AMERICAN KRATOM ASSOCIATION

What AMERICAN KRATOM ASSOCIATION does

The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a U.S. nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Gainesville, Florida. It operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees and is led by Senior Fellow on Public Policy Mac Haddow, who has 40+ years of government relations experience fighting FDA overreach, and Chairman Matt Salmon, a former U.S. Congressman. The organization's mission is to protect consumer access to natural Kratom leaf products while advancing science-based consumer protection standards and distinguishing natural Kratom from chemically manipulated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) opioid products. The AKA serves an estimated 10-15 million American Kratom consumers, a network of 50+ GMP-certified Kratom vendors, and policymakers at the state and federal level.

The AKA's core offerings are organized around three programs: the AKA GMP Standards Program, which conducts third-party audits and certifies Kratom vendors into Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers; the Truth in Labeling Compliance Program, a self-regulation initiative for reporting marketing violations; and state-level advocacy for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA). The organization does not develop proprietary technology products but operates a digital ecosystem through americankratom.org, email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), and state-level advocacy networks used to brief lawmakers with downloaded consumer testimonials. Distribution is anchored on the GMP Qualified Vendor network, which includes OPMS Kratom, Chief Kratom, Whole Herbs Kratom, King Kratom, Kraken Kratom, and Happy Hippo Herbals among others.

The AKA is funded through a combination of consumer donations, merchandise sales ($40-$60 per item across nine SKUs), and vendor registration fees under the GMP program (including a $260 per formulation fee for products registered in Utah under the KCPA). Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on grassroots advocacy to mobilize consumers to contact legislators, submit public comments, and share personal testimonials. Key historical milestones include defeating the 2016 DEA scheduling attempt, helping establish KCPA legislation in 14+ states, and supporting the DEA's July 2026 scheduling action on chemically manipulated 7-OH products.

Name

AMERICAN KRATOM ASSOCIATION

Legal name

American Kratom Association

Website

https://americankratom.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Kratom Association is a U.S. nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that protects access to natural Kratom leaf products through GMP vendor certification, state-level Kratom Consumer Protection Act advocacy, and grassroots campaigns. It serves millions of American Kratom consumers and 50+ certified vendors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Advocacy Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Supplier Quality Assurance & Vendor Approval Programs (AFALALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC), Traceability & Chain-of-Custody Certification (Mass Balance, Segregation, Identity Preserved) (AFALAMAK), Trade Compliance, Standards & Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT/SPS) (BPADAMAK), Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) & Food Safety Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAF)

Keywords

• Consumer advocacy
• Regulatory policy
• GMP certification
• Industry standards
• Kratom consumer protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization accepts donations from supporters to fund advocacy efforts and protect Kratom access. The website features a prominent donate button for consumer contributions.
2. Merchandise Sales: The organization sells merchandise products including items priced at $40-$60 USD such as 'Awesomeness', 'Simplicity', 'Lucidity', 'Legacy', 'Breathtaking', 'Directness', 'Plainness', 'Unbelievable', and 'Clearness'.
3. GMP Vendor Registration Fees: Vendors seeking AKA GMP Qualified status pay annual registration fees and submit proof of annual successful 3rd-party audits. The program includes a $260.00 fee per formulation for product registration in Utah under the KCPA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that protects access to safe, natural Kratom leaf products. Its core offerings include the AKA GMP Standards Program (third-party audit and certification of Kratom vendors), the Truth in Labeling Compliance Program (self-regulation initiative reporting marketing violations), state-level advocacy for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), and consumer education and scientific research resources. The AKA does not manufacture or sell Kratom products but establishes certification and advocacy frameworks for the Kratom industry.

Product overview

The American Kratom Association is a consumer advocacy organization focused on protecting access to safe, natural Kratom leaf products and advancing science-based consumer protection standards. Their core offerings include the AKA GMP Standards Program (a third-party audit and certification program for Kratom vendors to verify Good Manufacturing Practices compliance), the Truth in Labeling Compliance Program (a self-regulation initiative to report marketing violations), advocacy for state-level Kratom Consumer Protection Acts (KCPA), and consumer education resources. The organization also maintains a directory of GMP Qualified Vendors and publishes science/research resources. The AKA does not manufacture or sell Kratom products itself; rather it provides certification, advocacy, and consumer protection frameworks for the Kratom industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AKA GMP Standards Program
• Utah KCPA Product Registration
• Branded Merchandise
• AKA Email Newsletter Subscription

Quantifiable outcome

• FDA dose-finding study showed Kratom was generally well tolerated across all dose levels tested up to 12 grams of leaf material, with only nausea being the most commonly reported non-serious adverse event.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Senator Mike Lee and Congressman Mark PocancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2021Bipartisan congressional partners who co-signed a letter to the Biden Administration urging opposition to international Kratom bans by the WHO. Senator Lee and Congressman Pocan advocated for millions of American Kratom consumers who use the supplement for pain management and opioid addiction treatment.
• GMP Qualified VendorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe AKA maintains a GMP Standards Program with over 50 qualified vendors who have completed third-party audits verifying compliance with good manufacturing practices. Vendors are categorized as Platinum, Gold, or Silver tiers and include OPMS Kratom, Chief Kratom, Whole Herbs Kratom, King Kratom, Kraken Kratom, Happy Hippo Herbals, and many others.
• Advocacy PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe AKA maintains a network of advocacy partners who collaborate on legislative efforts and consumer protection campaigns. The organization provides a list of advocacy partners for informational purposes to support the Kratom consumer protection mission.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• American Herbal Products Association (AHPA): Trade association for the herbal products industry that has actively engaged on kratom policy, GMP standards, and federal regulatory matters. AHPA's herbal industry advocacy mandate directly overlaps with AKA's consumer protection and labeling work.
• American Botanical Council: Nonprofit educational organization focused on responsible use of medicinal plants including kratom. ABC's science-based education mission and botanical industry focus align directly with AKA's consumer protection and scientific research objectives.
• Drug Policy Alliance: Leading drug policy reform organization advocating against criminalization of controlled substances. DPA's federal/state advocacy model and grassroots mobilization infrastructure mirrors AKA's strategy against kratom scheduling.
• Americans for Safe Access: Member-based advocacy organization advancing medical cannabis access, with analogous state-by-state legislative campaigns, GMP-style certifications, and grassroots mobilization of consumers for plant-based therapeutic access.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Products Association (NPA): Largest trade association representing the natural products industry, including supplements, with active engagement on GMP standards and FDA regulatory policy. NPA's industry-wide advocacy scope subsumes AKA's narrower kratom-focused mandate.
• United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA): Trade association of natural products companies and suppliers focused on quality, GMP compliance, and regulatory issues. UNPA's GMP certification work and FDA engagement directly parallels AKA's GMP Qualified Vendor program.
• Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN): Leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry. CRN's broader regulatory advocacy and GMP-quality work overlaps with AKA's GMP Qualified Vendor program, though CRN covers a far wider product set.
• Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA): Trade association representing manufacturers of OTC medicines and dietary supplements. CHPA's regulatory affairs work on FDA scheduling, labeling, and GMP compliance covers adjacent ground to AKA's consumer protection agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheKratomAssn
• Facebookfacebook.com/Americankratomassociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/american_kratom_assoc/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-kratom-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 AMERICAN KRATOM ASSOCIATION