Morinaga Milk introduce milk formula Mori-Mama

JAPAN – Japanese dairy producer Morinaga Milk Industry has launched a new maternal milk formula, Mori-Mama, developed to support women during preconception, pregnancy, and lactation. 

The formula comes in a powdered format, available in a 600 g tin with a vanilla flavor. It features 10 mg of iron and 347 µg per serving, which the company touts is high for the segment.

The product is formulated with key nutrients and functional ingredients such as lactoferrin — an iron-binding protein naturally found in high quantities in breast milk — along with a synbiotic blend of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 and the prebiotic FOS (fructooligosaccharides), supporting both iron absorption and gut healt

Morinaga Milk Industry says Mori-Mama ties into a broader shift in maternal and early life nutrition, as mothers are increasingly focused not only on their nutrient intake, but also on how effectively nutrients are absorbed and utilized by the body.

“Maternal nutrition today is being viewed through a more holistic lens, with greater awareness of how the body responds to what is consumed,” said Brenda Liew, managing director of marketing at Morinaga Milk Industry. “This is shaping the way nutritional solutions are developed, with a stronger focus on absorption, tolerance, and overall well-being.

Rather than segmenting nutritional support across different stages, Mori-Mama is marketed as a “single, continuous formulation,” with a more streamlined and practical approach to women’s nutrition from preparing for pregnancy through to motherhood.

Morinaga Milk Industry stated that the launch addresses ongoing nutritional challenges.

In Malaysia, World Bank data finds anaemia during pregnancy remains a significant concern, with approximately 28.8% of pregnant women affected as of 2023.

Analyses have also revealed that maternal anaemia prevalence can broadly range from around 19% to over 50%, emphasising the variability in maternal nutritional status.

The company underscores that iron deficiency remains one of the most common areas of concern for mothers, while consumers are increasingly attentive to how well nutrients are tolerated — particularly as some women experience discomfort with conventional supplementation.

As a result, it stresses there is a growing emphasis on approaches that support both efficacy and overall maternal experience.

Recently, the company announced that it will suspend production at its Akita, Japan, plant in March 2026 as part of a restructuring initiative.

The Japanese dairy group said it has been making progress in optimising its production systems by strengthening its business base through streamlined operations.

In accordance with its medium-term business plan, the company said it will suspend production at the Akita plant – which operates under its Tohoku Morinaga Milk Industry business – in March, with its operations to be transferred to another site.

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