Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Demand for Liquid Infant Formula Surges After Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Courtesy of Meiji Co.,
A canned of liquid infant formula “Meiji Hohoemi RakuRaku Milk”

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:14 JST, January 10, 2024

Meiji Co., announced plans to increase the production of liquid infant formula, demand for which has surged after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The number of orders received since the beginning of January is more than double the normal level, according to Meiji Co.

Unlike powder formula, liquid infant formula, which is sterilized, does not need to be dissolved with hot water before use, thus it is easy to use in the times of water and power outages.

Meiji Co., has the top share of the liquid formula market in Japan at 70%, and after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, it has provided approximately 3700 cans of liquid formula to the disaster-stricken area for free, in response to the request from the Japan Dietetic Association.

“We believe that orders for stockpiling are also increasing from municipalities and companies outside of the disaster areas,” said a spokesperson of the company.

Liquid formula can be stored at room temperature. It attracted wide attention after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, when liquid formula from Finland were delivered to the affected areas.

Domestic production and sale of liquid formula became approved in 2018, and the government is encouraging local governments to stockpile it.