Frequently Asked Questions

The key ingredient of Karicare Gold+ A2 Protein Milk for Toddlers is a very simple one, fresh dairy milk. Five farms located in the cool, green Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island are the primary suppliers. These farms exclusively milk cows that have a special gene, meaning they produce milk that contains the A2 beta-casein protein variant. The farms are independently audited three times a year to ensure regulatory compliance and Karicare’s high standards are met. The cows themselves roam the lush pastures, grazing primarily on grass. They’re milked twice daily, and the raw milk is tested every day for purity and quality. Read more about how our product is made.

Karicare Gold+ A2 Protein Toddler Milk is a premium formulation, sourced from carefully selected NZ cows which exclusively produce the A2 beta-casein protein. In addition to A2 protein milk, the new Karicare Gold+ Toddler formulation contains:

• 16 vitamins and minerals: one serve provides 16-50% of the RDI of 16 essential vitamins and minerals
• Omega-3 DHA
• Prebiotics: lcGOS and scFOS
• Lutein (in Stage 4 only)
• Vitamins A, B12 and D for normal immune system function*
• Iron and Zinc to support normal cognitive function*
• Calcium for normal teeth and bone structure*

• No added preservatives
• No artificial flavours
• No artificial colours
• No added table sugar i.e. sucrose

Beta-casein is one of the proteins found in cows’ milk. It is a source of essential amino acids.

Milk contains both whey and casein proteins. Casein proteins come in different varieties including a specific type called beta-casein. Cows’ milk can contain up to 12 types of beta-casein! The relevant types of beta-casein in cows’ milk are A1 and A2.   The breed of the cow determines what types of beta-casein are contained in cows’ milk. Cows can produce purely A2, A1, or A1/A2 hybrids of beta-casein protein. A2 protein milk and A2 protein formula contain only A2 beta-casein protein because they come from cows producing only this type. Some people say they feel more comfortable after drinking the A2 protein only milk compared to standard cows’ milk^(1,2).

1. Jianqin, S., Leiming, X., Lu, X., Yelland, G. W., Ni, J., & Clarke, A. J. (2015). Effects of milk containing only A2 beta casein versus milk containing both A1 and A2 beta casein proteins on gastrointestinal physiology, symptoms of discomfort, and cognitive behavior of people with self-reported intolerance to traditional cows’ milk. Nutrition journal, 15(1), 35.
2. Milan, Amber M., Aahana Shrestha, Helga J. Karlström, Jakob A. Martinsson, Nils J. Nilsson, Jo K. Perry, Li Day, Matthew PG Barnett, and David Cameron-Smith. "Comparison of the impact of bovine milk β-casein variants on digestive comfort in females self-reporting dairy intolerance: a randomized controlled trial." The American journal of clinical nutrition 111, no. 1 (2020): 149-160.

Karicare Gold+ Toddler has now been updated with a new visual identity and new recipe. Whilst still having the same trusted New Zealand goodness you know and love, our product now contains A2 beta-casein protein from cows’ milk instead of both A1 and A2 beta-casein found in standard cows’ milk.

No, the powder does not need to be refrigerated. The viability of the bacteria during transportation and shelf-life has been extensively tested and the formulation has been designed to ensure the amount of probiotic consumed is in line with the requirements for nutritional benefit.

After opening, keep the container airtight and use contents within 4 weeks.

One tin of Karicare Family can make approximately 25 serves (~6.25 litre of milk).

Yes, you can serve the product cold. For a cold drink, store in the fridge until chilled. Stir before use. It is best consumed within 1 hour of being cooled.

Please prepare the drink in accordance with the instructions on the tin. The formula should be prepared with warm, safe drinking water instead of boiling water as high heat warming and incorrect preparation may limit the benefits of the Bifidobacterium breve M-16V. Do not use a microwave oven to warm drink as it may produce uneven hot spots and degrade the nutrients.

Karicare Family is made with New Zealand cow’s milk and has been fortified with probiotics, key vitamins and calcium. Karicare Family is a good source of calcium and each serve also contains 1 billion active probiotics. Karicare Family is a formulated supplementary food and is designed to supplement a normal diet when intake of energy and nutrients may not be adequate.

