Where to buy Holle, HiPP and Lebenswert formula in the US: The Best Trustworthy Vendors in 2023!
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Many of you know that when I had my daughter, breastfeeding was not easy. I stuck with it for as long as I could, but eventually I needed to supplement with formula. After a ton of online research, discussions with doctors, and conversations with friends, I came up with this list of the best organic baby formulas (with Holle, HiPP, and Lebenswert formula ranking at the top of the list).
In coming up with the list, I realized that all of the healthiest baby formulas are produced in Europe. So in addition to identifying the formulas, I needed to find reliable places to buy European formula in the US.
The good news is – since my daughter was born in 2014, there are many more places where you can buy baby formula in the US! The bad news is, there are also still a lot of untrustworthy vendors out there. That’s why I have created a thorough screening process to find the most most trustworthy online vendors that I could feel comfortable recommending as places to buy Holle, HiPP and Lebenswert formula in the US.
As of January 2022, the below 9 online retailers are the safest and most reliable places to buy European formulas.
Some of the items below were given to me to review by the manufacturer or as part of an affiliate program. I may receive commissions if you make a purchase through the links provided. I only recommend products I’ve actually evaluated, I believe are the highest quality, and can do the most to help you and your family. By purchasing any of these products from the links below, you help keep this blog running, so thanks for your support!
My recommendations are based on the manufacturer’s claims and ingredients list, and what I feel best giving to my own family. Your individual results may be different based on your overall diet, exercise, age, weight, family history, or pre-existing conditions.
Best Places to Buy Holle, HiPP, and Lebenswert Formula in the US
1. The Milky Box
The Milky Box is the only online retailer I’ve found that literally has every European formula you can think of. They are dedicated to ensuring that organic European formulas are available to any parents who want them in the US! And their supply chain is so robust they virtually guarantee that they are always in stock of HiPP Dutch, HiPP UK, HiPP Germany, Holle, Lebenswert, Goat milk formula, and the sensitive formulas (HiPP HA, Comfort, Anti-Reflux).
And, they even carry more specialty formulas like Jovie Goat Milk, HiPP Goat Milk, Stage 3 and Stage 4 formula from HiPP, Holle, Jovie, Kendamil, Lebenswert, Kabrita, Nannycare, Premibio, and organic vegan baby formulas like Bebe M!
What Makes The Milky Box Stand Out?
- Guaranteed availability of ALL the European formulas
- They offer one of the largest varieties that is also the most expansive. They carry stages up until 2 years old, so that moms have the option to continue offering high quality milk to their toddlers.
- The business started in 2021 and has multiple warehouses across the world, including in Europe and North America to ensure formula gets to you ASAP.
- The only reputable supplier of Kendamil & Jovie Formulas
- Free standard shipping on all 6, 8, & 12 pack orders!
- A comprehensive mixing guide for every formula listed on their website in case customers lose their instructions.
- A subscribe & save option (up to 5%) with delivery every 1-2 months. And, you can buy bundles to save more!
- Amazing customer support (turnaround within 24 hours)
- Receive an additional 10% off using the code “PICKY10” at checkout
You can read more about The Milky Box’s story here!
2. Organic’s Best
Organic’s Best is based in Germany, and is passionate about making organic baby formula and baby food available internationally (to any family who wants it!) They carry HiPP Dutch, HiPP Germany, HiPP UK, Holle, and Lebenswert. They also carry HiPP HA, HiPP Comfort, and HiPP AR.
One thing that makes this company unique is that they ship internationally for free, and they will guarantee fast delivery between 1-4 business days. Additionally, every new customer also receives two free boxes of formula! They have low prices, and they include free shipping insurance for every order, and they guarantee availability of all formulas – so you never have to worry about your favorites being out of stock!
3. Baby Milk Bar
Baby Milk Bar is a family run business based in Europe. They carry some of the widest selection of organic baby formula you will find! Each blend is handpicked by their team to ensure high quality formula to suit every baby’s needs.
They carry every brand you might want like HiPP Dutch, HiPP German, Lebenswert, Holle and Holle Goat milk formulas. They also carry HiPP HA & HiPP Comfort, among others. They even offer a Single Parent Scholarship designed to support any single parent who wants to pursue their education. And they offer FREE shipping to the US and Canada for any orders over $100!
4. Bottles & Burps
When it comes to affordability, Bottles & Burps is the lowest priced US retailer I have found that sells HiPP, Holle, Lebenswert and Kendamil. They can get all of these products to most US households in 2-4 days from their European warehouse with their standard free shipping. They are committed to bringing high quality, European formula to parents in the US at an attractive price.
