Coca-Cola has suspended production at its Fairlife dairy subsidiary in the United States following a ransomware attack that disrupted its systems. The company confirmed the shutdown in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, stating that operations are "temporarily suspended" while it addresses the cyber incident.
For context, Fairlife is a major brand under Coca-Cola’s portfolio, with projected sales of $4 billion by 2024. The attack affects only U.S. production, leaving Fairlife’s Canadian operations unaffected.
Impact of the ransomware attack on Fairlife
Ransomware attacks on food and beverage companies have historically caused prolonged disruptions. Previous incidents, such as the 2019 attack on Arizona Beverages and last year’s breach at UNFI, led to weeks of production halts and empty grocery shelves. Coca-Cola has not provided a timeline for when Fairlife’s systems will be restored.
What happens next?
The company has not disclosed further details about the attack or recovery efforts. Readers with information about the cyberattack are encouraged to contact reporter Zack Whittaker securely via Signal at the username zackwhittaker.1337 from a non-work device.
