Baby formula can be confusing even at the best of times, and when a brand offers two versions of the same formula, you may wonder why. Brands may offer different formulations based on the country the products are sold, or there may be minor differences in the actual ingredients. Holle brand infant formula is one of the European brands that offers two formulas with the same name, but different ingredients. You may be wondering about the differences between the two.

Holle is one of the most highly-respected baby formula brands in the world, and meets the Demeter standard for organic, biodynamic farming.

Holle UK and Holle Germany both are high-quality European infant formulas. Both are manufactured under the same strict standards and offer quality nutrition for your child at every stage of their development. In this post, we will go over the differences between the two so that you have all of the information you need to make the best feeding choice for your child.

Why Ingredients Matter

Before we get into the differences between Holle UK and Holle Germany, let's discuss why the ingredients in infant formula are so important. Many local baby formulas are full of chemicals, antibiotics, preservatives, and flavors that are synthetic. Families that are looking to feed their children healthier options turn to European formulas such a Holle infant formula thanks to the way they are made.

European infant formulas are free from GMOs, preservatives, chemicals, and other harmful additives. The majority of European infant formulas are also organic. This helps cut down and eliminate various health issues such as constipation, colic, nausea and other common infant digestive problems.

Holle UK vs Holle Germany

Holle UK and Holle Germany are both mixed from high-quality ingredients that meet and surpass European infant formula standards. Both infant formula lines use fully biodynamic ingredients, however, the specific type is one place Holle UK and Holle Germany differ. Though both UK and German blends of Holle use Demeter ingredients, they also hold location-specific certifications. Holle UK biodynamic ingredients are Demeter certified and Holle Germany biodynamic ingredients are certified by the Bioland Association.

Biodynamic Certification

Demeter is the biggest biodynamic farm and product certification body in the world. It has been in existence since biodynamic farming was created for manufacturing, and is used to make sure companies in Europe adhere to high standards of biodynamic farming and manufacturing.

Bioland is the largest organic-food association in Germany. Its organic certification standards exceed EU minimum requirements.

The Bioland Association is the leading biodynamic farming certification organization in Germany and has even higher standards than those set forth by the European Union. There are close to 7,000 gardeners and farmers that fall under Bioland Association certification.

Holle UK & Holle Germany Ingredient Differences

In UK, Holle infant formula is labeled organic, in Germany, it is labeled bio. Some other differences between Holle UK and Holle Germany are in the ingredients list. Holle UK and Germany Pre stage infant formula do not contain maltodextrin, however, stages one through three do contain maltodextrin in both lines. Maltodextrin is not harmful in small quantities, it comes from starch and is a polysaccharide. Holle UK also sources their goat and cow milk from the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Holle Germany sources their goat and cow milk from the Netherlands and Germany.

Holle UK infant formulas also have a higher concentration of fat. Specifically, there is .5 grams more fat in all stages of Holle UK infant formula than there is in Holle Germany infant formulas. Both formulations, those with more fat and those with less fat both are in line with the standards set forth by the EU. The slight difference in fat content may make digestion easier for some infants while also keeping others more satiated. Holle UK offers four different types of infant follow on milk while Holle Germany offers five in their line.

The Bottom Line

Both brands are well formulated with the health of your child in mind. They are equal in nutrition content and both follow the high-quality production standards you have come to expect from European infant formula. The choice of which line of infant formula you choose mainly depends on which one your baby likes the most.