Herbal product consulting
Helping purpose driven companies in the herbal and natural product industry
With over three decades of herbal experience spanning clinical practice, product formulation, and global sustainability initiatives, we provide the specialized knowledge and industry connections that help our clients create exceptional herbal products with integrity and purpose.
Our comprehensive services include:
- Sustainability Strategy: Developing actionable frameworks that transform environmental and social values into operational excellence
- Responsible Sourcing: Implementing ethical supply chain strategies that respect plants, people, and planet
- Botanical Science & Research: Applying scientific rigor and traditional wisdom to validate product efficacy and safety
- Product Development & Innovation: Creating market-ready herbal formulations that balance efficacy with sustainability
- Regulatory Compliance: Navigating FDA, FTC and cGMP requirements with confidence
- Educational Content: Crafting authentic, scientifically-sound content that resonates with conscious consumers
Partner with ES Botanical Consulting to access boutique-level expertise that honors herbal traditions while meeting modern market demands—helping your business grow while making a positive impact on people and planet.
ABOUT
With over three decades of hands-on experience in the herbal and natural products sector, Erin Smith brings specialized expertise in herbalism, botanical science, formulation, regulatory compliance, and sustainable sourcing to help brands thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.
As Principal of ES Botanical Consulting, Erin partners with herbal product companies ingredient suppliers, and manufacturers to develop innovative formulations, develop and implement sustainability initiatives, navigate complex regulatory landscapes, and create authentic educational content that resonates with consumers.
A trusted industry authority, Erin currently serves on the Board of the American Herbal Product Association (AHPA) and chairs it’s Sustainability Committee. She holds advisory positions with the Sustainable Herbs Initiative and American Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
Erin brings a rare combination of traditional herbal knowledge and scientific rigor to her consulting work. Her expertise spans multiple herbal traditions including Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and ethnobotany, informed by fieldwork across five continents and research with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Her credentials include an MSc in Ethnobotany with Distinction from the University of Kent, certification as a Clinical Herbalist, and scholarly work as a Scholar in Residence at Oxford University in Medical Anthropology. This academic foundation complements her practical natural product industry experience.
For herbal businesses seeking strategic guidance on product development, sustainability and social impact, regulatory compliance, or educational content creation, Erin offers tailored solutions that honor herbal traditions while meeting modern market demands. She specializes in supporting small and midsize companies, providing boutique-level expertise that helps businesses compete effectively while maintaining authenticity and compliance in today’s complex natural products marketplace.
You can learn more about her experience here.
SERVICES
Environmental and Social Impact Strategy
Sustainability work can be overwhelming. It is sometimes hard to know how to begin and where to make the most impact. Whether you’re just starting out or an established herbal brand, we can help you meet your sustainability goals:
- Review or create an environmental and social impact strategy
- Assist with sustainability/impact reports
- Assist with purpose-based certifications, such as BCorp Fair for Life, and FairWild.
- Review product formulations and sourcing strategies
- Assist with brand and ingredient storytelling
- And more!
Product Development and Innovation
True sustainability begins at the product formulation phase. Harnessing more than three decades of herbal experience, we can help you combine the wisdom of tradition with the latest science to formulate safe, effective and sustainable products.
Sustainable Sourcing
We help you implement ethical supply chain strategies that respect the plants, people, and planet.
- Help you find sustainable raw ingredient suppliers that meet your specifications and values.
- Assist in relationship building for long term success
- and more!
Herbal Science & Research
We’re happy to support all your herbal science and research needs, applying scientific rigor and traditional wisdom to validate product efficacy and safety.
- Product and ingredient research
- Claim substantiations
- White Papers and research summaries
- Ethnobotanical summaries on ingredients
- Clinical trial support
- Educational content creation
- And more!