LONDON—Enfamil maker Reckitt on Wednesday afternoon flew 65 tonnes of baby formula to Chicago from its plant in Singapore, aiming to end a months-long shortage in the United States by late summer, a senior executive said.
Similac maker Abbott Laboratories in February recalled dozens of types of baby formula, taking the country’s biggest industry player off the market and creating one of the biggest U.S. food shortages in recent American history.
The amount Reckitt imported on Wednesday is equivalent to 2 million 8-oz servings and is expected to hit supermarket and drug store shelves in early August.
“We can play a significant role in putting an end to this by late summer,” Robert Cleveland, senior vice president, North America, and Europe Nutrition at Reckitt, told Reuters in an interview. “That’s the timeframe we think we’re on right now.”…