Nestlé said it prioritized those products because they serve a “critical medical purpose” as they are intended for babies with cow’s milk protein allergies. The company had already been importing both of these formulas, but Nestlé said it is now expediting shipments to America.
“We moved shipments up and rushed via air to help fill immediate needs,” the company said in the statement.
Nestlé said that Gerber is a “small player” in the infant formula market in the United States, but it is committed to doing “everything we can to help” get parents and caregivers the formula they need.
Beyond airfreighting some formula, Nestlé said it is running formula factories at capacity and accelerated product availability to retailers, online sellers and hospitals for the most vulnerable.
The Biden administration is stepping up its coordination with the industry to try to address the shortage.