Written by Maia, President
First, read my affiliate disclosure.
As you may have seen in our updated Safe Infant Formula Guide, I recently recommended Lebenswert as the healthiest infant formula on the market. Unfortunately, it’s become harder and harder for American parents to find European formulas as they are no longer available on Amazon.
Some parents have resorted to buying European formula on eBay, but many of you feel uneasy purchasing something so important from unverified sellers. This is why I decided to create a screening process to help me find trustworthy online vendors where my readers could confidently buy European baby formulas.
This post will help you figure out where to buy Holle and HiPP and Lebenswert, as well as other European brands of formula.
Bottom Line on Where to Buy European Formula
I’ve approved and established an affiliate relationship with the following vendors.
If it were my baby, I would purchase his or her formula from Organic Start’s special wholesale site, which offers deep discounts on bulk orders.
Why I Love Organic Start for European Formula
Here are the reasons that I consider Organic Start the Best Stuff:
1) Organic Start’s founder, Peter, is a health-minded father of triplets. As infants, his children didn’t respond well to the many formulas that he and his wife tried; the babies were chronically fussy and agitated. Everything changed for the better when they found HiPP and Holle formula. Organic Munchkin grew out of their mission to get the best formula to the U.S. to feed their own babies.
2) Peter is from a family of importers, so he’s able to effectively source large quantities of formula directly from Europe. He sent me documentation to verify the supply chain.
3) Organic Start carries our top picks for the best European formulas –Holle, Lebenswert, and HiPP– and ships six days a week. They maintain enough supply to fulfill hundreds of orders a day.
4) Organic Start is based in Astoria, New York. If you contact them, you’ll get a response quickly and from someone whose first language is English rather than German, French, or Mandarin (as was the case with some of the other company reps I talked with.)
Please note that Gimme the Good Stuff is not responsible for the quality of either the formula itself or the experience of ordering from Organic Start, Little World Organics, and BabyKind Market. I am simply saying that based on my research, if I were buying a European formula for my own child, I would feel comfortable getting it from these three vendors.
My Vetting Process for European Formula Vendors
I started on Holle’s website, and contacted the retailers they listed to see if any of them would ship to the U.S. The answer was no.
I then looked into a variety of websites that were mentioned on blogs and parenting forums as places moms were buying European formula–some of these had good reviews and others had failed to deliver the formula parents ordered. One mom told me that she drove by the address listed on one of the websites and found a boarded-up building in a bad L.A. neighborhood!
I narrowed my list down to the websites that seemed not sketchy (based on my online research), and scheduled phone calls with the owners of these sites.
Why Most of Them Didn’t Make the Cut
While I cannot say that any of these companies seemed outright dishonest–or that I truly believe anyone is taking empty Holle formula containers and filling them with Similac–I didn’t feel completely reassured by my conversations with most of these vendors.
Perhaps some of this was a language barrier (plus time-zone issues–one guy in Germany was nice enough to speak with me at midnight his time!), but in many cases I just couldn’t seem to get a clear answer on the supply chain.
I really wanted to know exactly where this formula was coming from, and how these vendors were getting it to their customers in the U.S.
Another thing I didn’t like about many of these sites is that they didn’t seem to know anything about why these formulas were superior, and in many cases they would ask that I recommend a bunch of other European products they wanted to sell to U.S. parents–most of which of course were not Good Stuff!
I like entrepreneurs who are driven by something other than an opportunity to capitalize on worried/conscientious/neurotic moms (I, of course, belong to both of these groups as a mission-driven entrepreneur and a neurotic mom).
I found such a person in Lacey of Little World Organics–which is why she was the very first formula vendor I partnered with.
Meet Lacey and her son Jack, of Little World Organics.
Where to Buy Holle and HiPP: Why I Like Little World Organics
- The founder of LWO, Lacey, is a mom, and the business was born out of a desire on her part when she couldn’t breastfeed and set out to find the very safest infant formula for her son, Jack.
- Lacey buys HiPP and Holle formula in large quantities from European retailers–her supply chain was straightforward, and she was happy to show me receipts from the companies she works with.
- All of the feedback from her customers is overwhelmingly positive. She ships orders quickly, and she seems to almost never run out of stock.
- Because LWO is based here in the U.S., it’s easier to communicate with them. Should you have a problem with your order, you’ll get a response quickly and from someone whose first language is English rather than German, French, or Mandarin (as was the case with some of the other company reps I talked with.)
A Note on X-Rays
A lot of you wonder if you should be concerned about formula being x-rayed when it comes through customs (as is the case for any imported food or food ingredient). What I have read suggests that this is not a risk, and this article may be particularly reassuring to those of you who are concerned.
Stay sane,
Lauren says
I am interested in knowing if you’ve recently re-evaluated this list (as I see that Mariposa Kids said they did not in the past ship here but have since begun to do so again with the number of requests they’ve received – with an added disclaimer). The disclaimer is to explain why maybe 1 person in 97 in a month, or so, might not receive their shipment simply due to customs, or might have to pay a customs fee.. but otherwise, they sell at a much lower price and make it more possible for parents like us to afford to feed our kids better formulas… They did mention having an issue with one purchaser who chose to still not assume the customs fee their order incurred upon entry and said that it might cause them to stop shipments to the US again. I can understand that their inability to keep everyone happy (about customs issues that are outside their control) might have an impact on their desires/ability to keep shipments to us here in the US possible. If you do order from them, please don’t fail to keep this in mind, as you’re affecting the ability of other mother’s to find these formulas at the lowest prices. You need to understand that especially with larger shipments your order might get stopped altogether and/or it might also be docked an import fee and you need to happily assume this fee if it happens to you or purchase from another vendor (like the ones suggested here). I will try an order there today and see if I have any issues, but please let me know if there is any known reason why you might not suggest using this site in the future that you know about, if possible! Thank you!
