Udderly good dairy

Ultra-filtration results in lactose-free milk with more protein and less sugar than regular dairy

When you think about milk, what comes to mind? For Costco supplier Fairlife, the wholesome beverage you’ve loved your whole life is more than just a drink: It’s a way to nourish the modern world through the power of dairy. “We’re able to do this by following our mission statement,” says Fairlife CEO Tim Doelman.

He explains that this mission includes “an unwavering commitment to providing better nutrition for people, working with our farm partners to provide better care to the cows that provide us milk and working each day to find better ways to operate and deliver our products to support a more sustainable future.”

Nutrition-rich milk

Founded in 2012, Fairlife has quickly become known for its great-tasting, rich-in- nutrition dairy products made with ultra- filtered milk. According to Doelman, this means that “we start with high-quality milk that we quick-chill before running it through soft filters. This ultra-filtration technology allows us to concentrate the proteins naturally found in milk while reducing the natural milk sugars.”

The result is a lactose-free milk with more protein and less sugar than regular dairy milk. This ultra-filtered milk is the base for every product in the company’s portfolio, including Fairlife Nutrition Plan, which is currently sold in Costco warehouses and at Costco.com.

“I always say that Fairlife is a nutrition company first, and that is what all our products strive to provide: great nutrition powered by dairy that also tastes incredible,” Doelman says. “Through our innovative approach we’re able to provide more protein and less sugar while still maintaining the creamy and delicious taste of milk.”

Legen-dairy farms

Starting with the belief that dairy—already a superfood—could be made even better, the Fairlife brand and company evolved from a high-protein dairy shake originally launched by Dallas-based Select Milk Producers as Athletes HoneyMilk.

Today, Fairlife works with approximately 30 dairy farms across the United States that share its commitment to animal care [see “Farm animal welfare”].

“Animal care continues to be a top priority for Fairlife, so much so that we’ve hired a veterinary doctor full time to oversee our audit process [and] relationships with supplying farms, and lead our Animal Advisory Council,” explains Lisa Lecas, head of communications for Fairlife. “This council is made up of independent animal welfare experts.”

Building a sustainable future

It’s not just animal care that sets Fairlife apart. “We have a saying at Fairlife—‘Believe in Better’—and that extends far beyond our products,” Doelman says.

Sustainability is a journey, and the company prides itself on making progress in reducing the environmental impacts from the production and manufacturing of its products. “We had the honor of being ranked first out of 18 large U.S. dairy processors for the most sustainable dairy practices in 2020 by The Sustainability Consortium,” Doelman says. “Through direct shipping, we’ve been able to eliminate 3.6 million pounds of carbon waste, and our new, state-of-the-art plant in Goodyear, Arizona, is our most efficient to date, reducing energy and water waste significantly from our production process. We’re also continuing to work toward our goal of converting all packaging to 100% recyclable material.”

With nutrition, sustainability and animal welfare at the forefront, Fairlife continues to keep moo-ving forward.