Cumbrian business has been fast tracked to help American shortage in baby formula.

Kendal Nutricare, based in Kendal, manufactures the “Kendamil” branded baby formula for the royal family and exports it to over 40 countries worldwide, with its special ingredient, the cream of the milk sourced from local dairy farmers .

Following a meeting with the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street last Monday, an assurance was given by Ministers that help would be given to the Cumbrian firm to export Kendamil to the US, in the light of the current crisis there with the shortage of baby formulae for US families following the recall of the brand Abbott Similac.

Ross McMahon, CEO of Kendal Nutricare said: “The size of the USA market opportunity will justify doubling our capacity to produce more Kendamil, increasing British dairy exports from Cumbria, creating more local jobs and providing long term security for British dairy farmers.”

The desperation of parents has been highlighted on social media, where hundreds of thousands of posts called on the White House, Food and Drug Association and other leaders to take urgent action.

Officials from the USA have this week confirmed to Kendal Nutricare that they are going to fast-track exporting Kendamil to the USA, and in President Biden’s announcement yesterday, the UK was included in the list of countries from which baby formulae would be supplied, and military planes were to be utilised to import formula to the US from abroad.

John Stevenson, MP for Carlisle and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Food and Drink stated, ‘This is great news for Cumbria and the wider UK, to see a Cumbrian based manufacturer fast tracked to export vital baby formulae to the US in the face of the current crisis over there.

I am delighted that Ministers in Downing Street have helped to make this happen, as well as the team co-ordination by DIT North West and DIT USA and we now need to ensure that the opportunity to export continues well after the crisis is over.”