December 11, 2025 • 8 mins
Lifeway Foods is America's leading supplier of the probiotic, fermented beverage known as kefir. In addition to its line of drinkable kefir, the company also produces a variety of cheeses as well as a line of products for kids. Lifeway's fermented dairy products are sold across the United States, Mexico, Ireland, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, and France.
Julie Smolyansky, the publicly-traded firm's CEO, discusses her company’s most recent earnings report and recent announcement that is its cheese products will expand into 2,000 Walmart stores across the US. Julie speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio news. You're listening to Bloomberg
Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Steneveek on Bloomberg Radio.
Shares up LifeWay Foods. It's the company bind keefer or kaffir,
depending on how you pronounce it when you see it
at the grocery store.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I don't know. You're captain yogurt.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
I am captain Yogurt. They also do probiotic smoothies, farmers
cheese and more. They swung wildly earlier this month, shares
that is, searching as much as fifteen point seven percent,
but following as much as seven point five percent to
close lower by two point five percent. That was the
day the company reported earnings that trailed and sales that
topped estimates for the quarter. I want to bring in
(00:42):
Julius Smolanski. She's CEO of the three hundred and sixty
million dollar market cap LifeWay food She joins us from
Los Angeles. Julie, good to have you back with us.
How are you great?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Well, thanks for joining us. I want to talk about
the state of the company, how you view the consumer,
but and then also talk a little bit about the
most recent news that you guys have with the known
because you've spent a lot of time on our program
talking about that. Let's start with the consumer and where
you're seeing areas of growth, because I know you last
time you spoke with us, you said, yes, Kafir is
(01:14):
certainly where we're where we're seeing growth, but we're also
branching out to other things, including Farmer's cheese, where the
areas of growth be right.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Now, Yeah, I mean we're seeing Thank you so much. Well,
LifeWay has never been stronger.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
We are going to have record growth.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
This year, record our our highest historic year of success ever.
And we're seeing a record demand for functional, nutritious, gut
healthy foods, high protein and not just protein, but high
quality bioavailable protein. Not all protein is the same, and
we're seeing it everywhere. But you know, I think smart
(01:51):
consumers are really doing deep dives and research into their
protein choices and they're going to find that.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Yeah, go ahead, I'm gonna I know, I'm going to
steal a question from Carol, but it's a GLP one
question that should always ask. Yeah, go there. You know,
Sweet Green announced this like ultra high protein salad recently,
and it's all about for GLP one users. It's like
one hundred grams of protein and a salad.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Need it for your muscles?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Are you Are you seeing this and then the move
with people on GLP ones, are you seeing them reach
for kafir.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Absolutely, it is critical that people who are on GLP ones.
And roughly fifteen percent of Americans are using a GLP
one right now and one out of three are curious
and considering it next year. And I think that's going
to be a continued rise in consumer behavior. And we
are there is an absolute necessity in consuming high quality
(02:45):
bioavailable protein to make sure that you are preventing muscle loss.
And we also see us all time high in women
using strength and muscle building exercises.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
At an all time high.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
There's a lot of kind of trends happening all at
the same time, and we're right at the center of that,
really meeting the moment at LifeWay.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
So you know, I'm just looking at all your products,
I mean, what's your money maker? What do you sell
the most of?
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Obviously plaining kafirra is our number one farmer cheese, which
we started off the program with farmer cheese has been
one of our early product number two. My father made
this in Slavic communities, Russian, Ukraine, Eastern Europe. It's which
is like a soft, unripened cheese kind of I would say,
the sexier version of cottage cheese. It's already blended, it's spreadable.
(03:38):
It's a great canvas to do a lot, and right
now it's our time to shine with Thanksgiving upon us.
We have a whole cheesecake campaign, so you can make
a healthy cheesecake with us, sweet or savory. I also
like to put this on a potato chip and some
black caviard.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
That's my favorite chef's kid.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
That's fairs.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Yeah, very fancy and healthy because again, high quality feel protein,
not synthetic lab created protein, super super important. So yeah,
we are really seeing this kind of intersection of culture
and trends and gut health and probiotics all coming together. Protein,
(04:17):
high quality dairy is back.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
You just give me an idea of some growth rates.
I'm looking at a release I think it was from
you guys or some research here that your Farmer cheese,
you guys are available in two thousand Walmart stores nationwide.
That's pretty huge. But my understanding is it's growing at
double digit year over year rates.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Is that correct? That is correct.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Yeah, we just picked up two thousand and Walmart stores.
We're in all of the Albertson's nationwide, and we are
expanding into other mass market stores really kind of following
along with Kaffir, which we have for forty years been
bringing into mainstream. So our growth is remarkable. We've had
twenty three quarters of four consecutive quarters year over year
(05:02):
of growth. That's six full years of growth we have
year to date from just for twenty twenty five, we're
at one hundred and fifty seven million. That's compared to
six years ago. We're up one hundred and twenty three percent.
