COOPERSVILLE, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – It’s been one thing after another this summer, especially in Michigan: explosive diarrhea, wildfire smoke and now concerns about potential supply issues with milk.
The latest headache comes courtesy of a ransomware attack that has forced Fairlife to suspend production at facilities across the United States, including its major West Michigan processing plant.
Michigan plant part of nationwide shutdown.
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According to a report in the Daily Mail, Coca-Cola, which owns Fairlife, disclosed July 16 that an unauthorized third party gained access to portions of the dairy company’s computer network, including production-related systems.
Fairlife responded by taking affected systems offline and temporarily halting production nationwide. The company has not said when operations will resume or how individual plants are being affected.
According to Michigan Farm News, the Chicago-based company produces a range of dairy-based products, from lactose-free milk and creamers to nutrition and protein shakes. Fairlife’s signature white and chocolate milk are made using an ultra-filtration process that concentrates protein and calcium while removing much of the milk’s natural sugar. Compared with conventional milk, the products contain 50% less sugar, 30% more calcium and 50% more protein. The products are made in facilities in Coopersville, Michigan; Goodyear, Arizona; Dexter, New Mexico; and Webster, New York.
The Coopersville facility, west of Grand Rapids, has operated since 2012, employs more than 400 workers and is one of Michigan’s largest dairy processing plants.
Milk on shelves remains safe.
Coca-Cola said the cyberattack has not affected the quality or safety of Fairlife products already in stores. However, the production shutdown has raised concerns about possible supply disruptions, as Fairlife products are found in roughly one in four U.S. households.
The company said it has notified law enforcement and activated its cybersecurity response to contain the breach, restore affected systems and resume operations as quickly as possible. The full scope and financial impact of the attack remain under investigation.
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Whether the disruption turns into empty dairy shelves remains to be seen. But after a summer of foodborne illness, wildfire smoke and now a cyberattack affecting one of America’s biggest milk brands, consumers have one more thing to keep an eye on during their next trip to the grocery store.