What makes Bottles and Burps stand out?
- Bulk pricing discounts which start at 4 boxes of formula and increase as you buy more
- To save even more, you can order larger bundles (with free, express 2-5 day shipping to the US)
- Get 20% off any single pack using the code PICKYEATER20! (just enter it manually in the checkout process!)
5. Organic Formula Shop
Organic Formula Shop is a family run company that delivers HiPP, Holle, and Lebenswert straight from the Netherlands. All orders are shipped for free (bulk orders as well) and via express delivery in 3 to 5 business days. Their prices are low and very competitive. They are committed to help North American parents find the best and healthiest organic formulas for their little one.
What Makes Organic Formula Shop Stand Out?
- Founded by two Dutch parents committed to getting affordable European formula to parents in the US.
- No matter your order size, all orders are delivered via Express DHL within 4 business days.
- 1:1 help to find the right option for your baby
- 24/7 customer support
- Bulk purchasing for a 20% discount
- $5 off every order by using the code thepickyeater at checkout
- They offer a Single Parent Scholarship designed to support a single mother or father with their college or graduate education
6. Organic Baby Food
Organic Baby Food is a reputable, online retailer based in the EU who has fast shipping to the US! They sell HiPP, Lebenswert, and Holle, along with Hypoallergenic formula and Goat’s Milk formula. They have reasonable prices, reliable shipping (within 1-3 business days!), amazing customer support, and I have been in contact with the owner personally.
What Makes OrganicBabyFood Stand Out?
- Guaranteed delivery within 2 days
- Money back if your shipment is delayed
- Dedicated customer support (a few hours turnaround time for emails or direct phone support at 1-800-701-4303)
- Occasional promotions and discounts (sometimes up to 60%)
- They are also giving readers of The Picky Eater a 10% off coupon code at checkout – just use the code: PICKY and you will get the discount!
- They carry organic cereals and snacks for babies from HiPP/Holle/Leb as well!
Note: I’m in personal contact with these distributors and feel comfortable recommending them to you as reliable and safe places to purchase European formulas.
Please note that The Picky Eater is not responsible for the quality of either the formula itself or the experience of ordering from any of the distributors listed above. I am simply saying that based on my research, if I were buying a European formula for my own child, I would feel 100% comfortable getting it from any of the vendors listed in this post.
Hello Anjali,
I usually ordered formula from organicstart bur their site recently shut down. However I had to resort to ordering from other sites , I recently ordered from Formularus.com and wanted to know if you knew anything good or bad about this site because I am not sure if what they sent is authentic? I feel totally fooled by ordering from their website :/
Hi Megan! I’m so sorry I don’t know anything about that website! Just because I don’t know them and haven’t vetted them doesn’t necessarily mean that what they sent you isn’t authentic. There are a lot of sellers out there and this one might be good – I just don’t know! Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Just a mom looking out for another mom here. I recently ordered 4 cans of HIPP Dutch stage 1 from formularus and 3 out of the 4 cans were severely damaged but the box it was shipped in showed no sign of damage at all leading me to believe they shipped the product this way. I am returning and will be buying from huggable instead.
This is the second report I’ve heard of this!! Sounds like formularus isn’t a good seller to buy from. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Hi Megan,
I’m the owner of FormulaRus and wanted to apologize for the dented can experience. Unfortunately HIPP uses these flimsy cans, and if there’s any wiggle room in the box they’ll dent. We’re going to start using “packing corn” next week (we’ve been on the fence as it isn’t environmentally friendly), but at this point we want to deliver a dent free experience. In any event, if the dents are on the side of the can, its safe to consume. Here is a statement by HiPP concerning the safety of a dented tin. “All the tins are made of organic carton and do NOT carry any foil or metal parts inside the tins. Therefore there is no harm in dented tins for the milk product itself.
Hope all else is well!
Kind regards
Debbie
Thank you for replying here Debbie – appreciate your quick response!
Hey Megan,
I just got hipp dutch from formularus too and not sure if it legit. The cans came dented and I emailed them for replacements but havent heard back.
Would love to see if there’s a way to confirm the formula and company is legit.
Hi Erica! I’m so sorry to hear that you had a bad experience! For future orders I’d recommend going with one of the sellers listed in my post — I am in personal contact with all of those owners so can vouch for the fact that their formula is legit!
