepper and spices, operating alongside AISEF in the same geography; comparable membership-driven model focused on a narrower commodity slice of the Indian spice trade.

Others

• International Trade Centre (ITC): UN/WTO-affiliated agency supporting SME export development globally; engages with AISEF through spice value-chain development programs and is comparable as an enabling institution for spice exporters.
• IDH - Sustainable Trade Initiative: Global sustainability program convening companies, governments, and trade bodies; AISEF is a formal partner via Kisan Pragati Yojana, making IDH an enabling/ecosystem peer in the spice sustainability space.

Direct peers

• Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO): Umbrella body representing Indian export-oriented trade associations across sectors; provides policy advocacy and government liaison services analogous to AISEF but at a multi-sector rather than spice-specific scope.
• European Spice Association (ESA): Regional industry body representing European spice trade; direct counterpart to AISEF and formal MoU partner as of 2026, jointly addressing food-safety, sustainability, and EU regulatory alignment.
• American Spice Trade Association (ASTA): US-based industry association for the spice trade, comparable in mission and bilateral partner of AISEF; both bodies work on harmonizing food-safety and residue standards across producing and consuming markets.
• World Spice Organisation (WSO): Global sustainability-focused spice industry body; collaborates with AISEF on Kisan Pragati Yojana and farm-level sustainability programs, addressing similar trade and standards issues from a global vantage point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spice_india
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aisef

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 All India Spices Exporters Forum