Fairlife — BrandWiki

Fairlife

Overview

fairlife

type	Lactose-free milk
manufacturer	fairlife, LLC (The Coca-Cola Company)
introduced	February 2014
region	Chicago, Illinois
origin	United States
color	Deep blue Light blue White
variants	Reduced fat milk Fat-free milk Whole milk Chocolate milk Strawberry milk
related	Core Power
website	http://www.fairlife.com

fairlife, stylized as fa!rlife, is an American brand of ultra-filtered milk distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. In the United States, the milk comes in five varieties: reduced fat, chocolate, strawberry, fat-free, and whole milk.

History

In 2012, fairlife, LLC was formed when Select Milk Producers entered into a partnership with The Coca-Cola Company.[1] The brand first appeared in Minnesota, where it launched in February 2014.[2]

Later, in February 2015, The Coca-Cola Company officially launched fairlife, and began to distribute the milk across the United States.[3][4]

Product range and variants

All fairlife products are gluten-free and lactose-free and are made without artificial growth hormones (rBST). While they avoid rBST, fairlife notes that the FDA has found no significant difference in milk from treated versus untreated cows.[12] fairlife’s product range includes:

fairlife ultra-filtered milk
Core Power protein shakes
fairlife Nutrition Plan nutrition shakes

fairlife ultra-filtered milk

The 52oz fairlife ultra-filtered milk is available in 3 different milk types: It contains 50% more protein and 50% less sugar compared to regular milk. fairlife also offers reduced fat chocolate ultra-filtered milk.[13]

Whole milk
Reduced fat milk
Fat-free milk

Core Power protein shakes

Core Power protein shakes are made with ultra-filtered milk and are designed to support post-workout recovery by fighting fatigue and dehydration.[14]

Core Power protein shakes come in two protein options; 26g and 42g, with both options providing electrolytes. Flavors for 26 g include:[14] Core Power 42g flavors include:[14]

Vanilla
Chocolate
Strawberry

Vanilla
Chocolate
Strawberry

Nutrition Plan

In 2019, fairlife introduced Nutrition Plan, a nutrition shake with 30g of protein, 2g of sugar, and 150 calories.[15] Its current flavor offering is chocolate. Nutrition Plan nutrition shakes are designed to give consumers the nutrition they’re looking for in one flavorful bottle.[16]

Discontinued products

In January 2020, the company added a range of coffee creamers to its lineup with four flavor options: regular, Hazelnut, Vanilla, and Caramel. The coffee creamer was discontinued in 2021.[17] In 2021, fairlife also announced the retirement of its Good Moo’d milk to optimize production on top-selling products.[17] In July 2020, fairlife also added ice cream to its lineup, with seven flavor options: vanilla, chocolate, cookies & cream, chocolate peanut butter, double fudge brownie, java chip and mint chip. The ice cream line was discontinued in 2023.[18]

On its website, fairlife announced that they paused production of Nutrition Plan in vanilla.[19]

Reception

Following its widespread launch in February 2015, Khushbu Shah of Eater.com wrote that overall reviews of the milk were mixed, although the chocolate variety, in particular, was generally well received.[21]

Dietitians and nutritionists were generally critical of the milk; Alissa Rumsey, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics expressed, "When you really look at the numbers, it can sound appealing, but in general most Americans are already getting enough protein," adding, "If you need more, eat an egg or a handful of almonds. And people who need more calcium should up their intake of dark leafy greens, not the so-called Frankenmilk."[4] Registered dietitian Keri Gans claimed, "milk is already a great package of nutrients; I’m not quite sure why it needs to be changed," and commented on the removal of sugar in fairlife milk with, "I never looked at the sugar in milk as a problem."[4] Meredith Engel of New York Daily News speculated that, "it’s clear why Coke is trying to get into the milk business: More and more Americans are turning away from sugary soft drinks, and soda sales fell to a 19-year-low in 2013."[4] Men's Health nutrition advisor Mike Roussell, however advised his clients to switch over to fairlife's milk.[22]

Hayley Peterson of Business Insider wrote, "The chocolate milk was the crowd favorite. It's very sweet, but not overpowering, and the consistency is creamier and thicker than regular milk."[10] Peterson adds that, "most people agreed that the 2% milk tasted similar to whole milk. Many reviewers loved the milky taste, while others thought it was too overpowering."[10] Sam Rega, a Business Insider video producer commented, "Both skim and 2% had an after-taste, but otherwise I couldn't tell much of a difference from this and regular milk."[10]

