(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 (NYSE:ABT)' manufacturing plant in Michigan recalling some products in February.
Importers include Neocate maker Danone SA (OTC:DANOY), 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 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.
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
May 26 Danone SA Has doubled shipments of its
formula, with about 500,000
additional cans to be sent to the
U.S.
May 22 Nestle SA (SIX:NESN) Has been flying supplies from the
Netherlands and Switzerland and
delivered 132 pallets of its Health
Science Alfamino and Alfamino Jr
infant formulas
Another 114 pallets of Gerber Good
Start Extensive HA formula set to
arrive in the coming days
May 24 Kendal Nutricare About 2 million cans of infant
formula expected to reach U.S. store
shelves beginning in June, with
40,000 cans in stock for immediate
dispatch
May 16 Reckitt Benckiser Has boosted baby formula production
by about 30% and expediting the
approval of some products made at a
facility in Mexico