So we are on fire. Our shareholder return back from
(05:24):
six years ago when we announced life Way two point
zero plan back in November exactly six years ago, our
shareholder return is eight hundred and sixty percent. So we
are really, you know, just again on fire. And this
isn't just a trend. This is something that has been
long happening. Like in Eastern year, go ahead, Well.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
I just wanted to We don't have a ton of time,
but I wanted to make sure I got into what's
been happening lately with the denown interest, because back in September,
denot And said it will no longer pursue an acquisition
of LifeWay, and said it's in the process of reviewing
alternatives for its investment it owns, according to the Bloomberg Terminal,
about twenty two point seven percent of the company. You
guys said you will continue to explore value enhancing opportunities.
(06:07):
You've formed a strategic review committee. What's going to happen
to ton unstake, Well, we've.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Registered, they've registered their shares, so you know, we will
be looking for alternatives, just like like you said. And
you know, we're really focused on our growth right now.
We have a lot of opportunities, new products that we've launched,
new collaborations and partnerships, we're expanding internationally.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
We're the number one brand in Mexico.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
But Jelly does the alternatives that you guys are exploring,
does that maybe also include maybe selling to somebody else
or are you planning to continue to go it alone.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
I mean, we believe that we are a strong company independent,
you know, as an independent company. But you know, we
always take every offer and evaluate it, and you know,
make sure that all shareholders are going to benefit from
any kind of transaction.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Part of the agreement that you made with to Known
was that you would separate the chair and CEO roles.
So now you're continuing as CEO. You're no longer chair.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
That's right?
Speaker 1 (07:08):
How I mean, what are you thinking about in terms
of your commitment to the company. Are you staying honest
as CEO for like how many more years? Your what's
your plan?
Speaker 4 (07:19):
I don't have a crystal ball, but I am very
much committed and dedicated to LifeWay. My father founded this
company and I have been CEO for twenty three years
and it is my pride and joy, and we have
done a tremendous, remarkable job in our growth and I
feel like we're just getting started. It really feels like
that startup energy founder energy. Every single day. I am
(07:43):
very excited about some of the things we've entered the
zeitgeist of culture, and that's not by accident. That is
by strategic marketing, strategic vision and leadership. And you know,
we were a wordle word in Wordle. We had our
very first NASCAR. We had the first ever keeper drone
(08:07):
show in Chicago, which we're going to.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Be making bigger next year National Keeper Day.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
So wait morning, come, okay, okay, we have to go
qu We'll have you back soon.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Julius Molanskape she's CEO of Life Wait Foods.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
This is Bloomboard
Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio news. You're listening to Bloomberg
Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Steneveek on Bloomberg Radio.
Shares up LifeWay Foods. It's the company bind keefer or kaffir,
depending on how you pronounce it when you see it
at the grocery store.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I don't know. You're captain yogurt.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
I am captain Yogurt. They also do probiotic smoothies, farmers
cheese and more. They swung wildly earlier this month, shares
that is, searching as much as fifteen point seven percent,
but following as much as seven point five percent to
close lower by two point five percent. That was the
day the company reported earnings that trailed and sales that
topped estimates for the quarter. I want to bring in
(00:42):
Julius Smolanski. She's CEO of the three hundred and sixty
million dollar market cap LifeWay food She joins us from
Los Angeles. Julie, good to have you back with us.
How are you great?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Well, thanks for joining us. I want to talk about
the state of the company, how you view the consumer,
but and then also talk a little bit about the
most recent news that you guys have with the known
because you've spent a lot of time on our program
talking about that. Let's start with the consumer and where
you're seeing areas of growth, because I know you last
time you spoke with us, you said, yes, Kafir is
(01:14):
certainly where we're where we're seeing growth, but we're also
branching out to other things, including Farmer's cheese, where the
areas of growth be right.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Now, Yeah, I mean we're seeing Thank you so much. Well,
LifeWay has never been stronger.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
We are going to have record growth.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
This year, record our our highest historic year of success ever.
And we're seeing a record demand for functional, nutritious, gut
healthy foods, high protein and not just protein, but high
quality bioavailable protein. Not all protein is the same, and
we're seeing it everywhere. But you know, I think smart
(01:51):
consumers are really doing deep dives and research into their
protein choices and they're going to find that.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Yeah, go ahead, I'm gonna I know, I'm going to
steal a question from Carol, but it's a GLP one
question that should always ask. Yeah, go there. You know,
Sweet Green announced this like ultra high protein salad recently,
and it's all about for GLP one users. It's like
one hundred grams of protein and a salad.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Need it for your muscles?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Are you Are you seeing this and then the move
with people on GLP ones, are you seeing them reach
for kafir.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Absolutely, it is critical that people who are on GLP ones.
