Kendamil Goat Baby Formula Review & Analysis

Could this goat milk formula be the G.O.A.T.? We put it to the test to find out!

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  By: Tali Ditye, Ph.D., Co-founder

  Updated: June 18, 2024

Mommyhood101 independently tests and curates baby gear to help you make informed decisions. If you buy products through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Kendamil goat milk formulas are becoming very popular in the UK and throughout Europe, providing excellent ingredients, wholesome nutrition, and easily digested proteins that are great for babies and toddlers with cow milk sensitivity.

Good News! Kendamil partnered with the U.S. FDA to deliver Kendamil infant formulas to the US as part of Operation Fly Formula!

Located in the UK, specifically the Lake District World Heritage Site, Kendamil offers three goat milk formulas, all of which use full cream A2 goat milk sourced from Red Tractor-certified local farms. These include Stage 1 (birth onward), Stage 2 (6-12 months), and Stage 3 (12-36 months) options.

Kendamil prides itself on high quality and non-GMO ingredient sourcing, a long 58+ year history, and award-winning nutrition (including the prestigious Queen's Award). But how does it perform!? We put it to the test and found out!

In our hands-on review of the Kendamil goat formulas, just like we did in our Jovie Goat formula review and Kabrita infant formula review, we tested these formulas with two infants and a toddler, tasted them ourselves (we always do!), and consulted with a developmental nutritionist to assess ingredients and nutritional contents relative to FDA and USDA guidelines.

Overall, we give all three Kendamil Goat formulas (Stages 1-3) a 4.9 out of 5, which is one of the highest we've ever reviewed, giving it the top spot on our list of the best goat milk formulas! Keep reading to see how we reached these conclusions!

Kendamil Goat Stage 1 (0-6 mo)
Kendamil Goat Stage 2 (6+ mo)
Kendamil Goat Stage 3 (12+ mo)

Kendamil Goat Formulas: Take-home Message

Most people don't want to read this entire article to see what we found. So here is the summary of what we loved, and what we didn't.

✔️  High-quality non-GMO formulation.
✔️  Red Tractor Certified A2 milk.
✔️  Nutrition at FDA & USDA standards.
✔️  First ingredient is whole goat milk.
✔️  60:40 Whey to Casein ratio.
✔️  Nothing artificial.
✔️  No maltodextrin or starch.
✔️  No sucrose or corn syrups.
✔️  Gluten & soy-free.
✔️  No palm or C. Cohnii oils.
✔️  Omega-3 via DHA & ALA.
✔️  Omega-6 via LA & AA.
✔️  Inositol & Choline.
✔️  Amino Acids.
✔️  High infant acceptance, good taste.
✔️  No gas, indigestion, or constipation.
✔️  Prebiotics via GOS.
❌  No probiotics.

Kendamil Formulas: Some Translations

Because Kendamil baby formulas are made in the UK and labeled for sale in the UK and EU, the labels are in English.

That means there is no translation required, which makes life much easier than with some other European options!

One of the biggest challenges with choosing European baby formulas is difficulty reading the labels (such as with HiPP and Holle), but that problem is conveniently solved with Kendamil.

Kendamil Formulas: Best Practices?

Kendamil formulas are made in the United Kingdom (UK) using non-GMO ingredients sourced primarily from within England but also from throughout the EU.

Kendamil sources its goat milk from local farms in the famous Lake District (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), which is a beautifully preserved mountainous region in northwest England.

The goat milk is also certified to the Red Tractor standards, which is a very strict certification process that ensures the quality of ingredients and their processing and transport all the way from the farm to the package. Red Tractor has a set of unparalleled certification criteria that are frequently monitored, including animal welfare, hygiene, farmer training, and traceability. 

We did some research into the sourcing of ingredients and packaging of the formulas and learned that the Kendamil facilities not only use Red Tractor-certified milk, but they are also certified Kosher and Halal, hold UK soil certification, and their factory is 100% solar-powered! 