While Chris Plante of The Verge commented, "to my surprise, Fairlife tastes, well, like milk. It looks and feels a little thicker than traditional milk, and has a slightly richer taste, especially the chocolate milk, which sits on the spectrum between chocolate shake and milk that's stewed on a lazy Saturday morning in a bowl of Cocoa Puffs," he criticized the aftertaste, stating, "Fairlife's aftertaste is less appealing. A few minutes sipping a cup of chocolate Fairlife and then a cup of 2% Fairlife, the inside of my mouth had that malty feel that chases a protein shake."[23] Rachel Sanders of BuzzFeed observed, "Fairlife is a little bit creepy to drink. The texture is much more viscous and thick than regular milk, and the odor is really strong, to the point that it smells almost spoiled. It tastes OK, but has a slightly musky flavor that reminds me of shelf-stable or reconstituted milk."[3]

In 2024, Food and Wine described fairlife as "making real dairy cool again," with the publication's Merlyn Miller noting the milk's taste and utility for consumers seeking additional protein or lactose-free options.[24]

Registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, writing for Eat This, Not That in 2024, highlighted fairlife protein shakes as "an excellent source of protein" for muscle building and maintenance, noting that the ultra-filtered milk process yields higher protein concentration than regular milk. She also observed that the inclusion of lactase enzyme makes the products accessible to lactose-intolerant consumers.[25]

fairlife products have performed well in comparative taste evaluations. In 2023, Sporked rated the chocolate milk 9.5 out of 10, describing it as "extremely good" with balanced sweetness and creaminess.[26] Bon Appétit called fairlife shakes "the most delicious of the bunch" in a protein shake comparison.[27] EatingWell named Core Power the best-tasting protein shake at Costco, praising its smooth texture as free of the chalkiness common to protein products.[28]

Controversies

Advertising

In November 2014, an advertising campaign for the brand featuring pin-up girls covered in milk, with the taglines on the ads claiming the milk contained "50% more protein & calcium," was launched in the brand's Minneapolis and Denver test markets.[2] Business Insider reported that some Twitter users criticized the advertisements.[2] Laura Bates of The Guardian criticized the ads, claiming they sexualized women for commercial purposes and noting, "seeing these images of women’s bodies being used, once again, to advertise an unrelated consumer product ('Drink what she’s wearing') is a tedious reminder that when it comes to the objectification of women in advertising, we seem to be slipping backward instead of moving forward."[35] Chris Plante of The Verge commented, "at worst the ad is selling consumers on the idea of drinking ultra-filtered milk off an ultra-sexualized woman, and at worst it's selling you 2% part milk. The remaining Fairlife ads are equal parts awkward and demeaning."[23] Plante, however, adds,"otherwise Fairlife has honed its pitch as a healthy, natural dairy product," mentioning the brand's marketing sheet.[23]

Animal welfare

On June 4, 2019, the animal protection organization Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) released a video of an undercover dairy investigation into Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana. During the investigation, farm employees were observed slapping, kicking, punching, pushing, throwing and slamming calves; calves were stabbed and beaten with steel rebars, hit in the mouth and face with hard plastic milking bottles, kneed in the spine, burned in the face with hot branding irons.[36] This resulted in extreme pain and suffering by the calves, and in some cases permanent injury and even death. ARM confirmed that male calves from Fair Oaks Farms are in fact transported to veal farms (Midwest Veal and Calf Start), despite the corporation's claims that it does not send its male calves to veal farms. In addition, the ARM investigator captured footage of drug use. The four Fair Oaks Farms employees including the ARM employee were fired a few months before the video was released and at least three retailers including Jewel-Osco announced they would remove all fairlife products from their shelves.[37]

Indiana state Senator Travis Holdman, who sponsored Indiana's ag-gag bill, claimed that the video was "politically motivated", which ARM vigorously denied and prompted the group to release extended footage.[38] The political controversy deepened as Newton County Prosecutor Jeff Drinski released a statement indicating that the ARM investigator encouraged or coerced the farm employees to abuse the animals.

Humanewashing

fairlife has been criticized by journalists, advocacy groups, and plaintiffs in consumer litigation for engaging in humanewashing.[47]

Following public revelations about animal abuse at farms in its supply network, fairlife and its parent company, The Coca-Cola Company, faced multiple class-action lawsuits alleging deceptive advertising. Plaintiffs argued that fairlife’s animal welfare messaging led consumers to pay premium prices under the belief that the milk was produced according to higher ethical standards than conventional dairy. In 2022, Coca-Cola, fairlife, and other defendants agreed to a $21 million settlement to resolve these claims.[48]

Despite a post-law suit pledge to strengthen animal care programs and processes,[48] fairlife has removed humane care claims from its labeling, and in 2025, it took down a "lengthy yet vague web page about its animal welfare commitments."[49]