What is Holle Dutch Stage 1 formula?
Holle Dutch Stage 1 is a Dutch-labelled European infant formula for babies from birth to 6 months, made from Demeter biodynamic cow's milk, with lactose as the only carbohydrate and DHA from algae rather than fish. One 800 g tin makes about 200 fl oz of prepared formula — roughly 40 bottles at 5 oz.
Every tin carries two organic marks, not one. The EU Organic leaf is the baseline every European formula has to meet. Demeter is the stricter one, and it governs the farm rather than the recipe: a Demeter dairy has to feed itself. The cows eat what that farm grows, their manure goes back into that same soil, and nothing synthetic touches the land — no synthetic fertiliser, no synthetic pesticide. It is a closed circle, slow and expensive to run, which is why almost no formula brand does it.
Holle has been doing it longer than anyone. The company started in Arlesheim, Switzerland in 1933, took the world's first Demeter processing contract in 1951, and moved its whole infant formula range to Demeter quality in 2009. It is still family-owned. No other brand on our shelves holds this certification — not HiPP, not Kendamil, not Aptamil — which makes this the tin parents reach for when the farming standard behind the milk matters to them as much as the nutrition panel does.
At Stage 1 the carbohydrate is lactose and nothing else: no maltodextrin, no starch, no added sugar. The DHA and ARA come from microalgae and Mortierella alpina oil rather than fish oil, so the omega-3 and omega-6 in this organic baby formula are plant-sourced and there is no fish allergen in the tin. Being straight about what it does contain: like nearly every European infant formula, the organic vegetable oil blend includes palm oil.
0–6 moFrom birth
800 gOne tin · Dutch line
~200 fl oz≈ 40 × 5 oz bottles
DemeterBiodynamic + EU Organic
What's in Holle Dutch Stage 1 per 100ml?
Prepared as directed, every 100 ml provides 68 kcal, 3.4 g fat of which 1.0 g is saturated, 1.4 g protein and 8.0 g carbohydrate — all of it lactose — plus 15 mg DHA and 15 mg ARA. The DHA comes from microalgae and the ARA from Mortierella alpina oil, so neither is fish-derived. Holle adds no prebiotic and no probiotic culture at this stage.
- Carbohydrate 8.0 g
- Fat 3.4 g
- Protein 1.4 g
| Per 100ml prepared | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 68 kcal / 284 kJ |
| Fat | 3.4 g |
| — saturated | 1.0 g |
| Protein | 1.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 8.0 g |
| — lactose | 8.0 g |
| — maltodextrin | None |
| DHA (from microalgae) | 15 mg |
| ARA (from Mortierella oil) | 15 mg |
| Prebiotic | None added |
What does Demeter biodynamic certification actually mean?
It means the farm has to work as one closed system. A Demeter dairy grows the feed its own herd eats, returns that herd's manure to the same soil, and uses no synthetic fertiliser or pesticide anywhere on the land. EU Organic lets a farm buy organic feed and inputs in from outside; Demeter does not. That is the practical difference between the two seals on this tin.
Demeter biodynamic
Closed cycle — the farm feeds itself
- One farm, one closed system
- Soil, feed, herd, manure
- No synthetic inputs allowed
Nothing bought in, nothing wasted
Standard organic
Open chain — inputs bought in
- Feed and inputs bought in
- Farm processes them
- No closed on-farm cycle
Certified, but not closed
Schematic, not the layout of any particular farm. Both systems are certified organic; the diagram shows only how Demeter's closed-cycle requirement differs from the EU Organic baseline. Demeter certifies the farmed ingredients — like every European infant milk, this formula still carries the vitamin and mineral fortification EU law requires.
What is not in Holle Dutch Stage 1?
No maltodextrin, no starch, no added sugar, no fish oil, no GMO ingredients and no artificial colours or flavours. The only carbohydrate is lactose, and the DHA and ARA are both plant-sourced. One thing it does contain, which we would rather tell you than let you find on the panel: palm oil, as part of the organic vegetable oil blend — standard across nearly every European formula, HiPP and the rest of the Holle range included.
- No maltodextrin or starch
- No added sugar
- Fish-free algae DHA
- No GMO ingredients
- No artificial colours
- Gluten-free
How does Holle Dutch Stage 1 compare to Holle German Stage 1 and HiPP Dutch Stage 1?
