ByHeart infant formula makes retail debut at Target locations nationwide

ByHeart infant formula. Image courtesy of ByHeart

ByHeart (New York, NY) has announced an expansion into retail, launching its infant formula at Target stores nationwide. Prior to this, the company used a direct-to-consumer model which originally launched in March of 2022. Currently, the company’s infant formula is exclusively available at Target stores, but ByHeart says in its press release that they will relaunch the product on its website later this year to sell directly to consumers.

ByHeart explains in a release that its infant formula is made with a patented protein blend that is very close to breast milk because of the addition of lactoferrin and alpha-lactalbumin, two proteins abundant in breast milk. The company says it has spent years developing its recipe. ByHeart has also been hard at work building its manufacturing capabilities to increase its production capacity and secure end-to-end control of its manufacturing to be a reliable domestic source of infant formula.

“We believe infant formula is the most important food for the most important people and we treat it that way from start to finish,“ said Mia Funt, president and co-founder of ByHeart, in a press release. “We set out to change formula by changing how we do everything about formula – from science and sourcing to quality standards, manufacturing and packaging – it’s not easy to make formula this way. It took time and resources to conduct our own clinical trial and build our own factories. We are proud to now offer our infant formula in Target stores nationwide. This is a major step in our continued commitment to bring more families the high quality nutrition they deserve and build a future where all parents can feel amazing about how they feed.”

The significance of its recipe, says the company, is that it’s easier to digest for babies, translating to less spit up, softer bowel movement, more efficient weight gain, enhanced nutrient absorption, as well as longer stretches between nighttime feeds. A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition¹ found that compared to another commercial infant formula, infants consuming ByHeart had lower formula intake and mean protein intake with higher serum essential amino acid concentrations (including tryptophan). According to the study, protein overfeeding can negatively impact infants, potentially leading to diabetes and childhood obesity. The key to reducing protein intake, say the researchers, is to improve protein quality. The study also found that infants consuming ByHeart had higher energetic efficiency for weight, length, and head circumference, compared to the other commercial infant formula, as well as fewer spit-ups and softer stool consistency.

The company explains that ByHeart contains organic, grass-fed whole milk, and is free of corn syrup, maltodextrin, soy, or palm oil. It’s also the first U.S.- made infant formula to receive the Clean Label Project Purity Award, says the company. This certifies that ByHeart’s quality assurance methods go the extra mile to minimize consumer exposure to chemicals such as heavy metals, plasticizers, and pesticide residue, explains the company in a press release. Additionally, the product is the first and only U.S.-made formula to receive the First 1,000 Day Promise Certification from the Clean Label Project, certifying the company’s adherence to rigorous European standards that protect infants.

Reference

1. Kuehn, D,; Zeisel, S.H.; Orenstein, D.F.; German, J.B.; Field, C.J.; Teerdhala, S.; Knezevic, A.; Patil, S.; Donovan, S.M.; Lönnerdal, B. Effects of a Novel High-Quality Protein Infant Formula on Energetic Efficiency and Tolerance: A Randomized Trial. J Pediatr Gastroenteol Nutri. 2022, 75 (4): 521-528. DOI: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000003490

Updated on 8/22/23 at 2:01 PM