Why We Manufacture in Europe

While most food companies use cost as their driving motivator, our goal is to make products of the highest possible quality, with the highest possible nutritional value. Our sourcing and manufacturing standards are very strict. Beyond being certified organic and non-GMO, we test for glyphosate, pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals to limit chemical exposure promoting a healthy gut from day one. With these standards in place, we found that sourcing ingredients that met those standards were more easily available in Europe due to their strict regulations for agriculture and food.

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Formulated for Gut Health

Gut health is about more than just prebiotics and probiotics. Gut health has been a marker for chronic disease and is said to be the number one reason why our children are continuing to get sicker, even as technology advances. Eating organic and limiting the chemicals we ingest can be important to improving gut health which is exactly why we have sourced and formulated the way we have.

Modeled After Breast Milk

We find the notion of using “Modeled after breast milk” as a marketing tagline to be strange. As a baseline shouldn’t all infant & toddler formulas be modeled after breast milk? We started with that as a core principle for our formulation and filled in the critical nutrition with quality ingredients that mimic the vitamins and minerals naturally present in breast milk.

MACRONUTRIENTS

Simply put, macronutrients are the compounds we need more of. That’s why we’ve carefully sourced these essential nutrients because nothing is more important than your child’s health.

Micronutrients

Though micro, these nutrients have a big job. Scroll through to read more about the mineral compounds and vitamins that we include for your child’s health and development.

Minerals

Kopia’s formulation reflects the principal mineral constituents of human milk which are Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus. We also have added Iron in the form of ferrous sulphate which, according to some studies has superior absorption compared to other non-heme forms of iron such as ferrous lactate. 

L-ascorbic acid (vitamin c)

Protects against infections, and builds bones and muscles.

Vitamin E

Protects cells from damage, and strengthens the immune system.

Vitamin b3

Helps the body turn food into energy and use fats and protein.

Vitamin B5

Aids in the production of blood cells.

Vitamin A

Helps to maintain healthy vision, and ensures the normal function of your immune system.

Vitamin B2

Aids the body in turning food into energy, and protects cells from damage.

Thiamine hydrochloride

Involved in carbohydrate metabolism, as well as in the production of neurotransmitters. There is also evidence that thiamine plays a role in immune and anti-inflammatory processes and gene regulation.

Vitamin d3

Helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus which is important for building and keeping strong bones.

Folic acid

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that helps your body produce and maintain new cells, while also preventing changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. 

Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin b6)

Plays an important role in maintaining the health of nerves, skin, and red blood cells. 

Vitamin b7

Used by the body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and amino acids.

Vitamin k1

Helps the blood to clot.

Vitamin b12

Makes DNA while keeping nerve and blood cells healthy.

nti-oxidant (tocopherol rich extract)

Can help protect the body against free radicals and reduce inflammation.

Choline

Directly affects brain development and is a key chemical involved in memory and learning.

Inositol

Research has discovered that this nutrient is found in high amounts in colostrum and mature breast milk and may play an important role in brain development.

L-Carnitine

Studies suggest that carnitine is particularly important in young children as it aids in fat metabolism and mitochondria oxidation.

PREBIOTICS

Breast milk contains abundant amounts of prebiotics or human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) which ensure that  Bifidobacterium species in a baby’s belly are promoted among other important functions like improving digestion. Found naturally in our dairy products and certified organic, our FOS/GOS mixture may aid in digestion and microbiome health. 

PROBIOTICS

The strain of probiotic found in Kopia is Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis HN019.  Probiotics naturally support nutrient absorption and digestion by combating bloating and gas while promoting a healthy immune system. Our probiotics are manufactured using a proprietary process where the probiotic has a distinct stability advantage meaning you’ll maintain more probiotics, longer. 

What We Avoid

What we don’t use is just as important as what we do. We’re committed to avoiding ingredients that may be harmful to the overall health of ourselves and our little ones. 

Corn Syrup

Aside from the obvious reasons for avoiding it and the fact that we simply don’t need it, excess sugar in diets has been found to suppress the body’s immune responses which your child desperately needs in the early stages of life.

Hydrogenated oils

Hydrogenated oils are often used because they’re inexpensive and don’t spoil as quickly, but the process of hydrogenation creates trans fat which has been linked to inflammation. 

Artificial Preservatives

Studies suggest that food additives may interfere with growth and development so we avoid artificial colors, chemical preservatives, artificial sweeteners, added sugar (high fructose corn syrup), and added salt. 

Antibiotics

Antibiotic usage damages the microbiome by killing both “good” and “bad” bacteria which can lead to disease and chronic illness. Antibiotics aren’t permitted in organic dairy so even beyond Kopia, we encourage you to find organic options.

Fluoride

There are many reasons we do not add fluoride  and are adamant about testing for it. It has been linked to lower IQ’s in children which you can read more about in our blog on water & fluoride.

Glyphosate, pesticides & herbicides

Being organic isn’t enough. We test each batch specifically for glyphosate and other pesticides and herbicides and are happy to provide documentation upon request.

Brown rice proteins & syrup

Brown rice syrup is the first ingredient in some organic toddler formulas. Brown rice has been found to be heavy in arsenic which is a carcinogen that has been known to cause brain damage in infants.

Palm oil

We care about the environment just as much as we care about you. Aside from releasing huge amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, the harvesting of palm oil threatens nearly 200 critically endangered species. Regardless of farming practices, we found it was best to simply leave it out.

BPA & plasticizers

Our packaging is made specifically for the storage of infant products. We make our tins from materials that do not leech heavy metals, with BPA NIA inks and coatings, and water-based and food safe glues & lubricants.  

A Note on Maltodextrin & Soy Lecithin

We know these ingredients have stigma, and we’re working on replacing them with safe, approved alternatives, but for now we were confident that even with maltodextrin & soy lecithin we could launch a stable, quality formula that was superior to others on the market. Here are our thoughts:

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is used in Kopia formula specifically as a carrier for micronutrients. Essentially, the maltodextrin encapsulates the vitamins and minerals and aids in the proper delivery and optimal absorption. The amount of maltodextrin in our formula is very low and not used as a sweetener. In fact, the dextrose level doesn’t even classify it as such. 

Soy Lecithin

Soy lecithin is often perceived as artificial but lecithin is actually found naturally in soy. The biggest issue we (and others) take with it is that the extraction process can introduce unwanted chemicals and it’s often derived from non-organic, gmo soy. We offset this by using organic and non-gmo soy and batch test our ingredients for chemicals. Soy lecithin is used as a natural source to ensure your baby’s formula is creamy and consistent every time you make it. 

What We Test For

We live in a world where we’re constantly exposed to toxicants, radiation, and heavy metals that can compound overtime impacting our health. While it’s impossible to avoid entirely due to the environment humans have created, we believe in complete transparency and test for and report on over 200 different toxicants and heavy metals. Here are the big ones: