Coca-Cola Fairlife supplier cuts ties with 2 Arizona farms over animal cruelty allegations

Coca-Cola’s Fairlife Cuts Ties with Arizona Farms Over Animal Cruelty Allegations

A supplier of milk to Coca-Cola’s Fairlife milk brand has cut ties with two farms in Arizona after an investigation by Animal Recovery Mission last year found what the group called “egregious and frequent” animal cruelty. The findings were made public on Feb. 26 as part of a lawsuit filed in California district court alleging Fairlife also polluted nearby waterways.

ARM Investigation Reveals Abuse

ARM’s six-month investigation revealed abuse from employees, including top managers, with animals being hit, dragged, whipped, shot, shoved, force-fed, and chained at Rainbow Valley and Butterfield Dairy farms in Buckeye, Arizona.

Fairlife’s Response

In a statement, Fairlife said the dairy offering has “zero tolerance for animal abuse,” adding that supplier United Dairymen of Arizona “has suspended delivery of milk from these facilities” to all of its customers. The brand added it operates as a milk processor and does not own farms or cows, though it requires its suppliers to follow “stringent” animal welfare standards.

History of Allegations

The Arizona investigation is the latest animal abuse allegation to hit Coca-Cola’s fast-growing milk brand. In 2023, ARM alleged that Fairlife was continuing to source milk from two Indiana dairy farms where cows were subjected to animal abuse. The Indiana farms were previously exposed for similar acts of animal cruelty by ARM in 2019. Coca-Cola and other parties agreed to pay $21 million to settle lawsuits in 2022 for falsely advertising their Fairlife ultra-filtered milk came from humanely treated cows.

Fairlife’s Growth and Response

Founded in 2012, Fairlife has surpassed $1 billion in annual retail sales. Known for its ultra-filtered milk made with 50% more protein and half as much sugar as regular milk, Fairlife has been a blockbuster brand for Coca-Cola. Fairlife has invested nearly $30 million in its animal welfare program and conducts regular, third-party audits to ensure high levels of animal care and product quality.

Industry Impact

United Dairymen of Arizona stated that each of its farm members participate in a national animal welfare initiative and provide dairy employees with skills and knowledge on the proper way to treat animals. Despite prior allegations, Fairlife remains a leading white milk brand in the U.S. based on sales growth.