Natural Food Company Lifeway Sees Big Market Opportunities

A boom in natural and organic products will drive future growth at Lifeway Foods (LWAY), a maker of kefir daiy products, according to CEO Julie Smolyansky. Lifeway currently is the market leader in kefir products, and has been expanding its product lines at national stores like Walmart (WMT). Smolyansky said millenial and social media are helping to drive healthy food trends. ‘Millenials these days are significantly more open minded than generations in the past,’ said Smolyansky. ‘They want to be considered influencers and taste makers in food. Everyone’s a foodie today. Everyone wants to share their pictures on social media of all the interesting foods that they’re eating.’ Smolyansky also said new research showing the benefits of probiotics, which are in kefir, have helped her brand. ‘Something we’re really excited about at Lifeway is the fact that there’s now research showing that literally food makes us feel good or bad mentally,’ said Smolyansky. She estimates the market for priobiotics, currently at $25 billion, will double within five years.