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Lifeway Foods

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Lifeway Foods

Lifeway Kefir is a high-protein probiotic cultured milk company

Overview

Date Established 01/1986
Founder Julie Smolyansky
Headquarters None
Industries
Health & Wellness
Entrepreneurship
Food
Fitness
Manufacturing
Beverage
Pets
Lifestyle
Business
Website https://lifewaykefir.com/
Social

About

Lifeway Foods, Inc. has been recognized as America's leading supplier of kefir and fermented probiotic products to support the microbiome. Lifeway Foods provides the best in nutritious, probiotic-rich foods that support health and well-being, while also working to make the world a better place through initiatives focused on helping people and the planet.

Lifeway's Kefir is a tart and tangy cultured milk smoothie that is high in protein, calcium and vitamin D that is completely made with all natural hormones and GMO-free ingredients. In addition to its line of drinkable kefir, the company also produces a variety of cheeses and a ProBugs line for kids.

Thanks to their exclusive blend of kefir cultures, each cup of kefir contains 12 live and active cultures, and all Lifeway Kefir products contain 25 – 30 billion Colony Forming Units (CFU) of live and active kefir cultures per cup. Lifeway's unique fermentation process and specific kefir cultures ensure Lifeway Kefir is up to 99 percent lactose-free and suitable for most people who are lactose intolerant.

Kefir affects individuals differently, but in general you can look forward to improved digestion, increased immunity and replenished gut flora. A serving of Lifeway kefir provides 30 percent of your daily calcium needs! All Lifeway Kefir products are naturally gluten-free and are certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), and are certified kosher by the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC) (they are not kosher for Passover).

Founding Story

The Lifeway story began in 1986 when Ukrainian immigrant Michael Smolyansky started making Kefir in the basement of his Skokie, IL home. The cultured fermented dairy drink had been popular in Eastern Europe for centuries, but Michael was determined to share his delicious health secret with his newfound home. Two years later, he took the company public, and it debuted on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker symbol LWAY. Since its humble basement beginnings many years ago, Lifeway Foods has grown into the largest manufacturer of kefir in the United States, bringing the delicious taste and probiotic health benefits of kefir to a whole new generation.

Lifeway Foods, Inc., which has been recognized as one of Forbes' Best Small Companies, is America's leading supplier of the probiotic, fermented beverage known as kefir. In addition to its line of drinkable kefir, the company also produces a variety of cheeses and a ProBugs line for kids. Lifeway's tart and tangy fermented dairy products are now sold across the United States, Mexico, Ireland, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and France.

Products

Flavor Fusions: Wild Blueberry Lavender Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Wild Blueberry Lavender Kefir $3.99
Flavor Fusions: Grapefruit Elderflower Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Grapefruit Elderflower Kefir $3.99
Flavor Fusions: Hot Honey Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Hot Honey Kefir $3.99
Flavor Fusions: Matcha Latte Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Matcha Latte Kefir $3.99
Flavor Fusions: Passionfruit Lychee Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Passionfruit Lychee Kefir $3.99
Flavor Fusions: Coconut Pineapple Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Coconut Pineapple Kefir $3.99
Chocolate Lowfat Kefir
Chocolate Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Strawberry Banana Lowfat Kefir
Strawberry Banana Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Blueberry Lowfat Kefir
Blueberry Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Strawberry Lowfat Kefir
Strawberry Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Pomegranate Lowfat Kefir
Pomegranate Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Cherry Lowfat Kefir
Cherry Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Coconut Lowfat Kefir
Coconut Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Guava Lowfat Kefir
Guava Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Vanilla Lowfat Kefir
Vanilla Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Mango Lowfat Kefir
Mango Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Peach Lowfat Kefir
Peach Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Mixed Berry Lowfat Kefir
Mixed Berry Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Plain Lowfat Kefir
Plain Lowfat Kefir $3.99
Organic Grassfed Plain Kefir
Organic Grassfed Plain Kefir $3.99
Organic Grassfed Strawberry Kefir
Organic Grassfed Strawberry Kefir $3.99
Organic Grassfed Mango Kefir
Organic Grassfed Mango Kefir $3.99
PROBUGS Goo-Berry
PROBUGS Goo-Berry $5.99
PROBUGS Creamy Orange
PROBUGS Creamy Orange $5.99
PROBUGS Strawnana
PROBUGS Strawnana $5.99
Farmer Cheese
Farmer Cheese $5.99
Flavor Fusions: Pink Dragonfruit Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Pink Dragonfruit Kefir $3.99
Flavor Fusions: Pistachio Rose Vanilla Kefir
Flavor Fusions: Pistachio Rose Vanilla Kefir $3.99

Team Bios

Julie_Smolyansky_Headshot.jpg

Julie Smolyansky

President and CEO

see bio

In 2002, Julie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly traded company when she took over Lifeway Foods at the age of 27. Since then, Julie has propelled the business forward with innovative product development and marketing, bringing kefir into the U.S. mainstream, growing the company from $6 million to $160 million in 2023, and expanding distribution to Mexico, Ireland, France, South Africa, UAE, various regions of Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Julie has been named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40, recognized among Fortune’s 55 Most Influential Women on Twitter, featured as one of the Best Instagrammers on the 40 Under 40 list, was honored as a 2020 Champion of Wellness by VeryWell, and was recently named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the Female Executive of the Year – Consumer category, in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

A University of Illinois at Chicago graduate, Julie is an emeritus member of the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council and a 2015 Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. She has produced documentaries such as “The Homestretch,” “Honor Diaries,” “The Hunting Ground,” and “On the Record.” In 2013, Julie co-founded Test400k, a non-profit organization advocating to end the backlog of 400,000 untested rape kits in the U.S. Julie released her first book, The Kefir Cookbook: An Ancient Healing Superfood for Modern Life, Recipes from My Family Table and Around the World, in March 2018. She is the mother of two girls.

Retailers

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Albertsons
Earth Fare
Erewhon
Giant Foods
Kroger
Publix
Safeway
Sprouts
Vons
Walmart
Wegmans
Whole Foods
Sam's Club
Ralphs
Costco
HEB
Stop n Shop
Amazon Fresh

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