Dairy Drama Hits Lifeway Foods And Ben & Jerry’s

In this episode: On CPG Week, the podcast team talks about Danone’s repeated attempts to acquire kefir brand Lifeway Foods and a pending lawsuit pitting an ice cream brand against its parent company. The podcast begins with a conversation about Pizza Hut, tomato wine and why Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous has a soft spot for the pizza chain’s salad bar. The team goes on to discuss Danone North America’s offers to acquire kefir brand Lifeway Foods and how it relates to the family battle surrounding the company. Then, the hosts discuss a lawsuit filed by Ben & Jerry’s against its owner, Unilever. Show Highlights: 0:30 - The group discusses the potential drinkability of Pizza Hut’s Pizza Wine launch and Brad’s love of banana pepper and pineapple-laden pies. 3:30 - Lukas explains the back-and-forth that has taken place in the last two months between Lifeway Foods and its minority shareholder Danone North America, which has offered two bids to acquire the kefir brand. 5:15 - Brad provides some background on the feud between Lifeway’s controlling family, the Smolyanskys. 7:15 - The team discusses why Lifeway Foods thinks Danone’s offers are undervaluing the probiotic dairy company. (Since recording the episode, Lifeway has rejected the second acquisition offer). 9:00 - Monica describes why Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is suing its parent company Unilever and how it sets up a fraught conversation over business versus mission in relation to the war in Gaza. About the CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

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