Holle Dutch Stage 1 is the only one of the three that is Demeter-certified, lactose-only and fish-free all at once. Holle's German Stage 1 is also Demeter, but comes in a 400 g box and uses maltodextrin alongside lactose. HiPP Dutch Stage 1 is EU Organic only and its DHA comes from fish oil — but it is the only one of the three with both a prebiotic and a live probiotic culture.
| Stage 1 · from birth | Holle Dutch 1 | Holle German 1 | HiPP Dutch 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic certified | EU Organic + Demeter | EU Organic + Demeter | EU Organic only |
| Milk base | Skimmed milk + whey | Skimmed milk + whey | Skimmed milk + whey |
| Carbohydrate | Lactose only | Lactose + maltodextrin | Lactose only |
| DHA source | Microalgae | Fish oil | Fish oil |
| ARA | 15 mg, Mortierella oil | See product page | See product page |
| Prebiotic / probiotic | Neither | Neither | GOS + L. fermentum |
| Palm oil | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pack size | 800 g tin | 400 g box | 800 g tin |
| Prepared yield | ~200 fl oz | ~61 fl oz | ~219 fl oz |
Being straight with you: if you want a prebiotic and a live culture in the tin, HiPP Dutch Stage 1 is the better buy — it carries GOS plus a Limosilactobacillus fermentum culture, and Holle adds neither at any stage of this line. HiPP's 800 g tin also makes a little more prepared formula, about 219 fl oz against 200 here. And check the weights before you compare prices: Holle's German Stage 1 is a 400 g box, half the powder in this tin, so price per ounce between the two lines is not a like-for-like comparison. What you get here and nowhere else is the Demeter farming standard, lactose as the sole carbohydrate, and no fish in the tin.
How many tins of formula will my baby need per month?
Roughly 4–5 tins a month in the newborn weeks, easing toward 2–3 a month as your baby approaches six months and takes more per feed but feeds less often. One 800 g tin makes about 200 fl oz of prepared formula, or around 40 bottles at 5 oz each.
In practice, most parents buying Stage 1 for a newborn plan on about a tin a week to begin with. These figures assume exclusive formula feeding — if you are combination feeding, scale them down to match how many bottles a day you are actually making.
Estimates for exclusive formula feeding, worked from Holle's own feeding table rather than a manufacturer statement. Every baby feeds differently — use these for planning, not as a target.
How do you prepare Holle Dutch Stage 1 formula?
Sterilise everything, boil fresh water and let it cool to 40–50 °C, pour half the measured water into the bottle first, add one level scoop (about 4.4–4.5 g) for every 30 ml of water, shake until dissolved, add the rest of the water and shake again, then cool to about 37 °C and test a drop on your wrist before feeding.
40–50 °CWater temperature
1 : 30 mlOne level scoop per 30 ml
≈4.4–4.5 gScoop size in this tin
Every feedMake fresh, discard leftovers
1
Sterilise everything
Wash your hands, then sterilise the bottle, teat, cap and ring following the manufacturer's instructions.
2
Boil, cool to 40–50 °C
Boil fresh drinking water and let it cool to 40–50 °C, the temperature Holle specifies for this formula.
3
Half the water first
Pour half the measured water into the sterilised bottle before you add any powder — never powder first.
4
Add level scoops
Use only the scoop supplied in this tin: one level scoop for every 30 ml of water, levelled with a straight edge.
5
Shake, top up, shake
Shake until the powder has fully dissolved, add the remaining water, then shake once more.
6
Cool, test, feed
Cool to about 37 °C, test a drop on the inside of your wrist, and feed straight away.
Never use artificially softened water, or water that has been boiled more than once. Prepare a fresh bottle for every feed, never reheat, never microwave, and throw away anything your baby does not finish.
A note on water temperature. Holle specifies water at 40–50 °C for this formula, and that is the instruction printed on your tin. It is set deliberately — hotter water damages the heat-sensitive vitamins this formula is built around.
Many health authorities, including the NHS and WHO, advise 70 °C or hotter for any powdered formula, because powder is not sterile and that temperature kills bacteria that can occasionally be present. The difference matters most for newborns, premature babies, and babies with weakened immunity. If your baby is in one of those groups, ask your paediatrician or health visitor which to follow for your situation.
A note on water temperature. Holle specifies water at 40–50 °C for this formula, and that is the instruction printed on your tin. It is set deliberately — hotter water damages the heat-sensitive vitamins this formula is built around.
Many health authorities, including the NHS and WHO, advise 70 °C or hotter for any powdered formula, because powder is not sterile and that temperature kills bacteria that can occasionally be present. The difference matters most for newborns, premature babies, and babies with weakened immunity. If your baby is in one of those groups, ask your paediatrician or health visitor which to follow for your situation.
Please read before buying
This formula is made from cow's milk and is not suitable for a baby with a diagnosed cow's milk protein allergy. Breastfeeding is best for your baby — talk to your health visitor or doctor before starting or changing a formula.
Store tins in a cool, dry place and keep the lid firmly closed between feeds. Never reheat or microwave prepared formula.