Also, we learned that Kendamil sources its milk exclusively from British farms, its whey from Somerset, England, its vitamins and minerals from Kent, England, and its oils from Yorkshire. Notice a pattern? They are very strict about ingredient sourcing to ensure quality and traceability. We love that!

Kendamil Goat Formula Ingredients

Kendamil Goat really surprised us with their ingredients, using full cream A2 whole goat milk, goat (not cow) whey powder, and plant-based DHA to maintain a vegetarian ingredients list. 

Even more surprisingly, Kendamil Goat managed to keep all of the nasty stuff out: no starches or maltodextrin, no palm or soybean oils, and no added sugars or corn syrup solids. That makes us really happy, and we think your little one will be quite happy with those decisions too! 

Here are the ingredients in each of the Kendamil baby formulas (as of 2024):

Kendamil Goat Stage 1 Ingredients: Whole goat milk, Demineralised goat whey powder (from milk), Vegetable oils (sunflower, coconut, rapeseed), Galacto-oligosaccharides (from milk), Lactose (from milk), Calcium citrate, Choline bitartrate, Potassium chloride, Calcium lactate, Sodium citrate, Magnesium chloride, Sodium ascorbate, Oil from the microalgae Schizochytrium sp., L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, L-Tryptophan, Potassium hydroxide, Inositol, Oil from Mortierella alpina, L-Isoleucine, Taurine, Calcium phosphate, Iron pyrophosphate, Nucleotides (Cytidine- 5’-monophosphate, disodium Uridine-5’-monophosphate, Adenosine-5’-monophosphate, disodium Inosine-5’-monophosphate, disodium Guanosine-5’- monophosphate), L-Carnitine, Zinc sulphate, Vitamin E, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Copper sulphate, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Manganese sulphate, Folic acid, Potassium iodide, Sodium selenite, Vitamin K, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin B12.
Note: For allergens, see ingredients in Bold.

Kendamil Goat Stage 2 Ingredients: Whole Goat Milk, Demineralized Goat Whey Powder (from Milk), Vegetable Oils (Sunflower, Coconut, Rapeseed), galactooligosaccharides (from Milk), Lactose (from Milk), Calcium citrate, Choline bitartrate, Potassium chloride, Calcium lactate, Sodium citrate, Magnesium chloride, Sodium ascorbate, Docosahexaenoic acid, L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, L- Tryptophan, Potassium hydroxide, Inositol, Arachidonic acid, L- Isoleucine, Taurine, Calcium phosphate, Nucleotides (Cytidine-5’-monophosphate, disodium Uridine-5’-monophosphate, Adenosine-5’-monophosphate, disodium Inosine-5’-monophosphate, disodium Guanosine-5’ monophosphate), Iron pyrophosphate, L-Carnitine, Zinc sulfate, Vitamin E, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Copper sulfate, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Manganese sulfate, Folic acid, Potassium iodide, Sodium selenite, Vitamin K, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin B12.
Note: For allergens, see ingredients in Bold.

Kendamil Goat Stage 3 Ingredients: Whole goat Milk, Goat demineralized whey powder (from Milk), Lactose (from Milk), Vegetable oils (sunflower, coconut, rapeseed), Goat skimmed Milk powder, Galacto-oligosaccharides (from Milk), Tri-Calcium phosphate, Calcium lactate, Calcium citrate, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium hydroxide, Sodium ascorbate, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Ferrous Sulphate, Arachidonic acid, L-Carnitine, Vitamin E, Zinc Sulphate, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Copper sulfate, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folic acid, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium iodide, Sodium selenite, Vitamin K, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin B12.
Note: For allergens, see ingredients in Bold.

Here are some ingredients that we did not find in any stages of Kendamil Goat: corn syrup or corn syrup solids, artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, sucrose, soy, gluten, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), palm oil, starch, maltodextrin, carrageenan, or high fructose corn syrup.

Some ingredients we didn't appreciate:

Well, this is awkward - we liked all the ingredients! The only thing we might ask for is organic ingredients as you can see in our Kendamil organic formula review, and our Loulouka Goat formula review. There are no probiotics in Kendamil Goat, but goat milk naturally contains a ton of prebiotics (and they add GOS), which in our opinion is even better than probiotics!

