WIC Retailer Minimum Stock Levels

The local WIC clinics issue checks to clients every day of the month, except Sundays. You need to be prepared to meet the needs of your WIC customers. That means you need to have at least the minimum quantities of WIC foods on the shelf all the time.

The WIC contract requires your store carry a reasonable variety of the WIC approved foods from all WIC food categories. The contract also requires your store carry at least the WIC contract formulas in adequate quantities to meet the needs of your WIC customers. If your WIC customers need other formulas, it is good customer service to be able to provide them.

The most common complaint received from WIC clients is low stock of infant formula. WIC infants receive 31 cans of 13-oz concentrate formula, 8 to 10 cans of powder formula, or 25 cans ready-to-feed formula each month. Some WIC clients receive more: 35 cans of 13-oz concentrate formula, 9 to 11 cans of powder formula, or 28 cans ready-to-feed formula each month. About 75% of Washington WIC infants use the contract formulas in the powdered form.

The state WIC office has data on the quantity of WIC foods purchased monthly in your store. Call our Customer Service Specialist at 1-800-841-1410 extension 3620 to request that information.

Pharmacies are required to meet the Minimum Stock Levels for infant formula only. They are not required to carry foods from any of the other WIC categories.

These minimum stock levels will change in October 2009 when new foods are added to the program. You will receive additional information about those changes at that time.

WIC Approved Foods–Minimum Stock Levels

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Infant Formula–Contract Brands	Infant Formula–Special Needs
Infant Cereal	Child Nutritional
Eggs	Peanut Butter
Milk	Cheese
Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils	Juice
Carrots	Tuna
Cereals

Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Infant Formula–Contract Brands Ross Similac Advance Ross Similac Isomil Advance		0 Infants	1–2 Infants	3+ Infants
	13 oz. concentrate	Be able to have adequate stock of a requested formula on the shelf within 48 hours of request	62 cans concentrate or	93 cans concentrate or
	12.9 oz. powder		18 cans powder or	27 cans powder or
	32 oz. ready to feed		50 bottles ready-to-feed or	75 bottles ready-to-feed or
			a combination	a combination
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Infant Formula–Special Needs Ross Similac Sensitive Ross Similac Sensitive R.S. Ross Similac NeoSure Ross Similac Alimentum Nestle Good Start Supreme, DHA&ARA Enfamil EnfaCare LIPIL Enfamil Nutramigen LIPIL	13 oz. concentrate	Stock enough to meet the needs of your WIC clients and Be able to have adequate stock of a requested formula on the shelf within 48 hours of request.
	12/12.8/16 oz. powder
	32 oz. ready-to-feed/ready-to-use	Return to Food List
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Infant Cereal dry–no added fruit or formula Gerber Heinz Del Monte Earth's Best Organic		0 Infants	1–2 Infants	3+ Infants
	8 oz. box	Be able to have adequate stock on the shelf within 48 hours of request	6 8 oz. boxes or	9 8 oz. boxes or
	16 oz. box		3 16 oz. boxes or	4 16 oz. boxes and 1 8 oz. box or
	16 oz. box		a combination	a combination
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Child Nutritional Pediasure (any variety) Pediasure with Fiber	6–packs of 8 oz. containers	Have available within 48 hours on request. Monthly allotment per client can be up to 108 cans (18 6–packs)
	6–packs of 8 oz. containers	Return to Food List
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Eggs white, chicken	Large, medium, or small	8 dozen in one-dozen size cartons
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Peanut Butter plain, creamy, crunchy, or chunky	16 to 18 oz. jars	4 jars Return to Food List
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Milk, fluid, pasteurized, fortified with Vitamins A & D Whole, homogenized 2% Reduced Fat 1% Lowfat Fat-free, Skim, or Non-fat Acidophilus Lactaid, Lactose-Reduced and Lactose free Organic Kosher Skim Deluxe, Skim Royal, Trim Deluxe, Skim Supreme	Quarts Half-gallons Gallons	112 quarts or 56 half-gallons or 28 gallons or a combination of fluid milk container sizes
	Quarts Half-gallons Gallons	or
Milk Evaporated Dry powdered	12 oz. canned 3 qt. boxes or larger	28 cans evaporated or 28 quarts dry powdered or a combination of fluid milk container sizes
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Cheese domestic and pasteurized Cheddar: medium, mild, sharp–yellow or white Unsliced Kraft Deluxe American (blue box) Monterey Jack Mozzarella (whole milk or part skim, including string cheese)	Half-pound One pound Two pound	8 pounds
	8 oz. bags or larger of string cheese	Return to Food List
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Dry Beans/ Peas/Lentils any variety of plain dry bean, pea, or lentil Organic okay	One pound packages or maximum of one pound bulk weight	Two varieties 4 pounds
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Juice unsweetened, Vitamin C fortified Frozen Concentrate Apple Tree Top (green label) Old Orchard 100% juice Grape Old Orchard, white and purple Grapefruit Minute Maid with calcium Old Orchard Ruby Red Orange Minute Maid Original Country Style Pulp-Free Original with Calcium Reduced Acid Extra Vitamins C & E, plus Zinc Old Orchard 100% juice Calcium fortified Blends Minute Maid Orange Tangerine with Calcium Orange Passion with Calcium Old Orchard Apple Kiwi Strawbserry Apple Passion Mango Apple Cranberry Apple Cherry Apple Raspberry Apple Strawberry Banana Cranberry Blend Cranberry Raspberry Pineapple Orange Pineapple Orange Banana Fruit Punch Pineapple Old Orchard 100% juice	10/11.5 12 oz frozen	24 cans of 11.5 or 12 oz. frozen concentrate
	or	or
Full Strength Apple Tree Top (green label) Grape Welch's 100% purple and white Grapefruit Texsun Ruby Red Orange Texsun Pineapple Dole 100% Tomato Campbell's Vegetable Essential Antioxidants V8© 100%	46 oz. cans	24 cans of 46 oz. full strength
		or
		a combination of frozen and full-strength
		Return to Food List
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Carrots Fresh, frozen, or canned Organic	Any size package up to two pound maximum	4 lb. fresh 4 14–16 oz. pkg. frozen 4 14.5 oz. cans 8 8.25 oz. cans or combination of above
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Tuna Chunk Light Water packed Any brand	3 oz. to 12 oz. cans	16 3 oz. cans or 10 5 oz. cans or 9 5.5 oz. cans or 8 6 oz. cans or 4 12 oz. cans or or a combination
Approved Foods	Approved Sizes	Minimum Stock Levels
Cereals (cold, plain) Cheerios Cheerios, Multi-Grain Corn Chex Kellogg's Special K Kix Life Post Grape Nuts Post Grape Nuts Flakes Rice Chex Wheat Chex	Any size box, except individual serving sizes, up to 36 oz. maximum	Two brands of cold cereal
		and
Cereals (hot, plain) Cream of Wheat 10 minute, 2 1/2 minute, and 1 minute	28 oz. box	One brand of hot cereal Total of 144 oz.

Return to Food List

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If you have questions, call 1-800-841-1410, ext 3620 for our Customer Service Specialist.

Documents posted in PDF format on the Department of Health Web site will be made available on request to users who are unable to download or view them. For persons with disabilities, PDF documents will be made available on request in other formats. To submit a request, contact WIC's Web Coordinator. Download the free PDF viewer here.

eUpdates

2006-2009 Retailer Handbook

Retailer Application Information 2009–2012

Retailer Training Information

WIC Checker Newsletter

Using WIC Checks Video

Minimum Stock Levels

Infant Formula Supplier List