FDA-approved baby formula leads list of products added to commissaries’ growing private label inventory

Note: Go the DeCA website to read this news release online.

FORT LEE, Va. – More new commissary store brands, including an FDA-approved baby formula, will be hitting store shelves in upcoming months as the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) continues to augment its private label inventory.

“Delivering a premier shopping experience for customers is always our primary goal,” said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Tomeka N. O’Neal, the agency’s senior enlisted advisor to the DeCA director. “A key part of that goal is our mix of commissary brands and national brands that offer the savings and value our customers deserve.”

One new product line in particular, baby formulas courtesy of the TippyToes baby product line, will definitely benefit the families of newborns by “offering significant savings over national brands,” said Jennifer Ferrell, DeCA’s private label program manager. Customers can expect to start seeing these offerings in stores mid to late March.

“The TippyToes formula manufacturer is one of only four FDA-approved formula manufacturers, and each batch undergoes more than 2,300 tests before release,” she said, “so our customers can be assured their babies get the proper nutrition their bodies need.”

Since being introduced in the spring of 2017, DeCA has added over 950 commissary brand items to store shelves, with nearly 70 more products, scheduled for launch in 2020.

Commissary store brands are sold under seven names: Freedom’s Choice (food items) and HomeBase (non-food items); along with TopCare (health and beauty), Full Circle Market (natural and organic food options), Tippy Toes (baby products), Flock’s Finest (wild bird food for hopper, tube or platform feeders); and Pure Harmony (high quality pet food that provides grain-free options using meat, poultry or fish as the first ingredient. TopCare, Tippy Toes, Full Circle Market, Flock’s Finest and Pure Harmony are not exclusive to DeCA.

“We’re also now in full supply on a full line of frozen shrimp and chicken,” Ferrell said. “The savings are evident to our customers, but we also worked hard to ensure that the quality meets or exceeds what they’d find outside the gate. Most frozen chicken products in commercial retailers have a minimum 15 percent marinade solution added so customers are paying more for a water/salt solution, not meat. Most of our products contain far less so our customers get more meat with every purchase.”

As more products make their way into DeCA’s inventory, customers can already see regular promotions that offer even more savings displayed at the end of the aisle. 

“When it comes to commissary brands, we carry the items that offer the savings you’ve earned with the quality you deserve,” O’Neal said. “Together, with the savings offered on national brands, your benefit is stronger than ever.”