Ransomware shuts Fairlife's U.S. dairy lines

A ransomware attack forced Coca-Cola to suspend U.S. production at its Fairlife dairy unit, underscoring cyber fragility in the food supply.

Coca-Cola said Thursday it is investigating a ransomware attack affecting its Fairlife dairy unit, with U.S. production suspended at Fairlife facilities as a result. The company disclosed the incident in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and said the attack had no effect on the quality or safety of its products, which include ultra-filtered lactose-free milk and protein and nutritional shakes.

Fairlife is a substantial operation. Coca-Cola bought its remaining 57% stake in 2020, and the brand has surpassed $1 billion in annual retail sales since 2022. The company announced a $650 million expansion in Coopersville, Michigan, in March, and a 745,000-square-foot facility in Webster, New York, is slated to open in 2026. Canadian operations were unaffected and remain open.

The abundance angle is fragility. A single cyberattack was enough to stop production lines at a billion-dollar food business, showing how concentrated, digitized supply chains can gate access to a basic good without any physical damage. The Food and Ag-ISAC, led by Scott Algeier, reported about 205 attacks on the food and agriculture sector in 2026, roughly 4.9% of all attacks — a reminder this is a recurring exposure, not a one-off.

Watch for the outage's duration and whether shortages reach shelves. Coca-Cola is still determining the full scope and business impact, no party has claimed responsibility, and the investigation is ongoing.

Source: Food Dive