4 My Tots Selection Criteria for Providing British and European Baby Formula to American Consumers

British and European Baby Formula Selection Criteria: 

4 My Tots Multiyear Catalog Development Process

Quick Summary:

Selection Criteria:

  • Track History: brands older than 25 years or more
  • Sourcing: traceable batch numbers
  • Availability: consistent product availability
  • Recall History: minimal or none

Additional Considerations:

  • Product Acquisition: Long-standing vetted vendors
  • Product Transport: Express air freight between London and USA
  • Product Storage: climate-controlled, hygienic facilities used
  • Product Handling: minimal third party interaction
  • Product Packaging: protocols minimize damages

Introduction

At 4 My Tots, we have curated a catalog over many years of development. Product selection is now a rigorous, means-tested method that follows specific criteria listed below. After that, we have some additional considerations that must be met involving our internal company systems. These things did not come without 'hiccups' and challenges along the way but previous issues have paved the way to a better, more deliberate catalog that best serves our customers. We provide you this "look inside" our process so you know how products are selected, sourced, stored, transported, and ultimately, delivered to you. Finally, we also address why some products (that some of our competitors sell) are NOT included in our catalog. 

Our Product Selection Criteria

These criteria are strictly adhered to and non-negotiable for brand selection. Please note: there are two dozen or more British and European baby formula brands. Our selection criteria for including a brand's item(s) is as follows:

  1. Track history: We only being to review brands that have been around for 25 years or more. This rules out new companies and 'fly by night' formulas that haven't shown a long-term track record of success with babies for at least a generation.
  2. Sourcing: We only include brands and individual products that we can trace the sourcing methods from reputable European vendors back to the manufacturer (every product must be factory sealed, stored in appropriate conditions, and have traceable batch numbers.)
  3. Availability: We only acknowledge brands and items that are widely accessible with routinely available new stock, Otherwise, what's the point of all this effort (by us and you) in choosing a baby formula if you can't get the items when you need them? While we recognize stock shortages can occur sometimes, we expect regular product availability for our customers. This is also the foundation for trust you place in us as a provider for your child's needs. 
  4. Recall history: Unfortunately in the US, American baby formula recalls have become all too commonplace and frequent. Part of our selection criteria for European baby formulas is minimal (or no) formula recall history. This also goes hand-in-hand with selecting consistent long-term brands that have high-quality production methods.

Additional considerations

After a brand meets the selection criteria above to be included in our catalog, there are internal logistical considerations that must be satisfied before the items can be offered to you:

  1. Product Acquisition: This goes back to sourcing. We have long-term relationships with our vendors. We also sometimes lean on reputable British or European grocery franchises for product, especially during product shortages. So while the sources may vary, the sourcing requirements in the selection criteria above are always maintained. Over the years, we have removed and replaced vendors for various reasons including:
    1. Poor product handling or consistently damaged items
    2. Short expiration date windows
    3. Wildly fluctuating available quantities
  2. Product Transport: While our competitors use ocean freight or ship individual parcels to you internationally, we use daily and weekly express air freight between our London and US facilities to maintain our inventory. This provides the following benefits: 
    1. Shorter Delivery windows between our facilities: Product is not "sitting around' in some unknown warehouse, dock container, or cargo ship in unknown conditions. Items arrive to our US facility two days after shipment from our London facility.
    2. Longer expiration windows: Because these products are made clean and there are no preservatives, shelf life is expectedly (and thankfully) shorter. By reducing our transport time from vendor to you, you can trust that we provide the longest expiration window possible.
    3. Less product handling: Using air freight means less third parties handling products.
    4. Reduced customs holds and duties: Since we use declared bulk air freight, our individual parcels are less subject to customs delays compared to others that ship individual customer orders from overseas where items in each parcel may be held, opened, confiscated or even seized. This also means that we never have (and never will) charge duties to our customers after they have paid for items at checkout. Any customs delays that occur are managed by our daily 'rolling' shipments of freight which maintains our inventory. Our customers rarely feel the impact of customs with their orders.
  3. Product Storage: From vetted vendors delivering to our London facility to transport to our US facility, products are always stored in hygienic, climate-controlled facilities. We are unique in this approach and take great pride in the development of this process. The manufacturers package the baby formula and food in protected atmospheric conditions as stipulated on their product labels and European laws. As a distributor, it is then incumbent on us to develop a system that respects initial packaging conditions. 
  4. Product handling: Related to product storage, we take great efforts to minimize third party product interaction and unnecessary handling by our team members in London and the US. This goes hand-in-hand with our hygienic protocols, to reduce contamination risk and product packaging damages. We utilize a cross-trained fulfillment approach in our facilities. This means a single team member completes all individual product-related tasks at each facility.
  5. Product Packaging: While internal seals for UK and European formula and foods are hearty and durable, outer product packaging is generally flimsier and more susceptible to damage. We mitigate this concern with appropriate vendor selection, product reinforcement (when necessary),  and our internal product handling protocols. For shipments to you, we have an equally thoughtful, secure packaging process completed by a caring team member. As such, product damages from us to you are rare. We are proud to say our damage-related replacement or refund rate is now 0%. 

When all the selection criteria and additional considerations are applied, we are then ready to add products to the catalog. Currently, the following brands meet all the selection criteria discussed above:

  • Kendamil UK
  • HiPP UK
  • Aptamil
  • Holle
  • Organix
  • Cow and Gate
  • SMA

While this list is subject to change if our criteria is no longer met, the brands in bold have always been in our catalog due to their consistency and availability . Additional brands may be added if all selection criteria and additional considerations are satisfactorily achieved.