Factbox-Global baby formula makers send products to restock U.S. shelves

(Reuters) – Global companies that make baby formula are bringing products into the United States after the country’s health regulator relaxed its import policy to address a nationwide shortage partly triggered by Abbott Laboratories’ manufacturing plant in Michigan recalling some products in February.

Importers include Neocate maker Danone SA, while New Zealand’s dairy giants Fonterra and a2 Milk have submitted applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for supplying baby formula to the United States.

Once the products arrive in the country and receive a sign-off from the FDA, the manufacturers will distribute them through their existing supply chains and cater to unfulfilled orders, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.

While Abbott reopened its plant in Michigan on June 4, severe thunderstorms and rain caused it to stop production of its EleCare specialty baby formula almost two weeks later.

Here’s a list of companies that are bringing in baby formula to the U.S. market in the wake of the crisis:

Date of Manufacturer Major imports

announcement

May 27 Bubs Australia Ltd Plans to ship at least 1.25 million

cans of several varieties of its

formula

June 30 Danone SA U.S. FDA says 555,000 cans of

Aptamil Gold Plus from New Zealand

will likely be available in August

(https://bit.ly/3abWTTE)

June 17 Danone SA U.S. FDA says about 750,000 cans of

Aptamil First Infant Milk Stage 1

formula are expected to be shipped

to the U.S. in July (https://bit.ly/3tJFsAC)

May 26 Danone SA Has doubled shipments of its

formula, with about 500,000

additional cans to be sent to the

U.S.

June 3 Nestle SA U.S. FDA says about 1.3 million cans

of Nestle’s Gerber Good Start Gentle

from Mexico to be available from the

beginning of July through October.

June 2 Nestle SA U.S. FDA says 249,500 cans from

Germany of Nestle’s NAN Supreme Pro

1 and NAN Supreme Pro 2 baby formula

to be available in June and July(https://bit.ly/3m8DqFS)

May 25 Nestle SA 114 pallets of Gerber Good Start

Extensive HA formula delivered in

Virginia

May 22 Nestle SA Has been flying supplies from the

Netherlands and Switzerland and

delivered 132 pallets of its Health

Science Alfamino and Alfamino Jr

infant formulas

May 24 Kendal Nutricare About 2 million cans of infant

formula expected to reach U.S. store

shelves from the UK, beginning June,

with 40,000 cans in stock for

immediate dispatch

June 15 Reckitt Benckiser U.S. FDA says 4.5 million pounds of

base powder for Reckitt subsidiary

Mead Johnson’s general infant

formula Enfamil Stage 1 will begin

shipping in June through November (https://bit.ly/3tH4aBx)

June 22 Global Kosher U.S. FDA says more than 4.8 million

cans of Kendamil First Infant

Formula with Iron (Kosher formula)

will be available from the UK (https://bit.ly/3HWZBJt)

June 27 Bellamy’s Organic U.S. FDA says 696,000 cans from

Australia will be available from

early July and over next several

months (https://bit.ly/3niqrC7)

June 28 Abbott Nutrition U.S. FDA says 18,677 cans of Similac

Advance 2’-FL Stage 1 infant formula

from Ireland will be available from

mid-July (https://bit.ly/39WjyDF)

July 6 Vitaflo USA LLC U.S. FDA says 3,192 cans of PKU

Start, a specialty/metabolic formula

for infants with phenylketonuria

(PKU), from the Netherlands will be

made available within two weeks (https://bit.ly/3yopy08)

July 8 Care A2+ U.S. FDA says 4.875 million cans of

Care A2+ 0-12 Months infant formula

from Australia will be shipped in

the first week of August (https://bit.ly/3AxbAM1)

(Reporting by Deborah Sophia and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington and Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva, Maju Samuel and Sriraj Kalluvila)