It means that the product contains standard cow’s milk powder which has fortified with additional nutrients such as Vitamin A, B1, C, D3, calcium and probiotics.

There is no upper age limit for this product. It is suitable for people aged 4+ years. If you are not sure whether you can consume the product, please consult with your healthcare professional.

The product is suitable for people aged 4+ years.

It is made in New Zealand with NZ cow’s milk.

It is 900g can. Shelf life is 18 months.

There is no stage for this product. The product is suitable for people aged 4+ years.

It means that the product contains standard cow’s milk powder which has fortified with additional nutrients such as Vitamin A, B1, C, D3, calcium and probiotics.

The product is suitable for people aged 4+ years.

It is made in New Zealand with NZ cow’s milk.

There is no upper age limit for this product. It is suitable for people aged 4+ years. If you are not sure whether you can consume the product, please consult with your healthcare professional.

It is 900g can. Shelf life is 18 months.

There is no stage for this product. The product is suitable for people aged 4+ years.

With over 100 years of expertise in nutrition, Nutricia has proudly launched our probiotic-fortified milk drink, Karicare Family. Karicare Family is made with the goodness of high-quality New Zealand cow’s milk. The farms from which the liquid milk is sourced meet the NZ requirements and standards for dairy farming, including pasture management and milking hygiene, producing high-quality milk. Karicare Family contains probiotics, key vitamins (Vitamin A, B1, C and D3) and protein, to help nutritionally support the different generations (4 years and above) in your family. It also contains no added sugar or preservatives. Karicare Family is a good source of calcium and each serve also contains 1 billion active probiotics. Karicare Family is a formulated supplementary food and is designed to supplement a normal diet when intake of energy and nutrients may not be adequate.

Please prepare the drink in accordance with the instructions on the tin. The formula should be prepared with warm, safe drinking water instead of boiling water as high heat warming and incorrect preparation may limit the benefits of the Bifidobacterium breve M-16V. Do not use a microwave oven to warm drink as it may produce uneven hot spots and degrade the nutrients.

Karicare Family is made with New Zealand cow’s milk and has been fortified with probiotics, key vitamins and calcium. Karicare Family is a good source of calcium and each serve also contains 1 billion active probiotics. Karicare Family is a formulated supplementary food and is designed to supplement a normal diet when intake of energy and nutrients may not be adequate.

Karicare Family has no added sugar. The sugar in Karicare Family is lactose, the sugar naturally found in milk.

Karicare Family should not be used in conjunction with other toddler milk drinks or fortified milk drinks as the nutrients received from multiple sources may exceed the recommended daily intake (RDI) for the different age groups. If you decide to move your child from a toddler milk to Karicare Family, we would suggest a hard transition (straight swap) to reduce the risk of doubling up the fortified nutrients. If you are in doubt, please contact Nutricia Careline 1800 438 500 or consult with your healthcare professional.

Yes, you can serve the product cold. For a cold drink, store in the fridge until chilled. Stir before use. It is best consumed within 1 hour of being cooled.

There is no artificial flavouring in Karicare Family. Karicare Family has a similar taste to other unflavoured toddler milk drinks, with a flavour similar to milk and milk powders. If your child is refusing it due to the taste, you can incorporate Karicare Family into their favourite food and drinks for an extra nutritional boost. However, before adding the feed to food or drinks, please prepare the milk as per the preparation instructions on the tin to ensure the right amount of nutrients are being delivered.

One tin of Karicare Family can make approximately 25 serves (~6.25 litre of milk).

After opening, keep the container airtight and use contents within 4 weeks.

No, the powder does not need to be refrigerated. The viability of the bacteria during transportation and shelf-life has been extensively tested and the formulation has been designed to ensure the amount of probiotic consumed is in line with the requirements for nutritional benefit.

Karicare Gold Plus+ Organic is manufactured and certified under the AsureQuality Certified Organic Standard and Certified Grass Fed Standard in NZ.

