Kendamil vs Kirkland: Which Baby Formula Is Better?

Key Differences Between Kendamil and Kirkland

Key Differences	Kendamil	Kirkland
Origin	UK	USA
Farming Practices	Sustainable practices with local suppliers	Dairy sourced from US and Canada
Brand Reputation	Nutritious and balanced, focus on natural ingredients and sustainable practices	High-quality formula, affordability, close resemblance to breast milk with enhanced immune and digestive support
Milk Source	EU-certified organic cow’s whole milk	Nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate
Protein Content	Whey to casein ratio of 60:40	Whey to casein ratio of 52:48
Unique Protein Feature	Derived from full cream organic cow’s milk, ideal whey-to-casein ratio	Nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate sources, close to breast milk
Carbohydrate Content	Lactose-based, mimics breast milk carbohydrates	Lactose-based, mimics breast milk carbohydrates
Carbohydrate Benefits	Better digestion, closely mimics breast milk	Better digestion, closely mimics breast milk
Fats and Oils	Organic vegetable oils (sunflower, coconut, rapeseed), no palm oil	High oleic safflower oil, soy oil, and coconut oil, no palm olein oil
Omega Fatty Acids	Omega 3 and Omega 6 from marine algae	Not specified
Prebiotics and Probiotics	GOS (prebiotic) from milk, HMOs	2′-FL and LNnT HMOs
Cost per Ounce	$1.63	$1.28
Availability	Better purchased online in the US, UK-based brand	Readily available at Costco stores and online, US-based brand
Sustainability Efforts	Local suppliers, 100% renewable energy, against overfishing practices	Not specified
Organic	Organic	Not Organic
Soy-Free	Yes	Contains soy oil
HMOs	Contains HMOs	Contains dual combination of HMOs

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In this article, we will compare Kendamil vs Kirkland formulas—two popular brands in the baby formula world.

Our goal is to give you the information you need to make an informed decision when buying these two infant formulas.

Let’s get after it!

*We will use Kendamil Organic for the comparison.  The classic version is almost the same without its organic ingredients and HMOs, being more affordable.

Our Short Answer

Kendamil wins this comparison if we look at the ingredients and their origins.

Kirkland is a quality formula with many qualities and is more affordable than Kendamil.

However, the fact that Kendamil uses whole milk, HMOs, and organic ingredients, and does not contain soybean oil, makes it the winner in our experience.

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Brand Reputation

Kendamil is a reputable brand known for its nutritious and balanced composition, focus on natural ingredients, sustainable practices, and dedication to providing nutrition similar to breast milk.

Kirkland Signature ProCare is trusted for its high-quality formula, affordability, and close resemblance to breast milk with enhanced immune and digestive support.

Kendamil Reputation

Kendamil is a relatively new brand in the world of baby formulas, but it has already garnered an exceptional reputation.

Born and raised in the UK with 58 years of R&D experience, Kendamil has become one of the most popular brands of organic infant formula due to its nutritious and balanced composition.

The brand takes pride in operating like a family business, treating its organic milk farmers as part of their own family.

The company is committed to sourcing milk exclusively from farms with the highest regard for animal welfare.

Furthermore, Kendamil ensures its ingredients are as close to nature as possible by excluding synthetic or man-made additives.

Their products contain no palm oil, soy, corn syrup, or sugar.

They also use marine algae instead of fish oil, making their formulas vegetarian-friendly.

Regarding sustainability efforts, Kendamil proactively attempts to limit its C02 emissions by partnering with local suppliers and running their factories on 100% renewable energy.

They’re against harmful overfishing practices and only use marine algae to deliver healthy Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids in their infant formulas.

With its focus on quality ingredients like EU-certified full cream milk containing MFGM (Milk Fat Globule Membrane), commitment to sustainability, and dedication to providing nutrition akin to breast milk, Kendamil has quickly established itself as a reputable brand parents can trust.

Kirkland Reputation

Kirkland Signature ProCare Infant Formula is another popular choice among parents.

Being a product under Costco’s private label Kirkland Signature, this formula enjoys all the trustworthiness associated with Costco’s products.

Produced in Vermont by an industry-leading baby formula manufacturer that has been around for more than three decades, customers appreciate Kirkland ProCare formula for its high-quality composition at an affordable price.

One significant selling point for this baby formula is that it closely mirrors breast milk, now even closer than before.

Enhanced with a dual HMO combination of 2′-FL and LNnT based on the latest research, Kirkland ProCare formula provides targeted immune support and digestive health for babies.

The ingredients in Kirkland ProCare are sourced from leading dairy markets such as the United States and Canada, with no artificial growth hormones involved.

Furthermore, it does not have palm olein oil, is gluten-free, certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union—(U)D, and Halal-certified.

Kirkland’s reputation is bolstered by its ability to compete with national brands such as Similac Pro-Advance and Enfamil Infant formulas.

