organic baby formula
What social responsibility initiatives does Bobi champion beyond making organic baby formula?
As a business leader, Laura Modi of Bobi advocates for several social responsibility initiatives beyond creating organic baby formula. She emphasizes paid family leave, highlighting the contradiction between government recommendations for six months of exclusive breastfeeding and the lack of federal paid leave policies to support this goal. Bobi actively works to address this disconnect by fighting for change through multiple channels. The company takes concrete actions including providing grants to customers, collaborating with influential figures like Naomi Osaka to amplify their message, gathering signatures for Congress, and generally taking a vocal stance on these issues. These efforts reflect Modi's commitment to changing not just products and industry standards, but also the broader culture surrounding parenting support.
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NBC News
05:14 - 06:00
What is Bobi and what motivated Laura Modi to create it?
Bobi is the first and only USDA certified organic baby formula manufactured in the United States. Founded in 2018, it was named after Laura Modi's daughter's word for bottle. Modi, who previously worked at Google and Airbnb, was motivated to create Bobi after realizing that existing baby formulas contained ingredients she wouldn't feed to her own child. As CEO and founder, Modi's mission is to support families and make the world a healthier place for children by redefining health standards in the multi-billion dollar baby food industry. Her entrepreneurial background and personal experience as a mother drove her to develop a formula with higher nutritional standards than what was available in stores.
Watch clip answer (00:39m)
NBC News
00:04 - 00:43
What makes Bobbie formula different from other baby formulas on the market?
Bobbie approaches infant formula as food rather than a medical solution. Laura Modi emphasizes using natural ingredients without palm oil or corn syrup, opting instead for natural milk sugar. The company focuses on ingredients they would choose to consume themselves, avoiding questionable additives common in other formulas. Bobbie also ensures their ingredients are scientifically proven effective, rather than including random ingredients with unsubstantiated benefits. This ingredient philosophy has helped Bobbie create a playbook that may enable more companies to enter the infant formula space with better standards.
Watch clip answer (01:01m)NBC News
03:44 - 04:46
Why do baby formula nutritional standards need to be updated?
Baby formula nutritional standards have not been meaningfully updated since the 1980s, despite significant advancements in food science over the decades. As Laura Modi explains, while the FDA regulates these products by setting nutritional standards, these guidelines have remained stagnant for over 40 years. This outdated approach is concerning because virtually every other industry has evolved with scientific progress. Modi emphasizes that with all we've learned about nutrition and infant development since the 80s, baby food standards should be prioritized for updates to reflect current scientific understanding and best practices for infant health.
Watch clip answer (00:25m)
NBC News
02:53 - 03:19
How damaging is the stigma surrounding formula feeding, and what can we do to address it?
The stigma around formula feeding is deeply harmful because it creates a reductionist view of infant feeding. Laura Modi explains we can't simply elevate breastfeeding as 'liquid gold' without acknowledging that not everyone can breastfeed. The solution requires a more inclusive perspective that recognizes both feeding methods have value. Modi emphasizes that parents who cannot breastfeed and their babies equally deserve what's best for them. To address this stigma, we need to move away from putting feeding methods in opposing corners and instead acknowledge the reality of diverse parenting experiences, ensuring all families have access to quality nutrition options regardless of how they feed their babies.
Watch clip answer (00:27m)NBC News
02:01 - 02:29
What inspired Laura Modi to start a baby formula company?
Laura Modi's journey into creating a baby formula company stemmed from her personal struggles with breastfeeding. Despite her strong desire to breastfeed—viewing it as 'liquid gold' that was 'personal and dynamic and magical'—she developed mastitis, a common infection that prevented her from continuing. This forced her to turn to formula when she couldn't breastfeed as planned. This deeply personal experience revealed a gap between the ideal of breastfeeding that's often put on a pedestal and the reality that not everyone can do it. Her struggle led to a passionate mission to create better formula options for parents who find themselves in similar situations, transforming her personal challenge into an entrepreneurial purpose.
Watch clip answer (00:34m)NBC News
01:08 - 01:43