Reckitt's Mead Johnson Continues Extraordinary Steps to Increase Access to Infant Formula

PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In light of the continuing shortage of infant formula in the United States, Mead Johnson today provided an update on its ongoing efforts to ensure that more formula reaches store shelves and the parents who need it.

Pat Sly, President of Reckitt's nutrition business, underscored the importance of the role its flagship brand Enfamil plays in providing the single source of nutrition for millions of babies and toddlers.

"Over the past three months we have been doing everything possible to put more infant formula on shelves, addressing the concerns of parents across the country. We are leaving no stone unturned to increase our supply, while safeguarding the highest levels of quality. I am extremely grateful for and proud of our colleagues, and the dedication and commitment they are demonstrating in this difficult time. Our warehouse team is working through the Memorial Day weekend to ship more than 90 truckloads, and our factory teams will produce another 5 million 8-oz feedings."

We are working with government and retail partners on the following measures to get more product on shelves faster:

• Operating our plants 24/7 
• Streamlined our product portfolio to maximise production capacity
• Working with the United States government to secure additional manufacturing inputs and to bring formula from our manufacturing sites outside the US. 
• Partnering with retailers to expedite orders and trucks and prioritizing formula at their distribution centers to fill shelves quickly.
• Dispatching product as soon as it's been quality checked, rather than waiting until trucks are entirely filled, to get the product on shelves faster

As a result, we shipped over 30% more infant formula in Q1 vs 2021, cut time to shelf by 40% without sacrificing quality and are currently feeding 211,000 more babies than we were prior to the shortage. We are also identifying other ways to ensure parents and infants have a steady supply of safe, high-quality formula. These include pursuing the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) import exception, which would permit us to import additional infant formula supplies into the United States from our manufacturing facilities in Singapore and Mexico. Should we receive regulatory approval, we would be able to achieve the following:

• Immediately provide 200 metric tons of infant formula base powder from our Tuas facility in Singapore which would be blended and packaged in the U.S. facilitated by logistics help from Operation Fly Formula. This would be the equivalent of more than 6 million 8-oz servings and could be available by June.
• Provide approximately 170 metric tons of infant formula per month on average from our Delicias, Mexico facility
• Should these requests be approved, the combined impact would enable us to feed an additional 250,000 babies.

About Reckitt:

Reckitt* exists to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We believe that access to the highest-quality hygiene, wellness and nourishment is a right, not a privilege.

Reckitt is the company behind some of the world's most recognisable and trusted consumer brands in hygiene, health and nutrition, including Air Wick, Calgon, Cillit Bang, Clearasil, Dettol, Durex, Enfamil, Finish, Gaviscon, Harpic, Lysol, Mortein, Mucinex, Nurofen, Nutramigen, Strepsils, Vanish, Veet, Woolite and more. Every day, more than 20 million Reckitt products are bought globally. We always put consumers and people first, seek out new opportunities, strive for excellence in all that we do and build shared success with all our partners. We aim to do the right thing, always. We are a diverse global team of more than 43,000 colleagues. We draw on our collective energy to meet our ambitions of purpose-led brands, a healthier planet and a fairer society. Find out more, or get in touch with us at www.reckitt.com.

About Mead Johnson Nutrition:

Mead Johnson Nutrition was acquired by Reckitt in 2017, merging the two company's commitments to innovation and science to continue fueling advancements in pediatric nutrition. Today, the nutrition business continues to drive innovation from its Evansville, IN site and is trusted by parents and healthcare professionals all over the world to support developing minds and bodies. We're committed to ensuring that every mom and every baby a healthy start.

About Enfamil
Enfamil's full product portfolio is formulated to provide optimal nutrition for infants and children through every stage of development. Their dedication to science and innovation remains vital to both their product portfolio and mission by using leading-edge technologies, a highly specialized team, and expert collaborations to benefit pediatric populations around the world. Today, the Enfamil brand is trusted by parents and healthcare professionals through their passion for innovation and delivering high quality products.

* Reckitt is the trading name of the Reckitt Benckiser group of companies

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SOURCE Reckitt