India remains a key partner in the U.S. spice trade, supplying spices used daily in American households and restaurants, according to Laura Shumow, executive director of the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA). She said the association and its approximately 250 industry members remain heavily “reliant” on India and other spice-producing countries to meet demand across the American market.
In an exclusive interview with South Asian Herald on November 5, 2026, in Bethesda, Maryland, Shumow said, “Historically, the U.S. has always been reliant on India as a supplier of spices, and it remains a key trade partner for us today. We can’t get the spices that we need to make our products without working with the origin countries where they’re produced.”
Shumow said India’s climate allows it to produce chilies with levels of heat that U.S. growers cannot readily match. Because many spices cannot be grown domestically, the American spice industry depends heavily on countries of origin to maintain supplies for consumers, food manufacturers and restaurants.
She referred to India as a primary trading partner and a leading producer of a broad range of spices, including chilies, black pepper, fennel and cumin. The country’s growing conditions support many varieties, making it important both for the quantity of spices supplied and the diversity available to American companies.
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Vietnam is the largest producer of black pepper and the second-largest producer of cinnamon, Shumow said. Indonesia is a significant source of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla, while China produces chilies, and garlic, which are dried for use as spices.
“But India and Vietnam are the top trade partners that we have,” she said, noting that Vietnam has gained ground over the past several years, while India has historically been the leading supplier.
Sri Lanka ranks among the industry’s top 10 sources, particularly for a distinct variety of cinnamon, she said. The country also produces black pepper, other spices and tea, although its role as a supplier to the American spice industry is smaller than India’s.
Shumow, who has held her position for eight years, previously worked in the confectionery industry and the chocolate and cocoa sector. “Those industries also are reliant on exports from some other countries, some of the same countries that are big producers of spices,” she said.
In her role at ASTA, she typically travels to India once or twice a year, including for the International Spice Conference. Organized by ASTA’s Indian partner, the All India Spices Exporters Forum, the conference draws hundreds of participants and provides opportunities to discuss developments affecting producers, exporters and buyers.
ASTA also works with international bodies such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint initiative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization that develops international food standards. A Codex committee focused on spices meets in India every other year, providing another opportunity for engagement.
“So, plenty of opportunities to go to India. While I’m there, I always try to visit our member companies that export to the United States,” Shumow said. Her visits also include meetings with farmers and government officials.
“It’s always very eye-opening to see. I love visiting farms to see how they grow spices,” she added.
Shumow also discussed ASTA’s first spice trade event with the Embassy of India, held recently following earlier events with Vietnam and Sri Lanka. She said the association’s relationship with the Indian Embassy strengthened through discussions about trade and tariffs. ASTA worked with the embassy to secure tariff exemptions for certain spices by demonstrating that they are not grown in the United States.
“Our industry is so reliant on imports. It’s not like we can switch to a U.S. source,” Shumow said. “So, we absolutely have to continue to import spices from around the world. And India is a key origin for us. So, it was very important that spices from India be able to be brought in at reasonable tariff levels.”
India’s importance extends beyond the volume of its exports, she explained. Compared with many other suppliers, the country produces a particularly broad selection of spices, allowing American companies to source multiple ingredients from a single country of origin.
A central focus of ASTA’s work with India is helping ensure that spice production meets U.S. Food and Drug Administration food safety requirements and industry quality standards. Discussions between the association and its Indian partners regularly address production practices and compliance.
“That is a constant issue of discussion between us and India to make sure that the spices are produced in a way that meets our standards for quality, and we often collaborate on those issues,” she said.
ASTA serves as a forum for more than 250 industry members rather than buying or selling spices itself. Its member companies import, process, blend and sell spices for a range of commercial and household uses. “So our member companies are selling spices directly to consumers and also selling spices to be used in packaged food products and restaurant foods,” Shumow said.
Most member companies are based in the United States, although many operate internationally, she said. These businesses may maintain facilities in the United States alongside operations in the countries where spices are grown, linking production overseas with processing and distribution in the American market.
Other members are headquartered abroad, including several based and operating in India. Shumow said companies join ASTA to connect with its U.S. membership, understand American market requirements and follow issues affecting the industry. Membership also helps businesses learn how to comply with applicable standards and respond to expectations in the U.S. market.
ASTA maintains a memorandum of understanding with the All India Spices Exporters Forum to support information exchanges, joint projects and discussions about standardization. The partnership includes sharing research and presentations to help members understand and comply with changing regulations across international markets.
According to Shumow, a major industry challenge is the lack of alignment among global standards, including differences between requirements in the United States and the European Union. Producers supplying several markets must navigate these varying rules, which can complicate trade and compliance. Promoting greater consistency in international food standards remains an ongoing priority for ASTA and its partners.
“The origin countries are selling all over the world, so if these standards are conflicting or different, it can be really difficult just to navigate that,” she said, adding that ASTA continues working toward better alignment.