Several baby formulas have ingredients that we don't appreciate such as palm oil, maltodextrin, starch, C. Cohnii oil, and more.

Some parents appreciate that Kendamil Goat doesn't use fish oil as a DHA source; while we generally do not mind fish oil, we also appreciate that plant-based DHA sources are the norm in US formulas and many European formulas are moving in the same direction.

Some other ingredients worth mentioning:

Prebiotics via GOS: These are galactooligosaccharides, which are dietary prebiotics that help promote a healthy gut microbiome through benefits to intestinal microbiota and gut barrier function. Research shows that prebiotics in infant formula are beneficial for digestion and reducing the rates of gas and colic (and they are more effective than probiotics, see references). Note that whole cream A2 goat milk also naturally contains an abundance of prebiotics, giving this formula some very high digestibility for sensitive tummies.

Fluoride: Kendamil doesn't add fluoride to their goat formulas, though it is naturally present in very small amounts (less than 0.1 mg per 100g of formula).

Kendamil Goat Stages: Ingredient Differences

1. Kendamil Goat Stage 1 versus Stage 2: There are three main differences between Kendamil Goat Stages 1 and 2. First, Stage 2 adds a bit more iron in the form of iron pyrophosphate, which shows high bioavailability; increasing iron in Stage 2 makes sense given that the highest rates of anemia in children begin around 6 months of age (see references). The second difference is that Stage 2 has slightly less fat than Stage 1, about 1% less, but also has slightly more protein (about 1% more). Third, Stage 1 includes (mandatory in USA) EPA via M. alpina oil, which is excluded in Stages 2 and 3.

2. Kendamil Goat Stage 2 versus Stage 3: There are a couple of small main differences between Kendamil Goat Stages 2 and 3. Stage 3 reduces the prebiotics content substantially relative to both Stages 1 and 2, increases the iron content, slightly increases the fat, and lowers the protein (all only by about 1%). We were surprised that they didn't increase the protein-to-fat and carbohydrate ratio, which is generally higher with Stage 3 formulas. A second difference is that Stage 3 no longer includes taurine (an amino acid), inositol (a carbocyclic sugar), or choline (an essential nutrient most similar to B vitamins). 

Kendamil Goat Formula Nutritional Analysis

To examine whether Kendamil Goat baby formulas come close to the stringent US nutritional recommendations put forth by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA, see references), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), we consulted with a dietician nutritionist with expertise in infant feeding (Mr. John Anderson).

Note that the FDA publishes guidance in 21 U.S. Code 350a regarding nutrient requirements in infant formula. This regulation includes minimum protein, and fat (and fatty acid linoleate) content. It also includes ranges for 15 vitamins and 11 minerals.

Here are the FDA requirements per 100 kilocalories of formula (see references).

FDA Nutritional Requirements:

In our review of the Kendamil Goat Stage 1 formula, using a 1.515 multiplier relative to their nutrition facts label (to equal 100kcal of formula), we found that the Kendamil Stage 1 infant formula met all of the minimum FDA nutritional requirements (and did not exceed any of their maximums). Note that the FDA calls for Folic Acid of at least 4 micrograms per 100kcal of formula; Kendamil Goat contains folic acid on the ingredients list, though their nutritional label uses the term "folate." Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate.

The USDA does not publish recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for infants between 0-6 months. Instead, they publish information about Adequate Intake (AI), which is used when there is not enough evidence to make a formal RDA. The AI is set at a level assumed to provide nutritional adequacy.

Here are the USDA's AIs (per day) for infants aged 0-6 months, and 6-12 months. Units are grams (g), milligrams (mg), micrograms (μg).

USDA Nutritional Recommendations:

Given that the Stage 1 Kendamil Goat formula is intended for use from birth, we evaluated its nutritional content against the USDA 0-6 month recommendations. For the Stage 2 and 3 versions, we evaluated against the USDA 6-12 month recommendations.