Dutch line vs German line
Holle sells two cow-milk ranges and they are not interchangeable on the shelf. The Dutch line on this page comes in 800 g tins and runs Stage 1 to Stage 4, with no PRE stage. The German line uses 400 g boxes for PRE and Stage 1 and 600 g boxes for Stages 2 to 4, and adds a PRE stage below Stage 1. Check the weight before you compare prices across the two.
Holle Dutch Stage 1: frequently asked questions
Is Holle Dutch Stage 1 organic?
Yes, and to two standards rather than one. It carries the EU Organic leaf, which every European infant formula must meet, and Demeter biodynamic certification on top of that. Demeter is a farming standard: it requires the dairy to grow its own feed, return its own manure to its own soil, and use no synthetic fertiliser or pesticide on the land. Holle is one of very few infant formula brands anywhere that holds it.
What is the difference between Demeter and EU Organic?
EU Organic sets the baseline: no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers on the crops used, no GMO ingredients, and audited organic sourcing. Demeter adds the biodynamic requirement that the farm operate as a single closed system — feed grown on site, manure returned to the same soil, and no synthetic inputs bought in at all. An EU Organic farm may buy organic feed from elsewhere; a Demeter farm may not. Demeter certifies the farmed ingredients, not the vitamins and minerals that EU law requires every infant formula to contain.
Does Holle Dutch Stage 1 contain maltodextrin or added sugar?
No. At Stage 1 the only carbohydrate is lactose, the same sugar found in breast milk, at 8.0 g per 100 ml of prepared formula. There is no maltodextrin, no starch and no added sugar of any kind. This changes at Stage 2, where Holle adds maltodextrin and starch to make a bottle more filling for a baby who is eating solids and feeding less often — so if lactose-only matters to you, it is worth knowing that it is a Stage 1 property rather than a whole-line one.
Does this formula contain fish oil?
No. The DHA comes from microalgae oil and the ARA from Mortierella alpina oil, both at 15 mg per 100 ml. Neither is fish-derived, so there is no fish allergen in the tin and the omega-3 and omega-6 are plant-sourced throughout. This is a genuine difference from HiPP's Dutch range and from Holle's own German cow-milk line, both of which use fish oil as their DHA source.
How many bottles does one tin of Holle Dutch Stage 1 make?
One 800 g tin makes approximately 200 fl oz of prepared formula, which works out to about 40 bottles at 5 oz each. Actual yield depends on your baby's bottle size and how closely you follow the one-level-scoop-per-30 ml ratio. For an exclusively formula-fed newborn that is roughly a week's supply, which is why most parents planning ahead budget about four to five tins a month in the early weeks.
Is Holle Dutch Stage 1 suitable from birth?
Yes. Stage 1 is suitable from birth through six months and can be your baby's sole source of nutrition or used alongside breastfeeding. At around six months, when solids are properly under way, Holle Dutch Stage 2 is the follow-on milk designed for that next phase, and Stage 3 follows it at ten months. The Dutch line has no PRE stage below Stage 1 — that only exists in Holle's German range.
Does Holle Dutch Stage 1 contain a prebiotic or probiotic?
No. Holle does not add GOS, HMOs or any live culture to this formula, at Stage 1 or at any later stage in the Dutch line. If a prebiotic and probiotic system is what you are looking for, HiPP's Dutch Stage 1 carries GOS plus a Limosilactobacillus fermentum culture and is the better tin for that specific requirement. Holle's case rests on the Demeter farming standard and the simplicity of a lactose-only recipe instead.
What is the difference between Holle's Dutch and German Stage 1?
Three things: pack size, carbohydrate and stage numbering. The Dutch version is an 800 g tin; the German Stage 1 is a 400 g box, so a per-ounce price comparison between them is misleading unless you adjust for weight. The Dutch Stage 1 uses lactose as its only carbohydrate, while the German Stage 1 blends lactose with maltodextrin. And the German range includes a PRE stage below Stage 1, which the Dutch range does not. Both carry EU Organic and Demeter certification.
Related formulas at Bonpek Baby
- Holle Dutch Stage 2The follow-on milk in this line, from 6 months and up.
- HiPP Dutch Stage 1EU Organic, with the GOS prebiotic and live culture Holle does not add.
- Holle German Stage 1 (400 g)Same brand and Demeter tier, smaller box, maltodextrin in the carbohydrate.
- Holle Goat Stage 1 (Dutch)Goat milk instead of cow, also EU Organic and Demeter certified.
- Holle PRE (German)The German line's stage below Stage 1 — the Dutch line has no PRE.
- All baby formulasBrowse every European formula we stock, by brand and stage.
Why parents buy from Bonpek Baby
- Authentic from Europe for 8+ years
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- Best prices, or we'll match and add a free gift
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Product information last reviewed by the Bonpek Baby team in September 2026 against the manufacturer's current published ingredient and nutrition data. Always check the label on your tin, as manufacturers reformulate from time to time.
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