Heather says
Advising all mothers and fathers
1.Organicbaby15—$25
2.Organic munchkin-$30
3. Formuland—– $39
4. Beyond organic bby-$30
5. Little world organic—-$35
List can going on but you already see the point.
Plus with Organicbaby15 price can drop to $20 if you buy in bulks.
Heather says
Those are prices for lebenswert ( plus shipping)
Cameron says
Hi Heather, I’d also like to recommend Udderly Organics for their incredible customer service, lightning fast shipping, and always fair pricing.
udderlyorganics.com — $31 (Includes 1-3 Priority Mail Shipping)
Cameron says
I forgot to mention that udderlyorganics.com also offers bulk discounts, frequent sales/ promotions, as well as a points system good for discounts off future orders.
Heather says
Thank you Cameron, but I’m sticking with Organicbaby15 for the $25 and save $6
Kateryna says
I have been buying formula from buyorganicformula.com they sell lebenswert for $26 if in bulk or $28.95 for 1 box, free shipping. I have dealt with them for the past 2 month and its been great. Always fresh formula and comes on time.
Anand says
Can some one point me to a source in English where I can get the details of what’s printed on the boxes of Holle and lebenswert formulas (all stages) ? This would be really helpful. I have a tough time reading the contents and use an online translator to look up word after word. Not easy 🙂
Anand says
Didn’t realize it before. I got the packaging info in English from their UK website. Great !!
Predrag says
I have ordered Hipp formula from Beyondorganicbaby and received completely different product .Not sure if I will use it at all .Tried to contact them numerous time without success .Emails, messages, live chat nothing worked .
Their customer service is terrible read some posts from them where they are saying that they are the best ,I am really disappointed that after 10 messages nobody contacted me in 7 days .I do not recommend them at all .
Maia James says
I do not recommend Beyond Organic Baby either.
sophie says
Hello. I was happy with beyond organic baby for several month. They made a mistake once but after a week they send me the missing items. But This time I’m trying to contact them email, chat and lot of phone calls with no answer. Their product and shipping are good but their customer service doesn’t exist at all……….
Maya says
I had the same experience. I started buying from a small-time shop called moonbeamsorganicformula.com, and she was great. Responded to every email within a couple of hours, and had my orders shipped same day.
Ximena says
Hi Maia.
I would like yo know if My Organic Formula is a good website to purchase from Hipp.
Also, between Little World Organics and Baby Kind, which one you trust the most. I could’t breastfeed due to health issues so my baby is only receiving formula.
Thanks
Ximena
Pegi Su says
https://www.buyorganicformula.com/
free shipping and great prices
Steve says
At the risk of sounding stupid, does anyone actually know how to place an order from Little World Organics? I found no apparent method on their website to actually place an order.
Maya says
It looks as if you can no longer place orders on Little World Organics. I have been ordering from moonbeamsorganicformula and love it! They shipped free USPS Priority, and my order was on my doorstep the next day. They had better bulk discounts then I have been seeing on other similar sites.
veda says
Donot order from beyond organics, they offer no contact or support service, you wont even receive any kind of tracking number for your order nor person to answer on their number. Its big issue and not trustworthy
Breanne says
Hi! I’ve struggled so much to find a formula that works well for my preemie baby daughter that doesn’t give her tummy issues and your site let me to Lebenswert. She has only been on a few days but so far so good! I am so relieved. Now I am obviously trying to buy it from the most affordable place since we have spend 30K on medical costs this year. It seems like organicbabyfood.shop has the best pricing. Have you vetted this one?
Ashley says
Recently decided to stop breastfeeding and was so happy to find OrganicBabyShop. We’ve been ordering Holle from them and both shipments came very fast (few days) and it really is one of the best formulas out there, very similar to breastmilk. Super happy with organicbabyshop.com
sarah says
Do not order from Little World Organics. It has been a hellish experience with no customer service. We still don’t have our baby formula that was ordered 3 weeks ago and now I am scrambling to find an alternative. The customer service takes weeks to respond and they don’t solve issues. LWO is the worst customer experience I have had in a decade. Do not rely on them for your precious baby food.
Hipp UK Combiotic 1 says
Thank you so much for this post. It’s really helpful!
Holle formula was a life saver! Choosing the correct Organic formula for a baby is big deal for all mothers. Always check all ingredients and reviews of the people while buying a product.
Jim says
BEWARE of Formuland selling Non Authorized Formula….I emailed Formuland to ask if they buy their Hipp UK formula from an authorized distributor (knowing there are only 3 distributors with rights. They told me that they buy it from a “smaller wholesaler” which really means not a legit source. Since they will not share their source and they are not buying from an authorized wholesaler, I have every reason to believe their products could be counterfeit. There are several discussions on underground message boards like blackhatworld where shady people are selling bulk formulas to retailers. With the news out of China about fake formula, one should not trust Formuland as a source for their baby.
Holly Robertson says
We love Hipp & Holle formula for our babies. We order them and get a decent discount at formularus. If you stock up, you can get free shipping if you order enough.