Coca-Cola's Fairlife Dairy Halts Production After Ransomware Attack
Original: Coca-Cola suspended production at its Fairlife dairy after a ransomware attack
Why This Matters
Ransomware attacks on major food producers increasingly threaten supply chains and consumer goods availability.
Coca-Cola disclosed to the SEC that its Fairlife dairy subsidiary was hit by a ransomware attack, temporarily suspending all U.S. production operations. Canadian operations remain unaffected. No timeline for restoration has been provided. Fairlife generated an estimated $4 billion in sales in 2024.
Coca-Cola filed a disclosure with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that its Fairlife dairy subsidiary suffered a ransomware attack that has impacted production systems across the United States. The company described Fairlife's U.S. operations as 'temporarily suspended,' while its Canadian operations remain unaffected. Coca-Cola did not specify when systems would be restored or provide details about the attackers. Fairlife is one of Coca-Cola's major brands, with estimated sales of $4 billion in 2024. Ransomware attacks on food and beverage companies have historically caused prolonged disruptions; Arizona Beverages faced a weeks-long outage in 2019, and food distributor UNFI experienced similar supply chain disruptions last year, resulting in empty grocery store shelves. Coca-Cola is among the world's largest beverage companies, with products spanning carbonated drinks, water, and dairy.