Utah parents get creative in keeping formula supply while shortage persists

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Parents of Utah infants are heading into another week of frantic searching stores for formula to feed their babies.

The problem started in February when a Michigan plant was shut down after bacteria was traced back to plant. Multiple hospitalizations and two possible deaths are being investigated in connection with the recall.

Jade Elliott, our 2 News this Morning Live Desk anchor has found herself searching like so many other parents.

“I talk about it every day,” she said. "Tell people what is going on, tell people there is a formula shortage.” But she underestimated “the fact reality would hit home.”

Three weeks ago, Elliott realized the problem was real.

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Just back from maternity leave, she's balancing work and family life with grocery orders made online to save time.

She normally orders two Kirkland brand containers of formula in her weekly Costco order. Two weeks ago, she got a text from her shopper saying there was no formula.

“He texted and said we can't supply this item,” Elliot wrote him back to let him know she’d take any brand and that’s when he said, “there's nothing.”

Like so many other parents, she started searching local stores and online retailers. Often finding formula, making and order and then getting an e-mail hours later saying the order could not be filled.

Now she’s watching her small supply dwindle down at home. Thinking how many scoops she has. Doing the math in her head of how much longer she has until she runs out.

HELP ON SOCIAL MEDIA

On social media parents are posting updates when they see a shipment come into a local store- hoping to help before the latest supply runs out.

Others are giving away extras they no longer need in the classifieds or charging for what they’ve found in store and don’t need.

Elliott went a different route and immediately enlisted the help of family and friends across the country.

Now she has packages arriving from Florida, California and Washington with single cans that will help her get by until she can find a store in Utah stocked with formula.

Elliott’s baby, Genevieve, isn’t picky and will take whatever they give her. Not all families are as lucky. Many are searching for specific brands their infant tolerates or prescribed by a doctor.

WIC BENEFITS FOR INFANT FORMULA

Low-income families were given the go ahead by the federal government to start using their WIC benefits on any brand they can find.

Normally each state has a specific brand allowed for use with WIC benefits.

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With options severely limited for all parents, regulations have been removed until the supply chain is back up and running.

US SUPPLY CHAIN

The supply chain for formula is the United States is under tight control

Two companies – Abbot and Reckit make formula under the Enfamil brand. Together the two companies make up 80% of the US market. Nestlé sold under the Gerber brand controls 10% of the US market. The three companies hold a nationwide monopoly as the only brands approved for WIC benefits.

With a Michigan plant shut down and just now getting permission to start production, you can see why a shortage was inevitable without adjustments made at other plants.

Elliott reports on the updates daily and knows “progress is being made to get formula back on the shelves, but the reality is it will be at least a couple months until we can’t get what we want whenever we want.”

The one thing she asks- for parents to buy only what they need, and so far, it seems parents are doing the best they can to provide for their families and make sure others can do the same.

HELP SENT WITH LOVE FROM ITALY

A Utah woman now living in Italy has seen the pleas for help online.

She is now buying formula which is fully stocked on store shelves in Italy and sending two to three cans to moms back home who request help.