Canada Royal Milk donates 5,000 cans of baby formula to Kingston-area United Way

Chinese-owned manufacturer Canada Royal Milk is looking to close the gap on the baby formula shortage amid soaring prices, as it donates its first batch to the United Way. (Katelyn Wilson/ CTV News Ottawa)

Chinese-owned manufacturer Canada Royal Milk is looking to close the gap on the baby formula shortage amid soaring prices, as it donates its first batch to the United Way.

“We have more than enough capacity for the local markets and we can produce whatever the local market needs,” said general manager, Chenggang Han.

Once it’s fully up and running, the $332 million dollar Kingston facility can produce 4,300 cans of formula an hour.

It was given the stamp of approval from Health Canada last month and is the only facility in the country producing formula for the Canadian marketplace.

Company officials say it will help relieve the baby formula shortage which has frustrated parents for the past two years.

“With this final approval from Health Canada, it means we will terminate the shortage from local communities,” said Han.

On Thursday, Canada Royal Milk donated its first batch of 5,000 cans, worth $200,000, to the United Way Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, to help more than 275 families.

“We’re seeing all kinds of families struggling but especially young families too,” said CEO John DiPaolo. “We have 8 community partners able to step forward and take on this kind of donation.”

Kingston Interval House for women and children will also receive baby formula cans.

“Being able to provide them with formula that’s so expensive, that will offset costs if they have older children to be able to provide fresh fruit or things like that, that’s really expensive right now too,” said Leigh Martins with the Kingston Interval House.

As many struggle to keep up with the rising cost of food, parents are feeling an added pinch, as supply shortages sparked by disruptions in the United States have caused the price of formula in some cases to double.

“We’ve been through the investigation of the local market. We finally decided to price our product at a competitive price,” said Han.

The brand name Niuriss -- which means nutrition in Latin -- is new to the market and is expected to hit shelves this summer.

Where parents can buy it and how much it will cost, has not yet been released.