Baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories will ship formula milk from its Abbott plant in Spain this month in hopes of augmenting its supply and easing the domestic shortage caused by the closure of its Michigan plant.
On Tuesday, Abbott Nutrition, the largest infant formula maker in the country, said it would import powder formulas, including Similac Total Comfort Stage 1, Similac Total Comfort, and Similac NeoSure, from its manufacturing plant in Granada, Spain, starting this month. It also plans to provide formula as emergency supplies for critical areas of low supply as outlined by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
The baby milk company plans to import £1.1 million (USD 1,321,292.50) of formula milk, equivalent to 686,350 cans.
The company "appreciated the support" of the Biden Administration and the FDA for making it possible to ship the product from Spain to the U.S, Fox Business reports. FDA continues to enforce discretion for formula milk imported to the country.
A nationwide shortage of formula milk
As of May 28, the out-of-stock rate of milk formula across 130,000 stores climbed to 74 percent. The shortage caused desperate parents to dilute or make homemade infant formula to stretch their supply. Finding specialized milk is more difficult for parents whose babies are sensitive to milk formula.
The shortage started last year due to a pandemic-related supply shortage. However, the deficit hit crisis levels in many areas in the U.S. after Abbott shut down its manufacturing facility in Sturgis, Michigan, following complaints that four infants fell ill with bacterial infections after consuming formula made at the facility. Two of the infants died.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed the Sturgis plant to reopen on June 4 after getting approval from the agency to resume production. Abbott has since begun the production of Elecare and other specialty formulas. The specialty milk products will be available on June 20, Healio News says.
More milk is coming into the U.S.
The shortage prompted the White House and FDA to launch Operation Fly Formula, which allows the importation of baby milk from Europe and Australia.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that nine Operation Fly Formula flights are scheduled this week. The program is expected to import more than four million eight-ounce bottle equivalents of infant formula to the United States. By June 19, the program will have imported nearly 12 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents of infant formula.
This week's shipment carries Kendamil Infant Formula from London and Bub's Infant Formula from Australia. The Kendamil Infant Formula will then be transported to Target and made available through the company's national network of stores.
Meanwhile, Bub's Australia infant formula will be distributed across Walmart's national network of stores and Albertsons Companies' and The Kroger Company's nationwide network of subsidiary stores.
Depending on the state, the imported formula milk will be available in Walmart, Albertsons Companies, and The Kroger Company for those under the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or WIC.
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