Hi Erica,
I’m the owner of FormulaRus and rest assure our company is legit. I’d like to mention here that all US distributors offer legit formula, as its too much of a liability to sell anything else (trust all US re-sellers, not just us). It’s all the foreign companies you need to be wary of, as they’re located overseas and are not subject to any litigation (litigation in the EU is difficult).
Kind regards,
Debbie
Hi Anjali. I tried Huggable but unfortunately they are out of stock for HiPP Dutch. I also did order from Dutch Expat but the shipment was lost by DHL (I paid for the expedited shipping) and the owner at Dutch Expat has not been very helpful with either getting a replacement shipment out or helping me figure out the issue with DHL – have you heard of anyone having a similar experience with this vendor before?
Have you heard of or know of anyone that has used AnyOrganics.com? It’s one of the few vendors I came across that has HiPP Dutch in the 900g containers.
Thanks!
Hi Lakshmi! Huggable has HiPP Dutch back in stock now! I also haven’t heard of anyone else having this experience with Dutch Expat. Can you forward me the email thread with them (to pickyeats@gmail.com) and I’ll contact Mark (the owner) directly about it to get it resolved for you! I haven’t heard of anyorganics.com so can’t comment on how reputable they are! But I should be able to help get the Dutch Expat issue taken care of – Mark is great and I’m sure this was just a one-off thing!
Hi Anjali,
Have you heard about Organic Start not being able to sell ANY EU formulas since a day or two ago? They have it on their website that due to the new US regulations they are no longer able to sell. Is it just them as a whole company or are we going to start seeing a domino effect on all the legit US distributors to follow suit soon?
Hi! Yes I have heard about this – Peter let me know about the changes right before the announcement came out. It’s really unfortunate, but so far it just looks like it’s affecting them as a whole company. It doesn’t look like it’s having an effect on the other US distributors – as I have contacted all of them and it seems like things are business as usual for now. So I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that this was just for Organic Start and no one else! If I get more info about all of this I will update my post, but for now I’d recommend ordering from Huggable an amazing company that is run by a fellow mama!
Thank you Anjali for checking with the other distributors as we have been ordering from Organic Start since 2017. Did your friend mention why they’re the only one being targeted as that does not seem fair? Too bad Huggable only sells formulas as we also like the cereals and other baby food and snacks that Organic Start offered.
No problem! I agree it doesn’t seem fair, I think they were targeted because they were the largest but that’s just my own speculation – I honestly don’t know any more details. As for baby food / snacks – you can get the European versions at Organic Baby Food or Baby Kind Market – both of whom are reputable and should have the same products that OS offered!
Hi there. Thank you for this information! Have you ever heard of the vendor Little Organics USA? I purchased the HiPP Dutch formula through them and it seems fine, but now am curious about their sourcing. Regardless, I think I’ll switch to one of the vendors you’ve recommended.
Hi! I actually haven’t heard of them so I can’t vouch for their sourcing practices either. I’d definitely go with one of the vendors in my post!
Hi,
Have you heard of huggable.com?
I purchased the Holle Buo from there.
Also, is there a big difference if next time I switch to Hipp or if the baby is doing great there is no need?
I just want the best for my baby.
Thank you
Hi Lauren! Yes I LOVE Huggable! They’re one of the preferred vendors on my list! And I would recommend HiPP over Holle, it has better ingredients (no maltodextrin, which Holle does have) and the pre/probiotic + DHA already added makes things much more convenient! Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi! My son has a milk protein allergy so I’ve purchased Hipp Pre HA- I believe this is the Germany version. Is there a UK version of the HA formula?
Hi Kirsten! For HiPP HA, it only comes from Germany – there’s no other version available. Only HiPP regular has the UK/Dutch/German versions!
Anjali, how do you feel about any of the stage 2 formulas? I am using Holle Pre currently and we are approaching 6 months of age. I understand I don’t need to switch with any of the Pre’s? But I do want more iron for my little guy. I would like to switch to a similar product and debating between the Hipp Ger and Dutch stage 2’s.
Hi! Technically you don’t need to switch, but you are right that Stage 2 formulas will have more iron than PRE. For the stage 2’s – I’d recommend HiPP Dutch Stage 2 – it’s the cleanest one out there!
Hi, I ordered Hipp stage 1 from UK, but why is the dutch version better ?…for the ingredients or just the way the package it that is easier ? . I have ordered it from Formuland , have you heard about them ?
