Nestlé Partners with Administration on Operation Fly Formula
At Nestlé we are absolutely committed to helping parents and caregivers get the formula they need so their children can thrive. We are pleased to be working with the Administration to address the formula shortage. As of today, the partnership has enabled us to expedite the import of formula, equivalent of approximately 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles, into the U.S. market for children.
- May 22, 2022: Nearly 55,000 cans of Nestlé Health Science Alfamino® Infant and Alfamino® Junior landed in Indianapolis, with the process already underway to distribute it primarily to hospitals and home health care providers.
- May 25, 2022: More than 87,000 cans of Nestlé’s Gerber Good Start® Extensive HA® arrived at Washington Dulles airport in Virginia. They were immediately transported to our distribution center near Allentown, PA where they will be sent out for delivery to hospitals, WIC programs and retailers nationwide.
- June 3, 2022: The FDA approved Nestlé’s request to import it’s Gerber® Good Start® Gentle infant formula produced in Mexico. Shipments will begin to arrive in July, continuing periodically into October. We will infuse approximately 1.3 million cans of this formula into the U.S. supply, which is the equivalent of nearly 33 million 8-ounce bottles.
- June 9, 2022: More than 62,500 cans of NAN SUPREMEpro 1 arrived at Dallas Fort Worth Airport from Germany. From there it will be transported to a nearby Nestlé distribution center where it will be distributed to Gerber.com and other major online retailers. Additional shipments of NAN SUPREMEpro 1 and NAN SUPREMEpro 2 will continue throughout June and July, adding nearly 250,000 cans to the US market.Additionally, the FDA approved Nestlé’s request to import it’s Nestlé® NAN® EXPERTpro SensiPro infant formula produced in Germany. This shipment is expected to arrive in late June, adding approximately 28,200 cans (apprx. 50,000 pounds) equivalent to about 745,000 8-ounce bottles to the U.S. market supply.
- NEW: June 16, 2022: A shipment of approximately 34,000 cans of Nestlé Health Science Alfamino® and 16,000 cans of Alfamino® Junior arrived in the U.S. in Louisville, Kentucky. This delivery included over 44,000 pounds of Nestlé Health Science Alfamino® and Alfamino® Junior specialty formula, the equivalent of approximately 548,000 8-ounce bottles.
We continue to look for ways to tap into Nestlé’s global nutrition network to help, including additional flights in partnership with Operation Fly Formula. As a global company, Nestlé serves parents, caregivers and children around the world and we want to assure them that we are committed to taking a responsible approach in how we utilize our global network. Our goal is to ensure we aren’t inadvertently impacting other markets where we operate.
Our Ongoing Efforts
For the last few months, we have worked around the clock to address the formula shortage and help meet the demand. We have significantly increased the amount of our formulas available to consumers by ramping up production and accelerating general product availability to retailers and online, as well as through hospitals and home health care for those most vulnerable.
Some of our actions include:
- Running formula factories at capacity and optimizing efficiency across the system.
- Supporting our WIC program states and flexing to support states beyond that, wher needed and where possible.
- Pulling stock out of reserves and infusing it into the market.
- Immediately accelerated the import of specialty product produced at FDA registered factories outside the country to expedite availability in the market and serve immediate needs. This includes Nestlé’s Gerber® Good Start® Extensive HA® from the Netherlands and Nestlé Health Science Alfamino® Infant and Alfamino® Junior from Switzerland as they serve a critical medical purpose for babies with cow’s milk protein allergies.
The recent efforts by the FDA to give companies temporary flexibility with regard to the import of certain infant formulas is a positive step forward. We are reviewing the guidance and assessing where we may be able to tap into the Nestlé global nutrition network to help.
Resources for Parents & Caregivers
Alfamino®
For more information about Nestlé Health Science Alfamino®, including FAQs and contact service center, parents and caregivers can visit Alfamino.com. Alfamino® products are designed for children with cow’s milk protein allergies (CMPA). Information about CMPA is available on this page. Alfamino® formulas are covered by many insurance plans. Parents and caregivers can find out more about the reimbursement process on our website, including use of our formula4success™ program. This complimentary program offers step-by-step, detailed information and support to help with the reimbursement process for Nestlé nutrition products.
About Nestlé Health Science
Nestlé Health Science, a leader in the science of nutrition, is a globally managed business unit of Nestlé. We are committed to redefining the management of health, offering an extensive portfolio of science-based consumer health, medical nutrition, pharmaceutical therapies, and vitamin and supplement brands. Our extensive research network provides the foundation for products that empower healthier lives through nutrition. Headquartered in Switzerland, we have more than 11,000 employees around the world, with products available in more than 140 countries. www.nestlehealthscience.com