US-based pediatric nutrition company Bobbie has produced the first small batch of its USDA Organic infant formula at its newly established manufacturing facility in Heath, Ohio.
The move represents the company’s effort to diversify and disrupt the concentrated infant formula market and is the first new plant built in the US in the last 23 years.
Bobbie said that its new manufacturing facility, acquired to address a formula shortage two years ago, helps expand its production capacity and establish a resilient manufacturing model.
The new facility spanning 90,000ft2 integrates powder drying and canning processes under one roof, leveraging advanced safety standards and reducing manufacturing touchpoints.
Bobbie said that the consolidation aims to simplify operations and enhance product safety from creation to customer delivery.
Bobbie CEO and co-founder Laura Modi said: “For those of us who fed a baby during the formula shortage, and when out of stocks reached almost 70% this time two years ago, we will never forget the fear of not being able to find a can of formula to feed your baby on a shelf or online. Our new manufacturing facility creates an unprecedented level of reliability for our parents moving forward.
“These step-level changes in a company’s growth are never easy – but nothing about entering this industry as the only female CEO has been easy.
“As a mom to my fourth baby, now 4 months old, I am personally excited for what this new facility will unlock for our customers and our company – a steady supply of Bobbie, manufacturing redundancy across our owned and co-manufacturing partners’ facilities, and faster in-house innovation for the next generation of infant formulas in the US.”
Bobbie said that its expansion, alongside its partnership with Perrigo, positions the company to potentially capture up to 15% of the non-WIC market in future.
The company is committed to providing uninterrupted deliveries for subscribers even during times of increased demand for baby formula and a constrained supply of organic ingredients.
With the relocation of its headquarters from San Francisco to Heath, Ohio, Bobbie aims to strengthen its operational footprint in the heartland of America.
In addition to its remote and on-site operation, the company has hired 35 new employees in Ohio after acquiring the facility, with plans to hire on-site through the end of the year.
Bobbie chief supply chain officer Jason Blaisure said: “After the formula shortage of 2022, the opportunity to uplevel infant formula and build back trust with the American consumer is monumental, and there is no company better positioned to set new standards for innovation and excellence than Bobbie.
“I am here to help build a world class supply chain to meet the overwhelming demand for high quality infant formula alongside the brilliant and driven team at Bobbie that has the vision to deliver best-in-class pediatric nutrition products and leads by example and with a parent-first approach,” he added.
Modi added: “Jason is a true manufacturing and operations leader who has scaled manufacturing in many dynamic environments over the years. More importantly he always puts ‘safety first’. The wait was worth it, and we couldn’t imagine a better fit.”
