Who Owns Similac?

FDA Regulation: Infant formula is one of the most tightly regulated food products in the United States. The FDA sets strict nutritional standards for infant formula under the Infant Formula Act of 1980. Similac products must meet these standards for composition, labeling, and manufacturing.

Manufacturing Safety: Following the 2022 recall, Abbott invested substantially in remediation of the Sturgis facility and opened a new plant in Ohio. The FDA created a new office dedicated to food safety and undertook a comprehensive review of infant formula oversight.

Clinical Research: Abbott conducts clinical research on Similac formulations, often publishing in peer-reviewed journals. The company maintains relationships with hospitals and pediatricians for product recommendation and research.

Supply Chain: The 2022 shortage highlighted the risk of concentrated domestic manufacturing. Abbott's new Ohio facility and FDA import loosening for European brands have begun to address this concentration, though two companies still hold roughly 60% of the U.S. market.

Environmental Impact: Infant formula production involves dairy farming, packaging, and distribution. Abbott has not published specific environmental targets for its nutrition division. The company's broader ESG reporting covers carbon reduction goals across all operations.

Similac is recognized as the leading infant formula brand in the United States by market share. The brand has received recommendations from healthcare professionals and hospitals over decades of clinical relationships.

#1 Brand Recommended by Pediatricians: Abbott markets Similac as the number one brand recommended by pediatricians, based on physician survey data.

Hospital Discharge Formula: Similac is widely used in hospital discharge programs, where new parents receive formula samples upon leaving the hospital.

2022 Cronobacter Recall and Infant Formula Shortage: In February 2022, Abbott voluntarily recalled Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare products manufactured at its Sturgis, Michigan plant following reports of Cronobacter sakazakii infections in infants. The FDA investigation found conditions at the facility that could allow bacterial growth. The plant closure triggered the most acute infant formula shortage in U.S. history, with out-of-stock rates exceeding 50% in some areas. The facility reopened after extensive remediation. Abbott faced congressional investigations and lawsuits from parents. The company invested in a new Ohio manufacturing facility to reduce future supply concentration risk.

Heavy Metals Class Action Lawsuit (Dismissed April 2026): A proposed class action alleged that Similac infant formula contained undisclosed heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. In April 2026, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly in Chicago dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to show Similac's packaging would mislead reasonable consumers into believing the product was free of heavy metals. The judge noted that heavy metals are commonly detected in infant formula, breast milk, and food. (Reuters)

Market Concentration Concerns: The 2022 shortage exposed the risks of extreme market concentration in infant formula. Two companies (Abbott and Reckitt) control approximately 60% of the U.S. market. Congress and the FDA have called for supply diversification and domestic manufacturing incentives, but structural reform has been limited.