FoodBev – Bobbie has announced the launch of a new research and development hub, Bobbie Labs, which is dedicated to enhancing infant nutrition.
The company says that Bobbie Labs is part of its commitment to invest $100 million to increase infant formula accessibility and quality for all US families by 2030.
The hub aims to modernise infant feeding for parents by working with experts in the field. Bobbie Labs is investing in research in order to diversify and expand its product offering – from metabolic formulas to infant and parent supplements.
Next year, Bobbie Labs will request research proposals within the infant feeding knowledge, focusing on three pillars: ‘Nutrition,’ which aims to unlock new knowledge about breast milk and infant formula in order to optimise paediatric health and advance industry quality standards; ‘Society,’ which examines the impact of infant feeding on social and psychological outcomes; and ‘Planet,’ to understand traceability of raw materials from farm to bottle and support end-to-end assessments of foods and packaging.
Laura Modi, CEO and co-founder of Bobbie, said: “While the formula shortage may be ending, the crisis isn’t over. In order to reform this industry from the ground up, we must turn to science and data to truly evolve policies and products, adapt evidence-based practices, and advance infant feeding knowledge.”
She continued: “Bobbie Labs is proud to support this critical research portfolio – the work being done is for the betterment of the entire industry, no matter how you choose to feed your baby and it will fuel the future of infant and maternal nutrition in this country for the better”.
Anthony Porto, Bobbie Labs’ chief medical director, said: “The research projects we’ve selected will provide critical data on paced bottle feeding, infant protein digestion, iron levels and the infant microbiota, the infant formula shortage and maternal mental health”.
He added: “In order to drive the innovation this industry so desperately needs, we must start with the science, data and extensively published thought leaders that know the space better than anyone – the future of infant nutrition depends on it”.
