Will probiotics boom push Lifeway Foods kefir to the fore?

Lifeway Foods has launched its first media campaign as part of it global growth strategy. See the first television commercial and learn about CEO Julie Smolyansky's vision for the future.

Christine Kapperman, Senior Content Director

January 12, 2015

1 Min Read
Will probiotics boom push Lifeway Foods kefir to the fore?

Can kefir become a household word or, even more, a daily dairy purchase?

Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky believes so as she strives to build the Illinois-based kefir company lauched in 1986 into a global icon.

In this interview with The Street, she discusses the outlook for probiotics and the Lifeway brand.

While dairy case sales may be dipping, probiotics are proliferating as science backs what many in the natural products industry have been promoting for decades. The probiotic market has been growing at a 7 percent clip and is expected to reach $15 billion in U.S. sales in 2019, according to New Hope Natural Media's What's Next for Probiotics report.

Smolyansky told The Street that dairy comprises 70 percent of the worldwide probiotics market, which creates opportunity for Lifeway to gain market share.

As part of the company's expansion plan, Lifeway recently:

  • Created the "And Me" campaign to promote the company's social impact efforts to support organizations worldwide. The television ad debuted during the Golden Globes awards ceremony.

  • Expanded to the U.K. and Canada.

  • Introduced a smaller, single-serve or trial size exclusively in Target.

Meet the Lifeway community—from moms to trees—in the commercial that debuted during the Golden Globes:

About the Author(s)

Christine Kapperman

Senior Content Director, New Hope Network

As the senior content director at New Hope Network, Christine Kapperman combines her 20-year journalism background with her passion for business to cover the natural products industry for newhope.com and Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine. She also led content at worldteanews.com. She loves tracking (and tasting) trends as she shares what’s next to show up in cups, plates and in pantries across the United States.

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