ALLERTON, Iowa — In January of 2023 there was excitement buzzing around the Wayne County community of Allerton. New owners were taking over the plant, just as there was a national shortage of infant formula. That’s something workers here know about, as that is what they produced under the plant’s prior ownership.
Since then the plant has expanded the workforce by 50% to 112 people. The plant was also re-certified by federal regulators to be producing the baby formula. On Wednesday the ByHeart plant was visited by Governor Reynolds, the Economic Development Authority, and the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
“We all know last year was one of the largest food security crises with the infant formula shortage,” said Mia Funt, ByHeart Company Co-Founder. “We realize the importance of owning manufacturing not only to be able to innovate, but to be a reliable partner to parents.”
Last year parents had to drive across state lines in some cases to find infant formula. Even though that is no longer in the news the pipeline for baby formula can be interrupted.