Nutritional Composition

Kendamil offers a higher-quality protein source with an ideal whey-to-casein ratio, lactose-based carbohydrates for better digestion, and organic vegetable oils without palm oil.

Kirkland has a comparable carbohydrate source and avoids palm olein oil but uses different protein sources, including soy oil.

Kendamil’s use of rapeseed oil gives it a slight advantage.

Protein Content

Kendamil:
Kendamil Stage 1 formula contains 1.4 grams of protein per 100ml, with whey protein making up 0.8 grams and casein at 0.6 grams. This gives Kendamil a whey to casein ratio of 60:40. A key feature that sets Kendamil apart is that their proteins are derived from EU-certified organic cow’s whole milk, which offers higher quality and full cream nutrients.

Kirkland:
In comparison, Kirkland Signature ProCare Infant Formula lists nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate as primary sources. Kirkland ProCare has a 52:48 whey to casein ratio.

Kendamil has a clear advantage regarding protein content and sources since it uses full cream organic cow’s milk alongside an ideal whey-to-casein ratio.

Carbohydrate Content

Kendamil:
The carbohydrate source in Kendamil Stage 1 is lactose-based. This closely mimics the carbohydrate content found in breast milk and allows for better digestion than formulas using added sugars or syrups as carb sources.

Kirkland:
For Kirkland ProCare Infant Formula, lactose also serves as the primary source of carbohydrates.

Both Kendamil and Kirkland score similarly when it comes to carbohydrate content by using lactose as their primary carbohydrate source—mimicking the carbohydrates found in breast milk for better digestion.

Fats and Oils

Kendamil:
Kendamil uses organic vegetable oils (sunflower, coconut, rapeseed) as healthy fat sources without including palm oil in its ingredients.

Kirkland:
In the case of Kirkland ProCare Infant Formula, fats are sourced from high oleic safflower oil, soy oil, and coconut oil—also notably avoiding palm olein oil in their composition.

Both Kendamil and Kirkland surpass some other available baby formulas by sourcing high-quality fats while avoiding palm olein oil in their ingredients.

However, Kendamil slightly wins because it uses rapeseed oil instead of soy, which is more allergenic and less nutritious.

Probiotics and Prebiotics

Kendamil stands out for being the first European organic formula to include HMOs, supporting gut health. It also contains GOS as a primary prebiotic source.

Kirkland ProCare incorporates two HMOs for immune and digestive health, enhancing gut development despite lacking probiotics.

Kendamil Formula contains healthy prebiotics that helps improve natural baby gut development. It incorporates galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) from milk as its primary prebiotic source. Furthermore, Kendamil is the first European organic infant formula to contain Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs), naturally occurring prebiotics in breast milk. These HMOs play a crucial role in promoting gut health, ultimately benefiting the infant’s overall development.

Kirkland ProCare has recently improved its formulation and now includes two types of HMOs: 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). These prebiotics target babies’ immune support and digestive health by nourishing beneficial gut bacteria. Although Kirkland formula does not contain any probiotics, including these dual HMOs contributes significantly to improving gut health.

Cost and availability

Kendamil, being a UK-based brand, is better purchased online in the United States. It is priced at $50 per 800 grams, which equals $1.63 per ounce.

Kirkland can be primarily found at Costco stores and online, offering easy availability to Costco members. At a price of $54 for 42 ounces (approximately 1,190 grams), it comes down to $1.28 per ounce.

Best Places to Buy Kendamil and Kirkland

Kendamil

Kirkland

Kirkland is readily available at Costco.

What are the best alternatives to Kendamil and Kirkland?

Bobbie

Bobbie is a renowned US organic baby formula that prides itself on clean and simple ingredients. With no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, or genetically modified ingredients, Bobbie goes the extra mile to ensure its products have the highest nutritional value possible. It contains lactose as its primary carbohydrate source and incorporates essential prebiotics for gut health. The company adheres to rigorous safety standards outside of FDA guidelines like those used in Europe. *Read: Bobbie vs Kendamil | Bobbie vs Kirkland

Holle

As one of the leading organic baby formula brands globally, Holle has been on the market for over 85 years and is an excellent alternative to consider. Made with only top-quality biodynamic (Demeter) certified ingredients, they ensure their products are free from synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics. *Read: Kendamil vs Holle

HiPP

HiPP is another iconic European baby formula brand known for producing high-quality organic infant milk products since 1899. They offer a range of specialized formulas tailored to meet specific needs, like HiPP HA for hypoallergenic care and HiPP Comfort for digestive issues. *Read: Hipp vs Kendamil

Conclusion

Thanks for reading until the end.

We sincerely hope our comparison between Kendamil and Kirkland helps you make an informed decision.

If you have questions, we will happily answer them in the comment section below. 

See you around!