Food Dive reported the development on 2026-05-19. The dairy giant is selling off its shares in the kefir maker, ending a long and tumultuous relationship between the two companies.
The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Danone is selling its stake in Lifeway Foods months after confirming it would no longer pursue an acquisition of the fast-growing kefir maker. The dairy giant, which controls 22.7% of Lifeway, told Food Dive in a statement that it entered an agreement to sell off its shares after "having explored all options regarding our existing holding.".
For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Danone has been a shareholder of Lifeway for more than two decades and has tried to acquire the kefir maker multiple times. Danone was considering yet another play at a potential takeover last fall, but abandoned the proposal to explore opportunities within its own brands.
Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. Lifeway has seen booming sales as demand grows for ingredients like protein and fiber, with the company recently surpassing $60 million in net quarterly sales for the first time. Kefir is a fermented dairy drink that contains more probiotics than yogurt, and the category is seeing strong demand connected to the rise of GLP-1 medications for weight loss.
Food Dive
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