Hi! HiPP Dutch definitely has an easier to use package (the can vs. the box), but it’s also slightly better than HiPP UK because it has probiotics included and HiPP UK doesn’t. But other than that they are identical! And yes, Formuland is a reputable seller – I’m actually in conversations with them now to learn more about their supply chain and will likely be adding them to this post soon! Thanks and hope that helps!
Thank you for answer my questions ! I have ordered Hipp Uk combiotic ( didn’t know it doesn’t have probiotics, ) . Maybe next time I buy the Dutch version ( I’m a little bit worry if my baby will notice the change ) . I’m glad to hear Formuland is a reputable seller and I’ll be waiting when you add information about them ! Thank you so much ! Love your blog ! 🙌🏼
Thanks so much!! I’m so glad it was helpful and that you like my blog! And you can totally switch from HiPP UK to Dutch when you order the next shipment of formula, they taste very very similar so I’d be surprised if your baby notices the change 🙂
Were you ever able to verify whether Dutch Expat Shop takes the steps to prevent irradiation of their formulas upon import to the U.S.? Thanks!
Hi! I did hear back from them and they confirmed there is no irradiation of their formulas. Thanks!
Anjali, definitely have a look at this article about irradiation as relating to HiPP and Holle. My daughter was very concerned about possible “irradiation” of the HiPP she buys from one of the US sellers and then found this article, which seems to be very well researched and cites all its sources.
https://medium.com/@davidsmith7793/european-baby-formula-irradiation-and-other-clever-but-untrue-marketing-claims-but-maybe-you-e6c1dc071901
It seems that almost everyone is confusing food irradiation and the use of x-rays to scan imported parcels…they are worlds apart.
Thanks for sharing this Rosemary! This is helpful! Personally, I have never been too concerned about formula being x-rayed or irradiated for the reasons stated in that article – but I know a lot of people are concerned about that which is why I have always asked the owners of the companies I work with about it! It looks like the writer of this article has an affiliate partnership with one of the formula sellers here in the US (Bottles & Burps) – and I actually know Blake (the owner of that company). So I will follow up with him to get more info and then I’ll add it to this post! Thank you again! 🙂
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.
Hi Jim! I actually just heard back from Formuland and they were very transparent about their sourcing and confirmed that their products are authentic. They also offered to send receipts and tracking #s to prove their sourcing practices. So I think they actually do seem to be reputable! Hope that helps!
Hello Anjali,
What do you think about formuland.com website? A lot of my friends are buying from there but I wanted to make sure before buying.
Thank You,
Hi Meri! I know some people who have bought from there as well and seemed to have good experiences, but I don’t know the owners and haven’t worked with them so I can’t vouch for them myself! But in addition to Organic Start, I can vouch for these sellers: BabyKindMarket, Organic Baby Food and Dutch Expat Shop. So I’d recommend buying from one of them if you can! Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hello Anjali!
I’ve been reading through this post and lots of the questions and answers….there are so many options!
From what I have read, the Dutch version of Hipp is the best? But since it’s not available…what would you recommend? The German Hipp? Topfer? My LO is 9 months old. Would I need to supplement anything like DHA to any of these formulas? Or if I take enough DHA myself, would I still need to supplement?
I know this question has probably been asked, but there is just so much information here!
Thank you so much!
Hi Doinique! So yes, HiPP Dutch is the best but if that’s out of stock I’d recommend HiPP PRE which basically has the same exact ingredients as HiPP Dutch! For DHA, HiPP PRE already has DHA & ARA added, so no additional supplementation needed there 🙂 Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Thank you for the reply! I’m sorry, I do have one more question….is the HIPP PRE appropriate for a 9 month old? How would I know if I need Stage 1, 2, etc? I just want to make sure I’m ordering the right formula!
No problem at all! So technically, HiPP PRE can be used up to age 1. The main difference in the stages is that Stage 2 has more iron in it than PRE or Stage 1 — so as long as your baby is eating well and eating a variety of foods, they should be ok staying on PRE. I’d just double check with your pediatrician to make sure they are ok with it too before you make any final decisions though! Hope that helps!
I am looking to begin supplementing with Hipp Uk stage 1 formula. BritSuperStore.com was recommended as a low cost option for purchasing this formula. I am wondering if you have heard of this site? Also, I saw about that you mentioned gripe water for gas…would you recommend purchasing this from a Europe as well? I’ve never used gripe water, but my little guy has a super sensitive tummy, and has been on alimentum until we heard of the Hipp formula, so anything to help him be more comfortable would be amazing!