Karicare Gold Plus+ Organic is manufactured in New Zealand and has a double certification - it is Certified Organic and Certified Grass Fed* by AsureQuality in New Zealand, and only less than 1% of dairy cows are under organic management in NZ. This certification means the selected farms must follow management practices of AsureQuality Standards for both Organic and Grass Fed, and each farm is audited annually. *Grass Fed: Our Grass Fed products are made with milk, including milk sourced from Certified Grass Fed farms. Certified by AsureQuality Limited.

Karicare Gold Plus+ Organic range is made with Certified Organic and Certified Grass Fed* milk from NZ. Our Toddler product contains Omega-3 DHA, Prebiotics, key vitamins & minerals such as Vitamins A, B12, D for normal immune system function, and Iron and Zinc to support normal cognitive function. When prepared and consumed as directed. This product is specially designed to nutritionally supplement toddlers over 12 months of age, when their intakes of energy and nutrients may not be adequate. *Grass Fed: Our Grass Fed products are made with milk, including milk sourced from Certified Grass Fed farms. Certified by AsureQuality Limited.

The liquid milk is certified as organic. Organic farming is an alternative farming and manufacturing system that uses organic based feed systems, materials/ingredients and manufacturing practices. Under the AsureQuality Organic Standard, organic food is produced using a ‘whole system approach’ to farming and production, which promotes biodiversity, sustainable growing practices and ethical treatment of livestock (e.g. good living conditions, feeds and exercise for animals). You can find out more information on the benefits of using certified organic and certified grass-fed milk from the following links: https://nutricia.co.nz/karicare/nutrition/benefits-of-certified-organic-and-certified-grass-fed-cows-milk/

Karicare Gold Plus+ Organic Toddler Milk is the first Toddler Milk to have a double certification for organic and grass fed: • BOTH Certified Organic and Certified Grass Fed*, under AsureQuality Standard in New Zealand. This means the liquid cows’ milk from New Zealand that is used in our product comes from carefully selected Certified Organic and Certified Grass Fed* farms. Farms that have the dual certification have to follow the strict guidelines and practices of BOTH certifications. • The Organic and Grass Fed certifications are under AsureQuality Standard in New Zealand. *Our Grass Fed products are made with milk, including milk sourced from Certified Grass Fed farms. Certified by AsureQuality Limited. You can find out more information on how Karicare Organic Gold Plus+ is made from the following links:https://nutricia.co.nz/karicare/nutrition/how-karicare-organic-gold-plus-toddler-milk-is-made/

Karicare Gold Plus+ Organic is available in stage 1, 2 and 3

The Top-tainer design incorporates 3 safety measures for tamper proofing. It has a wrap around protective sleeve that goes around the lid and can edge, a tab that needs to be broken before the lid can be opened and a securely fitted seal with a double walled interlocking design. The design also has an optimized scoop placement with the scoop attached under the lid out of the way of the milk powder. This means the scoop is not in the powder and can easily be found and accessed. This is also more hygienic, as you do not need to touch the powder to get the scoop or to store the scoop when not in use.

The Top-tainer format uses scoops that are smaller than our previous ones since they must be small enough to fit within the lid. The powder to water ratio for the Karicare Gold + Organic is 1 scoop to 30mL, so the water and number of scoops is different from our other Karicare products that use the 1 scoop to 50mL water ratio.

Nutricia is committed to sustainability today. We’re continuously working to reduce our carbon footprint at every stage of production, from the materials we use to transportation, recycling and more. We are committed to a sustainable tomorrow, because looking after our environment today will help us make quality products for a healthy future. That is why Karicare Toddler is embarking on a journey to be the first toddler milk drink brand in Australia and New Zealand to become carbon neutral. And we’re not stopping at one product. We are committed to making 100% of our products certified carbon neutral by 2030. You can find more information from the following link https://nutricia.co.nz/karicare/sustainability

For us, it means bringing you high-quality formulations while continuing to reduce our emissions day after day. We’ve set our sights on becoming certified carbon neutral by continuously measuring and reducing our carbon emissions at every step. To reach our carbon-neutral goal, we will: • measure our emissions • reduce waste and emissions • offset our impact through our work with Carbon Trust. You can find more information from the following link: https://nutricia.co.nz/karicare/sustainability