Introduction: from crisis to control – managing a nationwide infant formula recall

When a recall involves products intended for infants and young children, the stakes are exceptionally high—both in terms of consumer trust and regulatory scrutiny.

During a routine facility inspection, a leading infant formula manufacturer identified the presence of insects and larvae in certain production areas. Out of an abundance of caution, the company initiated a voluntary recall, impacting more than 5 million units across multiple SKUs.

This was not only one of the largest recalls in the company’s history, but also one of its first. Without prior experience managing a recall of this magnitude, the manufacturer faced significant logistical and operational challenges. Meanwhile, the recall gained rapid traction across traditional and social media, amplifying public concern and intensifying reputational risks.

Défi

Initially, the manufacturer attempted to manage the recall internally. However, within 24 hours of the public announcement, the company’s contact center became overwhelmed, leading to system crashes, missed consumer inquiries, and escalating frustration and concern among affected families.

In parallel, the company lacked the necessary infrastructure to process and store the vast volume of returned product, further compounding logistical challenges. With consumer confidence at stake and regulatory pressure mounting, the company urgently needed a structured, expert-led response.

Solution

Recognizing the scale and urgency of the situation, the manufacturer partnered with Sedgwick Brand Protection to take control of recall communications and product management.

Recognizing the critical nature and vast scope of the recall, the manufacturer turned to Sedgwick Brand Protection to swiftly assume control of both recall communications and product management. Our team mobilized immediately to implement a structured, strategic response—ensuring seamless coordination, clear stakeholder communication, and effective product retrieval and storage.

Rapid call center deployment:

• Within 24 hours, Sedgwick Brand Protection established a dedicated recall-focused call center, rapidly scaling to 300 agents operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• For four months, our team expertly managed all inbound and outbound communications, ensuring consumers and retail partners received clear guidance, timely support, and continued reassurance throughout the event.
• This included:
  • Consumer verification and case resolution – confirming affected consumers, addressing inquiries, and scheduling replacement shipments.
  • Retailer and distributor coordination – managing recall logistics across the supply chain and ensuring compliance with regulatory reporting.
  • Escalation and risk mitigation – swiftly addressing critical concerns, preventing misinformation, and reinforcing public trust.

Comprehensive Product Retrieval and Processing:

• Alongside communication efforts, Sedgwick Brand Protection led the physical retrieval and secure processing of impacted inventory.
• This included:
  • Nationwide retail inspections – deploying a specialized field force to over 50,000 retail locations to inspect and remove affected product shelves and on-site inventory.
  • Secure product storage and handling – transferring impacted inventory to an independent, secure processing facility managed by Sedgwick Brand Protection.
  • Regulatory-compliant disposal – inventorying and overseeing the management of 1.4 million recalled units, ensuring proper destruction or recycling in full compliance with industry regulations.

Résultats 

Through the swift deployment of expert-driven recall management, Sedgwick Brand Protection not only ensured consumer safety but also guided the manufacturer through an intense crisis, safeguarding public health and preserving the long-term integrity of the brand.

• 175,000+ consumer inquiries handled – with zero dropped calls or busy signals, ensuring uninterrupted consumer engagement and alleviating frustration and concern.
• Nearly 1 million unaffected units preserved – preventing unnecessary product loss and supply chain disruption.
• 5,000+ pallets of impacted product securely processed – ensuring safe and compliant handling until final certified disposition.

À propos de Sedgwick Brand Protection

Brand and reputation are the most valuable and vulnerable assets a business has. Brands embody everything a business does, and its customers expect.

Nothing says more about a company’s commitment to its customers than its efforts to uphold promises of safety, quality, and service. That’s why companies are often remembered more for how they handle an in-market challenge than for the problem itself. We know what it takes to manage recalls in a way that upholds your commitments to customers, supply chain partners, and regulators.

Trusted by the world’s leading brands and businesses, Sedgwick Brand Protection works in partnership to manage the risks and minimize the impacts of in-market business and product crises. Since 1995, we have managed more than 7,000 of the most sensitive and time-critical product recall and remediation programs, spanning 150+ countries and 50+ languages.

To discover more about our product recall and incident response solutions, visit: www.sedgwick.com/product-recall

5MM

affected units across multiple SKUs

1MM

unaffected units preserved

Field force deployed to

50K

retail locations

300

call center agents

24/7

operation for 4 months

175K

calls taken