Because the USDA recommendations are for daily intake, we considered the daily intake recommended by Kendamil in their "Feeding Guide". Stage 1 suggests an average of about 110 grams of formula per day for the first 6 months; of course, this is lower (about 80 grams) for the first month, then increases with age to over 120g/day.

To derive an estimate of how much nutritional content a baby would receive each day when using Kendamil Goat Stage 1, we used the average recommended serving for the first 6 months (about 110 grams of formula per day). This will overestimate nutrients for early months, and underestimate for later months. As you will see from our analysis, this isn't cause for much concern.

Does Kendamil Goat Stage 1 Meet USDA Nutritional Recommendations?

In general, yes, very similar to US-made baby formulas. Here is a table comparing the USDA recommendation for 0-6 months to what the Kendamil Goat Stage 1 provides (in about 110g of powdered formula):

Notice how close all of those numbers are to each other, with Kendamil Goat having a nutritional profile that is very similar to most other European baby formulas, prioritizing protein over fats. Specifically, European formulas tend to have slightly higher protein and slightly lower fat than American baby formulas.

USDA guidance for fat is 31g per day, which precisely matches how much fat is in breastmilk (about 4.2g per 100mL, or 30.8g per 100g). Kendamil Goat provides about 30g/day, which is similar to regular Kendamil Organic formula but actually higher than most European baby formulas such as Loulouka, HiPP Combiotic, or Holle Stage 1. 

We also compared the Kendamil Goat Stage 1 nutritional profile with the most popular Similac and Enfamil (American) formulas. Those brands are usually slightly low relative to those USDA recommendations (Similac and Enfamil are usually around 27g of fat per 100g of formula). 

In other words, Kendamil Goat Stage 1 provides an overall nutritional profile that is very similar to the major American baby formula brands, but with a slight prioritization of proteins over fats - this is common for European baby formulas. 

Does Kendamil Goat Stage 2 Meet USDA Nutritional Recommendations?

In looking at the USDA recommendations for infants 6-12 months of age, you realize that they recommend about 140-150g/day of formula. That equates to about 34 scoops (4.3g/scoop) per day, which is about 1115mL per day of the prepared Stage 2 formula.

Clearly that's a ton of formula and unlikely to be the case with your 6-12-month-old baby, since you'll likely be supplementing formula with at least some oatmeal and/or rice cereal.

Here is a table comparing the USDA recommendation for 6-12 months to what the Kendamil Goat Stage 2 provides (in 150g of powdered formula):

For Stage 2, Kendamil Goat contains higher protein and fat than the minimum recommendations of USDA, but it contains lower carbohydrate content than the USDA recommendation. In other words, the Stage 2 formula is shifting towards a higher protein and fat diet, with lower sugars.

From 0-6 months to 6-12 months, the USDA shifts the relative proportion of carbohydrates up, and proteins and fats down. This is a difference in European versus American feeding recommendations, with proportions shifting in opposite directions as babies move from Stage 1 to Stage 2.

Which is the right guideline to follow? Our opinion is that the EU standards are more in line with current research, whereas the USDA guidelines are relatively dated. But that's just an opinion, and research is constantly changing! 

Does Kendamil Goat Stage 3 Meet USDA Nutritional Recommendations?

As with Stage 2, we use the USDA 6-12 month recommendations. Stage 3 is always a difficult comparison to make because your child will also be eating many first foods (oatmeal and rice cereals, purees) by the time they are 12+ months. Those solid foods will complement any feeding done with a Stage 3 formula, making any estimates of formula quantity to fulfill the caloric needs of a 12+ month-old baby a bit unreasonable.

For example, to get 145g/day of Stage 3 formula, that would take about 32 scoops of the product, and over 1070mL of prepared formula per day (about 5 servings). That's pretty excessive! More reasonably, your child will be consuming about 2-3 servings of Stage 3, along with a couple of servings of cereals and purees.

