Dear WIC Vendor:
The Michigan WIC Program would like to provide you with information regarding the Jif Peanut Butter size change, the WIC approved cheese size change, and information on the availability of Gerber infant cereal. We understand and appreciate that this may cause difficulty in serving WIC clients. You are being notified so that you can make the necessary adjustments to your inventory to avoid minimum stock violations.
PEANUT BUTTER
The Michigan WIC Program has been notified by the J.M. Smacker Company that all 18 oz. Jif Peanut Butter will transition to 16 oz. jars on June 1, 2013. Since 18 oz. peanut butter will still be the only WIC approved size, the 16 oz. jar of Jif Peanut Butter will NOT be WIC approved. Vendors will not be able to scan the UPC of 16 oz. Jif Peanut Butter as part of a WIC EBT transaction. As a reminder, the minimum stock requirement for peanut butter is four jars in 18 oz. size only – any brand or type (smooth, crunchy, extra crunchy) – except those listed in the WIC Food List as not allowed. If you should have any problem obtaining WIC approved 18 oz. peanut butter, please contact your Vendor Relations Analyst.
CHEESE
As noted in our March WIC Vendor Newsletter, the small half pound (8 oz.) packages of cheese are being removed from the WIC program in late summer to early fall, 2013. At that time, only one pound (16 oz.) packages of cheese will be WIC approved. No other sizes will be allowed. Please refer to the WIC Food List for other types of cheese that are not WIC approved. You will be notified prior to the effective date of this change.
INFANT CEREAL
Packaging for 8 oz. and 16 oz. Gerber infant cereal has transitioned from a cardboard box to a plastic container. This change was also mentioned in our March WIC Vendor Newsletter. Nestle USA, Inc. recently notified the Michigan WIC Program that select Gerber infant cereal items will be temporarily out of stock over the next 3-4 months during this transition. The 8 oz. and 16 oz. Gerber infant cereal plastic containers are WIC approved. However, please be reminded that WIC allows more than one brand of infant cereal, therefore, the current WIC minimum stock requirements for infant cereal will continue to be enforced – six 8 oz. boxes of Beechnut, Nature’s Goodness or plastic containers of Gerber. The plastic containers of Gerber infant cereal should not be confused with plastic tubes of Gerber baby food, which are not WIC approved.
Please feel free to contact our office at 517-335-8937, if you have any questions regarding any of these matters. Thank you for your continued support for the WIC Program.
Mike Perrelli, Vendor Relations Coordinator
Vendor Management and Operations
WIC Division
