Does fairlife add protein to their milk?

December 14, 2025 •

3 min read

According to fairlife's official FAQ, they never add protein powders or concentrates to their milk. Instead of adding protein, fairlife's high protein content is achieved through a special ultra-filtration process that concentrates the natural protein already present in the milk. This proprietary method, which also removes much of the lactose and sugar, results in a product with a different nutritional profile than conventional milk.

Quick Summary

Fairlife milk's higher protein level is not from added powders. It's the result of an ultra-filtration process that separates milk components to concentrate naturally occurring protein while reducing sugar and removing lactose.

Key Points

No Added Protein: Fairlife milk's protein content comes from concentrating the natural milk proteins, not from adding powders.
Ultra-Filtration Process: This method uses filters to separate milk into its basic components, concentrating the protein and calcium.
Higher Protein, Less Sugar: The filtration results in a product with 50% more protein and 50% less sugar than conventional milk.
Lactose-Free: The ultra-filtration process removes most of the lactose, and a lactase enzyme is added to remove the rest, making it suitable for those with lactose intolerance.
Naturally Sourced: All of the protein and calcium is inherently from the cow's milk itself, just in a more concentrated form.
Different Processing: While more 'processed' than regular milk, it's a physical separation process, not the addition of artificial ingredients or supplements.
Enhanced Nutrition: This processing method is designed to maximize key nutrients like protein and calcium while minimizing sugar content.

The Science Behind Ultra-Filtration

Fairlife's unique nutritional profile, featuring more protein and less sugar than regular milk, is achieved through a proprietary ultra-filtration process. This technology distinguishes it from traditional dairy processing and allows fairlife to meet its nutritional targets without supplementing with protein powders.

The process involves separating milk into its basic components using fine membrane filters. These filters allow smaller molecules like water and lactose to pass through, while larger protein and fat molecules are retained. The components are then recombined in specific ratios to create the final product with its desired nutritional balance.

Separating and Concentrating Milk's Goodness

Ultra-filtration allows fairlife to customize the milk's composition by separating and utilizing the 'permeate' (what passes through the filter) and the 'retentate' (the concentrated part). This process concentrates protein, reduces sugar by filtering out lactose, enhances calcium and vitamins, and removes lactose entirely by adding a lactase enzyme. The result is a milk product higher in protein and calcium, lower in sugar, and lactose-free.

Comparison of Fairlife and Regular Milk

Comparing an 8-ounce serving of fairlife whole milk to conventional whole milk highlights the nutritional impact of ultra-filtration. For detailed nutritional comparisons, including specific protein and sugar amounts, refer to fairlife's product information {Link: fairlife.com https://fairlife.com/ultra-filtered-milk/whole-milk/} or third-party analyses {Link: WFLA.com https://www.wfla.com/bloom-tampa-bay/bloom-food/whats-the-difference-between-fairlife-and-regular-milk/}.


Feature	fairlife Whole Ultra-Filtered Milk	Regular Whole Milk
Protein	More protein	Less protein
Sugar	Less sugar	More sugar
Lactose	Lactose-free	Contains lactose
Calcium	Higher concentration	Lower concentration
Processing Method	Ultra-filtration	Standard pasteurization

Is Fairlife Milk 'Over-Processed'?

While fairlife's multi-stage filtration and recombination is more advanced than standard pasteurization, it's a physical separation of milk's natural components, not the addition of artificial ingredients. For consumers seeking higher protein, lower sugar, and a lactose-free option, the processing provides clear benefits. The key is that the distinct nutritional profile is achieved through refining the existing milk components.

Conclusion: The Final Word on Fairlife's Protein

Fairlife does not add protein to their milk. The higher protein content results from their ultra-filtration process, which concentrates the natural proteins and calcium while removing much of the lactose and water. This method provides a lactose-free, high-protein, and lower-sugar milk by concentrating the milk's own components, not by adding external supplements.

Sources

Fairlife. (2025). Frequently Asked Questions.
Fairlife. (2024). fairlife Ultra-Filtered Milk | High Protein, Great Taste, Quality Care.
WFLA. (2024). What's the Difference Between Fairlife and Regular Milk? | Bloom Tampa Bay.
Fairlife. (2024). Ultra-Filtered Whole Milk.
The Bullvine. (2024). The Journey of Fairlife Milk: From Farm to Your Fridge.
WFLA. (2024). What's the Difference Between Fairlife and Regular Milk? | Bloom Tampa Bay.
Fairlife. (2025). Frequently Asked Questions.
Food & Wine. (2024). Why Is Fairlife Milk so Popular?.
Quora. (n.d.). How can ultra-filtering milk give it more protein and calcium.
McGill University Office for Science and Society. (2024). High Protein Milk; It's Not Just Milk With Added Protein Powder.
For Dietitians. (n.d.). What is Fairlife Milk?.
H-E-B. (n.d.). fairlife Whole Ultra-Filtered Milk, Lactose-Free.
TODAY.com. (2024). Should You Try Ultrafiltered Milk? It Has 2 Benefits Over Regular Milk.
Food Network. (2024). What Is Ultra-Filtered Milk, Yogurt, Dairy?.
Kalona Supernatural. (2021). Why to Avoid Ultra-Pasteurized and Ultra-Filtered Dairy.
The Bullvine. (2024). What is Ultrafiltered Milk? Benefits, Process, and Nutritional Value Explained.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fairlife uses a proprietary ultra-filtration process to concentrate the naturally occurring protein in milk, rather than adding protein powders or concentrates.

Yes, fairlife milk is considered more processed than regular milk due to its multi-stage ultra-filtration. However, this is a physical separation and recombination of the milk's natural components, not the addition of artificial ingredients.

The ultra-filtration process filters out and removes a significant portion of the naturally occurring milk sugar (lactose), resulting in a milk with 50% less sugar than regular milk.

Ultra-filtered milk is cow's milk that has been passed through fine membrane filters to separate its components based on molecular size. This allows for concentrating desirable nutrients like protein while removing other elements like lactose.

Yes, fairlife milk is lactose-free. The ultra-filtration process removes most of the lactose, and a lactase enzyme is added to eliminate any remaining lactose.

The process is said to give fairlife milk a creamier, richer taste due to the concentration of milk's natural protein and fat components.

Fairlife ultra-filtered milk typically has 50% more protein than regular milk. For example, an 8-ounce serving of fairlife 2% milk has about 13 grams of protein compared to 8 grams in regular 2% milk.