Hi Jenn! I haven’t heard of BritSuperStore.com actually – so I can’t vouch for them! Regarding gripe water – I actually found Zarbee’s to be the best. So no need to order it from Europe, you can get it directly from Amazon! 🙂 It did wonders for my son who had trouble with gas. Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi,
I am totally convinced about how these European formulas are superior to the US ones. However, I am still concerned about the authenticity of the formulas I get from any source. Howe can I trust what I am getting is real? Is there a way to spot a counterfeit formula?
Hi Vivek! That’s a great question – that’s why I only work with a few reputable sellers of these formulas – like Organic Start and these others in this blog post. I can say that I personally know the sellers I list on my blog and can vouch for their sourcing practices – what you get from them will be real. I can’t speak to all sellers of these formulas though – but the ones I list on my blog are ethical you don’t have to worry about counterfeit formula from them!
Hi!
I’m looking for Kabrita Stage 1 and only seem to be able to find it on formulalandUSA and Organic Baby Shop- https://www.organicbabyshop.com
Any idea if either of these sellers are reputable?
Thanks!
Hi Felicia! I don’t know if either of those sellers are reputable (I don’t have contacts there so can’t vouch for them) – but you can actually order Kabrita Stage 1 from Kabrita’s website! That’s what I’d recommend doing – the link is here. Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi!
Being that the Hipp German Pre and Hipp Dutch 1 have the same ingredients why is it you mention Hipp Dutch as the best option? What is the difference between the two that makes the Dutch 1 superior for your recommendation?
Thanks so much!
Hi Nikole! Great question – two reasons: 1) HiPP Dutch comes in a can which is way easier to manage than the foil packets in the box from PRE and 2) HiPP Dutch has multiple stages where the nutrients change slightly based on the baby’s age (e.g. Stage 2 has more iron than Stage 1) and PRE just has one set of nutrients for the entire duration of the formula’s use (no additional stages). That’s why I rank Dutch slightly higher than PRE, but really both are great options and at Stage 1 they are identical ingredients wise. Hope that helps clarify things!
Hi Anjali, Thanks so much for writing these great posts. I wanted to so badly breastfeed and pump for my littles but for many reasons was unable. And so now I want to provide the best I can for them. Just wondering if there are by chance other sites you’d recommend for purchasing Hipp Dutch Stage 1. I was able to get 1 container of it but am still seeing how my daughter reacts to it so I’m hesistant to buy 12 containers of it from Organic Start wholesale and they’ve been out of stock for retail for quite some time now. The European website you recommend doesn’t carry the Dutch version. Any other trusted sources you may have? Thanks!
Hi Michelle! Thanks so much for reaching out and for sharing your story! I’m so sorry breastfeeding has been such a challenge for you – I can completely relate. But you are doing great and looking for the right formula is absolutely the best thing to do! Regarding HiPP Dutch, unfortunately I don’t know of any other reputable sellers of it, but what I’d actually recommend is buying one box of HiPP PRE and seeing how she does on that – because it has the exact same ingredients as HiPP Dutch and it’s more widely available (including on Organic Start’s non-wholesale website). Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Dutch Expat Shop is still shipping, even now with DHL, delivery within 3 days.
That is great to know!
Hi Anjali,
Thanks for this great post. Did you get chance to vouch Datch Expat Shop? How important irradiation impact on Hipp Dutch formula, if they air ship to us?
Thanks once again!
-Brian
Hi Brian! I emailed Dutch Expat a few times but haven’t heard back unfortunately! So I can’t speak to whether their formula will get irradiated when it gets imported to the US. I can tell you that Organic Start’s formula is not irradiated – so you don’t have to worry about that when you order with them! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Dutch Expat is the only one having Dutch version and shipping to US.
Thanks,
Brian
Hi Brian! That’s not true – Organic Start Wholesale has it too!
Hi, just an update, Organic Start is not carrying Hipp Dutch anymore. They have been out of stock for quite some time. DutchExpatShop is refusing to ship to USA now as well because of customs interference. Do you have any other recommendations for cost-effective sourcing?
Hi Mallory! Unfortunately no, I don’t know of any reputable sellers who have HiPP Dutch available. That said, HiPP Germany PRE has the exact same ingredients as HiPP Dutch so I’d recommend that as a replacement! Hope that helps!
Do you know the difference between the HiPP UK, HiPP German, and the HiPP Dutch products? They seem to come in different sized boxes (making price comparisons fun), but anything other than that?
(Sorry I just saw that very question answered!)
oh! haha no problem at all – let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
No problem at all 🙂