In any event, here is what Kendamil Goat Stage 3 provides, at a 150g/day serving:

In terms of macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), you'll notice that Stage 3 Kendamil Goat is very similar to Stage 2 in its nutritional composition and proportions. In general, it meets USDA recommendations but prioritizes proteins and fats rather than carbohydrates, which is the opposite of the American tendency to prioritize carbohydrates over proteins and fats.

In 2020, the EU passed (well, it was passed in 2016, but enforcement started in February 2020) a requirement that baby formulas include Omega-3, and this is a new addition to most European formulas. This is why you see DHA and ALA appearing in new European formulas:

Most parents begin to introduce solid foods in addition to formula or breastfeeding. These usually first include rice and/or oatmeal cereals and then progress to fruit and vegetable purees. These will complement the nutrition found solely in the formula, including additional iron and carbohydrates.

Some parents might be interested to learn that many European baby formulas contain trace levels of fluoride. This is not usually added by the manufacturer but appears in trace amounts (e.g., <0.015mg per 100mL prepared formula) due to the water used during manufacturing. For Kendamil Goat, fluoride is present in all three stages.

The level of fluoride in Kendamil Goat is equivalent to about 0.15 mg of fluoride in a liter of prepared formula, which is considerably less than the fluoride levels found in bottled water (about 0.4mg per liter), and way less than found in typical (fluoridated) tap water (about 5mg per liter).

Kendamil Goat Testing in Infants

Kendamil was generous enough to donate Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 varieties of the Kendamil Goat formula for testing!

We tested Stage 1 in a newborn (6 weeks) breastfed baby and a 4-month-old formula-fed baby (he typically feeds with Bobbie formula).

We tested Stage 2 in a 10-month-old formula-fed baby (Enfamil). Finally, we tested Stage 3 in a 16-month-old toddler who was no longer breastfeeding. 

Mixing and Taste-Testing

Kendamil Goat mixes very readily and easily with hot water. When preparing Kendamil Goat, they suggest using very hot water (70 degrees C, or about 158 degrees F) when mixing, so be prepared to run the bottle under cold tap water (or place it in a bowl of cold tap water) before feeding.

Safety first: Formula should always be close to body temperature (about 37 degrees C, or 98.6 degrees F) when feeding, to reduce the risk of burns.

We love the tins that the formula arrives in, mostly because we get a little frustrated with boxes and bags of formula. There are many advantages of these tins, including they're reclosable, include a scoop leveling ledge, have a nice wide opening, stack easily for storage, and can be reused or recycled along with cans and bottles. 

To prepare the formula, we followed the instructions: fill the bottle with the correct amount of water (e.g., 180ml), then add the number of level scoops to the water (e.g., 6 scoops). There is a convenient feeding guide on the side of the tin to help you out.

You can use the clever edge on the inside of the tin to level the scoop (as seen in the below photo).

Next, close the bottle and shake carefully until the powder is fully mixed and dissolved into the water.

Once the formula was shaken (we consistently shook each bottle about 50 times to ensure sufficient and uniform mixing), we didn't find any film, residue, or clumps inside the bottles (with all 3 stages).

That's very rare, and we love to see a formula powder mix so easily with water!

Verify it is cooled to about 99 degrees F (37 deg C), and feed! After some vigorous shaking, there were no clumps on the bottom or anywhere to be seen, which was great. If you've seen our Burt's Bees formula review, you know why we're mentioning this! Here is a picture of the bottom, to show how nicely things were mixed:

In our own tasting, we thought the Kendamil Goat formulas were delicious! 

We didn't experience any grainy texture and thought the formula was smooth, rich, and sweet like breast milk. The high lactose content certainly helps with that!

The prepared formula had very good flow through slow-flow or medium-flow nipples.

Notice how the bubbles and foam settled very nicely after mixing and sitting for a few minutes to cool to around 99deg F? Want to learn more about that Chicco bottle? Check out our list of the Best Baby Bottles of the year!

Safety First: Never prepare powdered formula with anything but water. If you're interested in fortifying your breast milk with baby formula you must ask your doctor for guidance first, as this can be very dangerous for your baby.

