The American beverage giant The Coca-Cola Company has filed a disclosure with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), confirming that its wholly-owned dairy subsidiary, Fairlife, was hit by a ransomware attack. This incident has severely impacted its production systems, leading to the announcement of a temporary shutdown across all of the brand's production facilities in the United States.

In its report, Coca-Cola stated that due to this cyberattack, Fairlife's business operations are expected to remain shut down for the foreseeable future. However, its operations in Canada are currently unaffected. As of now, the company has not provided a specific timeline for when the affected systems are expected to be restored to normal operation.

Industry analysis points out that ransomware attacks targeting food and beverage companies often lead to prolonged disruptions. Previously, similar attacks on Arizona Beverages and the food distribution giant UNFI resulted in production line paralysis lasting for weeks, causing widespread stock shortages in downstream retail and supermarket channels.

As one of the world's largest beverage manufacturers, The Coca-Cola Company's product portfolio spans carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, dairy, and other segments. The affected brand, Fairlife, is a core part of Coca-Cola's strategy in the dairy market, with its 2024 sales estimated to have reached $4 billion.