A major cyberattack has forced Fairlife, a prominent milk brand owned by Coca-Cola, to halt its production operations in the United States. The incident, described as a ransomware event, involved unauthorized access by a third party to Fairlife's internal systems, including those controlling production. Hackers likely aimed to lock up systems and demand payment. Fairlife's high-protein, ultra-filtered milk products are a rapidly growing brand, a key part of Coca-Cola's diversification strategy. Coca-Cola acquired Fairlife for approximately $7 billion in 2020, and the brand surpassed $1 billion in sales by 2022. The company has engaged law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to investigate and restore systems. Fairlife's Canadian operations remain unaffected, and the safety and quality of products have not been compromised. This attack highlights a growing trend, with ransomware attacks increasing by 20% in the first half of 2026, reaching 2,500 incidents quarterly. Prominent ransomware-as-a-service groups are behind many of these attacks, targeting various sectors including healthcare and government. These groups often utilize AI-powered campaigns to execute their breaches. Coca-Cola is diligently working to resolve the issue and resume Fairlife's U.S. production.