Blame WIC and the overly corrupt welfare state/system for this manufactured crisis of baby formula.
All three big manufacturers of formula get a huge cut from fedgov and little worry of competition.
I was reading where WIC accounts for 50% of the formula purchased.
AND - it sounds like each state comes to an agreement with one of the three producers on what brand they will cover with WIC. (Sounds like my insurance plan - “Oh, you have to go to Doctor B, Doctor A isn’t covered on your plan.”)
So then the stores carry a bunch of the WIC covered brand, but not much of the others. That probably accounts why some states are hit harder by the closing of the Abbott plant.