And roughly fifteen percent of Americans are using a GLP
one right now and one out of three are curious
and considering it next year. And I think that's going
to be a continued rise in consumer behavior. And we
are there is an absolute necessity in consuming high quality
(02:45):
bioavailable protein to make sure that you are preventing muscle loss.
And we also see us all time high in women
using strength and muscle building exercises.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
At an all time high.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
There's a lot of kind of trends happening all at
the same time, and we're right at the center of that,
really meeting the moment at LifeWay.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
So you know, I'm just looking at all your products,
I mean, what's your money maker? What do you sell
the most of?
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Obviously plaining kafirra is our number one farmer cheese, which
we started off the program with farmer cheese has been
one of our early product number two. My father made
this in Slavic communities, Russian, Ukraine, Eastern Europe. It's which
is like a soft, unripened cheese kind of I would say,
the sexier version of cottage cheese. It's already blended, it's spreadable.
(03:38):
It's a great canvas to do a lot, and right
now it's our time to shine with Thanksgiving upon us.
We have a whole cheesecake campaign, so you can make
a healthy cheesecake with us, sweet or savory. I also
like to put this on a potato chip and some
black caviard.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
That's my favorite chef's kid.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
That's fairs.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Yeah, very fancy and healthy because again, high quality feel protein,
not synthetic lab created protein, super super important. So yeah,
we are really seeing this kind of intersection of culture
and trends and gut health and probiotics all coming together. Protein,
(04:17):
high quality dairy is back.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
You just give me an idea of some growth rates.
I'm looking at a release I think it was from
you guys or some research here that your Farmer cheese,
you guys are available in two thousand Walmart stores nationwide.
That's pretty huge. But my understanding is it's growing at
double digit year over year rates.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Is that correct? That is correct.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Yeah, we just picked up two thousand and Walmart stores.
We're in all of the Albertson's nationwide, and we are
expanding into other mass market stores really kind of following
along with Kaffir, which we have for forty years been
bringing into mainstream. So our growth is remarkable. We've had
twenty three quarters of four consecutive quarters year over year
(05:02):
of growth. That's six full years of growth we have
year to date from just for twenty twenty five, we're
at one hundred and fifty seven million. That's compared to
six years ago. We're up one hundred and twenty three percent.
So we are on fire. Our shareholder return back from
(05:24):
six years ago when we announced life Way two point
zero plan back in November exactly six years ago, our
shareholder return is eight hundred and sixty percent. So we
are really, you know, just again on fire. And this
isn't just a trend. This is something that has been
long happening. Like in Eastern year, go ahead, Well.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
I just wanted to We don't have a ton of time,
but I wanted to make sure I got into what's
been happening lately with the denown interest, because back in September,
denot And said it will no longer pursue an acquisition
of LifeWay, and said it's in the process of reviewing
alternatives for its investment it owns, according to the Bloomberg Terminal,
about twenty two point seven percent of the company. You
guys said you will continue to explore value enhancing opportunities.
(06:07):
You've formed a strategic review committee. What's going to happen
to ton unstake, Well, we've.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Registered, they've registered their shares, so you know, we will
be looking for alternatives, just like like you said. And
you know, we're really focused on our growth right now.
We have a lot of opportunities, new products that we've launched,
new collaborations and partnerships, we're expanding internationally.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
We're the number one brand in Mexico.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
But Jelly does the alternatives that you guys are exploring,
does that maybe also include maybe selling to somebody else
or are you planning to continue to go it alone.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
I mean, we believe that we are a strong company independent,
you know, as an independent company. But you know, we
always take every offer and evaluate it, and you know,
make sure that all shareholders are going to benefit from
any kind of transaction.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Part of the agreement that you made with to Known
was that you would separate the chair and CEO roles.
So now you're continuing as CEO. You're no longer chair.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
That's right?
Speaker 1 (07:08):
How I mean, what are you thinking about in terms
of your commitment to the company. Are you staying honest
as CEO for like how many more years? Your what's
your plan?
Speaker 4 (07:19):
I don't have a crystal ball, but I am very
much committed and dedicated to LifeWay. My father founded this
company and I have been CEO for twenty three years
and it is my pride and joy, and we have
done a tremendous, remarkable job in our growth and I
feel like we're just getting started. It really feels like
that startup energy founder energy. Every single day. I am
(07:43):
very excited about some of the things we've entered the
zeitgeist of culture, and that's not by accident. That is
by strategic marketing, strategic vision and leadership. And you know,
we were a wordle word in Wordle. We had our
very first NASCAR. We had the first ever keeper drone
(08:07):
show in Chicago, which we're going to.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Be making bigger next year National Keeper Day.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
So wait morning, come, okay, okay, we have to go
qu We'll have you back soon.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Julius Molanskape she's CEO of Life Wait Foods.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
This is Bloomboard
Hosts And Creators
Tim Stenovec
Carol Massar
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