Where do fairlife products come from?

November 24, 2025 •

3 min read

Fairlife, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, sources its milk from a network of carefully selected dairy farms in both the United States and Canada. This process combines milk from dedicated suppliers with proprietary ultra-filtration technology to create the brand's distinctive, nutrient-enhanced products.

Quick Summary

Fairlife products are made using milk from partner dairy farms in North America, supplied through cooperatives like Select Milk Producers. The milk undergoes a proprietary ultra-filtration process at various production facilities, concentrating protein and calcium while reducing sugar, before being bottled and distributed.

Key Points

Sourced from North America: fairlife sources milk from a network of partner dairy farms across the U.S. and Canada.
Select Milk Producers Cooperative: The company originated as a joint venture with Select Milk Producers, a cooperative of dairy farms that remains a key milk supplier.
Ultra-Filtration Process: fairlife uses patented ultra-filtration to separate milk components, concentrating protein and calcium while filtering out lactose and excess sugar.
Owned by Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola Company became the sole owner of fairlife in 2020, overseeing its distribution and continued growth.
Production Facilities: U.S. production occurs at plants in states like Michigan, Arizona, and New York, while Canadian milk is processed in Ontario.
Ongoing Ethical Concerns: The brand has faced animal welfare controversies related to its suppliers, which challenge its public commitments to humane practices.

fairlife's Journey: From Farm to Filtration

Founded in 2012 by Mike and Sue McCloskey, fairlife was created with the vision of producing better-tasting, more nutritious milk using innovative technology. The brand's journey begins on partner dairy farms, where stringent standards for milk quality and animal welfare are expected. This network of supplying farms is critical to providing the high-quality raw milk needed for fairlife's unique production process. After milking, the raw milk is quickly chilled to maintain freshness before being transported in specialized tankers to one of fairlife's production facilities.

The Role of Select Milk Producers

From its inception, fairlife has been deeply connected with Select Milk Producers, a large dairy cooperative. This cooperative of family-owned farms initially launched the Core Power product line, which eventually led to the creation of the fairlife joint venture with The Coca-Cola Company in 2012. While fairlife itself does not own the cows or farms, its reliance on and relationship with this cooperative ensures a consistent supply of milk that meets its specific quality requirements. In 2020, Coca-Cola acquired the remaining stake, making fairlife a 100% owned subsidiary but retaining this established sourcing relationship.

The Ultra-Filtration Process Explained

What truly sets fairlife apart is its patented ultra-filtration process, which takes place at its processing plants. This is the stage where the raw milk's composition is transformed. The process involves flowing the milk through special filters, or membranes, that separate its components based on molecular size. The process separates raw milk into its five main components: water, minerals, lactose, protein, and fat. The filtration concentrates the protein and calcium, while filtering out water and lactose, resulting in a product with more protein, calcium, and less sugar than traditional milk. This method is crucial to fairlife's nutritional profile.

Production Facilities: A Growing North American Footprint

fairlife has expanded its production to multiple plants in North America.

Comparison of fairlife Production Facilities


Facility Location	Region Served	Key Development Notes	Sourcing Information
Coopersville, Michigan	U.S. (Midwest)	Original SMP ultrafiltration plant.	Sourced from U.S. partner farms, including Select Milk Producers.
Goodyear, Arizona	U.S. (Southwest)	Opened in 2021.	Sourced from local dairy farms in and around Goodyear.
Webster, New York	U.S. (Northeast)	New facility under construction, operational 2025.	Will source milk from dairy farms in the Northeast region.
Peterborough, Ontario	Canada	Became operational in late 2020.	Sources 100% of its milk from Canadian dairy farms.

Animal Welfare Standards and Controversy

fairlife states it is committed to high animal welfare standards among its suppliers. However, the brand faced controversy in 2019 after video showed abuse at a former supplier, Fair Oaks Farms. fairlife ended its relationship with the farm, implemented stricter audits, and settled a lawsuit. Despite these actions, new abuse allegations at other supplier farms were reported in 2025.

Conclusion: A Complex Supply Chain

fairlife products come from a network of dairy farms in the U.S. and Canada. The milk undergoes a proprietary ultra-filtration process to enhance its nutritional content. While fairlife promotes high farming and animal welfare standards, it has encountered controversies challenging these claims. As a Coca-Cola subsidiary, fairlife's supply chain and ethical responses remain points of consumer interest. For more on ultra-filtration, see U.S. Dairy resources.

Note: While fairlife asserts a commitment to animal welfare, ongoing controversies suggest that oversight and accountability within its supply chain are complex issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

The fairlife brand is 100% owned by The Coca-Cola Company, which completed its acquisition of the remaining stake from former partner Select Milk Producers in 2020.

fairlife operates processing plants in the United States in locations like Coopersville, Michigan; Goodyear, Arizona; and the upcoming facility in Webster, New York. In Canada, a plant is located in Peterborough, Ontario.

No, fairlife does not add extra protein powders. The higher protein content is achieved by concentrating the milk's naturally occurring protein through its unique ultra-filtration process.

fairlife milk is lactose-free because its ultra-filtration process removes most of the naturally occurring lactose. A lactase enzyme is also used to ensure complete lactose removal.

fairlife's products are not certified as organic. The company does partner with specific supplying farms and expects them to adhere to high standards of animal care and milk quality.

Ultra-filtration is a process where milk is passed through special filters to separate its components. This allows for the concentration of protein and calcium while filtering out lactose and some water, resulting in a nutrient-dense final product.

Yes, fairlife has faced controversy regarding animal welfare, most notably following an undercover investigation in 2019 that showed abuse at a key supplier farm. While fairlife cut ties with the farm and promised reform, later allegations have continued to arise.