More baby formula shipments hitting store shelves soon, White House officials say

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - The White House is on to its next phase in addressing the nationwide baby formula crisis. This time, the focus is on getting products directly to store shelves.

14 News Anchor Caroline Klapp talked with an assistant to President Joe Biden on Thursday.

More flights are scheduled to come in from abroad next week, and this time the product is hitting store shelves.

We reported the first flights for Operation Fly Formula were dedicated to formula for babies with special dietary needs. That product went to doctors’ offices.

But the product from these next flights coming in from abroad will be heading to major retailers like Target and Walmart.

Meanwhile, the White House has also been working with other formula manufacturers to boost production, including Mead Johnson in Evansville.

President Biden talked with the head of the company on Wednesday.

Christen Link, deputy assistant to the president for health and veteran affairs, tells 14 News getting other U.S. companies to boost production has been critical in responding to this crisis.

“They talked about the tremendous work they are doing to boost production, both to get 30% more formula coming off the lines of their factory and also to get it to market faster,” Link said. “So they’ve cut weeks off the time that it typically takes to get products from the factory into store shelves.”

With all that being said, Young says this problem being fixed entirely depends on Abbot Nutrition, the Michigan facility that closed due to bacteria concerns.

Young says the White House expects Abbot will be rolling out new product by the end of the month.

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