396. How iHerb is leading the trillion-dollar wellness market
Retail Gets Real · with Emun Zabihi · November 12, 2025 · 20 min
Summary
iHerb CEO Emun Zabihi discusses how the company became a global leader in the trillion-dollar wellness market. The episode explores iHerb's journey from its origins to serving millions in 180 countries, highlighting strategies for global expansion, combating counterfeits, and building consumer trust in the online health product space. This is a must-listen for ecommerce operators looking to scale internationally and ensure product authenticity.
Key takeaways
iHerb effectively scales globally by navigating diverse regulatory environments and optimizing logistics for international markets to serve customers in 180 countries.
To combat counterfeits in the health and wellness sector, iHerb implements rigorous quality control and verification processes, which are crucial for maintaining consumer confidence and brand reputation.
Building consumer trust in an online retail environment for health products is achieved through transparent product selection, authenticity guarantees, and a strong focus on accessibility.
The wellness market is driven by consumer demand for natural, organic, and clean-label products; businesses should align their offerings with these trends to capture market share.
Effective leadership in a global e-commerce company like iHerb involves fostering innovation, strategically navigating international challenges, and cultivating a strong company culture dedicated to customer satisfaction and product integrity.
The wellness movement has gone global — and few companies embody that expansion better than iHerb. CEO Emun Zabihi explores how they’re transforming the way consumers access supplements and natural products worldwide. From humble beginnings in a Pasadena apartment to serving millions of customers in 180 countries, iHerb’s journey is a story of innovation, accessibility, and trust in an increasingly crowded marketplace. (00:00:00) The rise of the trillion-dollar wellness economy(00:08:57) Trends shaping the supplement industry(00:13:25) Global reach and the fight against counterfeits(00:18:35) The future of wellness and lessons in leadershipThe National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• Website: iherb.com• Emun Zabihi on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emun-zabihi• Get ready for Retail’s Big Show in NYC• Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at <a href="https://retailgetsreal.com/" rel="noopener norefe
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
iHerb effectively scales globally by navigating diverse regulatory environments and optimizing logistics for international markets to serve customers in 180 countries.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
To combat counterfeits in the health and wellness sector, iHerb implements rigorous quality control and verification processes, which are crucial for maintaining consumer confidence and brand reputation.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Building consumer trust in an online retail environment for health products is achieved through transparent product selection, authenticity guarantees, and a strong focus on accessibility.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
The wellness market is driven by consumer demand for natural, organic, and clean-label products; businesses should align their offerings with these trends to capture market share.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Effective leadership in a global e-commerce company like iHerb involves fostering innovation, strategically navigating international challenges, and cultivating a strong company culture dedicated to customer satisfaction and product integrity.