Feeding with Kendamil Goat

The two infants both seemed to appreciate the flavor and texture of Kendamil Goat, and took the bottle without any issues. Both moms were a little nervous to try goat milk for the first time, but both were very surprised with how much their little ones seemed to like it! 

In the short- and long-term, neither of the infants developed any apparent gas or indigestion (or spit up!), at least not more so than their usual levels. The mom who usually feeds with Bobbie ended up switching to Kendamil Goat because of how much less spitting up her baby was doing during our testing. 

The older baby tested the Stage 2 (6+ months) version. No issues there either, though mom was a bit nervous to try something new with her picky eater! Finally, the toddler wasn't entirely interested in Kendamil Goat, but his dad reports that he's very attached to his current formula and recognizes the label. 

Overall, excellent acceptance and tolerance, which is to be expected of such a gentle and delicious goat milk formula.

Did you know that in comparison to cow's milk, goat milk contains proteins that are much easier to digest (and less allergenic)? This makes goat milk formula a very popular option for little ones who show some sensitivity to traditional formulas (such as gas, constipation, colic, spit-up).

Conclusions

We were excited to get our hands on Kendamil Goat, and we were pleasantly surprised by its ingredients, nutrition, sensitivity, and acceptance and tolerance by the little ones.

Kendamil Goat formulas combine the relatively easy-to-digest goat milk protein (A2 beta-casein) with the full-fat goodness of whole goat milk. Note that Kendamil Goat milk formulas still contain lactose, which is the most prevalent carbohydrate in breast milk, so it is not suitable for babies with lactose intolerance (or with a real cow milk allergy).

Always talk to your child's doctor before switching to goat milk or selecting a formula for your little one.

Kendamil Goat formulas met USDA and FDA recommendations for nutritional content, they use high-quality non-GMO ingredients (that are sustainably and locally sourced), high-quality manufacturing, and they meet stringent certifications. If you've read our Nannycare formula review, you now realize why we think Kendamil is the overall better option.

The formulas were also very easy to prepare and feed, tasted great (to us and to our test infants and toddler), and were accepted and extremely well tolerated by all of our newborn and infant testers.

Expensive? Yes. All baby formula is expensive, and Kendamil Goat and other European formula brands are among the most expensive on the market.

Where to Buy Kendamil Goat Formula?

Over the past 10+ years of operating Mommyhood101, we have worked with several companies that import and resell European baby formulas in the United States.

Most of the companies have come and gone, some were pushed out by new FDA labeling requirements for European formulas, and some couldn't maintain their supply chain logistics and tended to ship expired or poorly handled formulas.

The best place to purchase Kendamil Goat online in the USA is at the popular The Milky Box website, which sells a huge variety of EU formulas to US customers (with super fast shipping) and has some of the best prices on European baby formula. 

References Cited

Intestinal Effects of Prebiotic GOS in Infant Formula

MFGM Benefits for Infant Development

Consulting Dietician Nutritionist (Mr. John Anderson)

EU Legislation Requirements for Infant Formula Composition 

Consulting Food Sustainability Expert (Dr. Alexi Ernstoff)

United States FDA Infant Formula Nutrient Requirements (full list is here)

United States USDA Infant Nutritional Needs & Recommendations

Published Analysis of Nutritional Contents of European Baby Formulas

Information about Iron Bioavailability and Anemia Risk in Children

Disclaimer: To our knowledge, all ingredient and nutritional information contained in this article was accurate at the time of publication. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or timeliness of the information. Always read the packaging and instructions, and consult with your child's pediatrician before making nutritional and feeding decisions. Baby formulas manufactured and labeled for sale in Europe may or may not be approved for sale in the USA by the FDA or other regulatory bodies, so consumer discretion is advised.

Full disclosure: The Milky Box, a leading online retailer for European baby formulas,  reached out to us to offer free Kendamil Goat samples for testing. The samples are pictured above, provided in infant (0+ months) and two follow-on varieties (6-12 months and 12-36 months).