An undercover investigation found animal welfare violations at Woodcrest Dairy, which the report said was, at least at one time, a supplier to Coca-Cola’s Fairlife milk brand.
What’s happening?
According to World Animal News, Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) documented many cases of animal mistreatment at the Woodcrest facility in New Mexico between December 2024 and March 2025.
Workers were filmed forcibly extracting unborn calves from cows not yet in labor using chains. Newborn calves were left to suffer and die from blunt force trauma and neglect.
Investigators also recorded pregnant and sick cows being whipped, punched, kicked, and beaten with metal objects, including shovels, wrenches, and pipes. The abuse was carried out by various staff, including owners, managers, and ranch hands.
In a statement to The Cool Down, a Coca-Cola spokesperson said the company has not sourced milk from Woodcrest since 2023 and that it was never a primary supplier, and that the company stopped sourcing milk other farms in previous investigations by ARM.
“Fairlife is committed to ensuring strong animal welfare at supplying farms and has zero tolerance for animal abuse,” the spokesperson said. “Woodcrest Dairy in New Mexico is not a supplier to fairlife, and upon learning about the incident in Arizona in February, fairlife stopped accepting milk from those farms and has not received milk from them since. As a milk processor, fairlife does not own farms or cows and requires all farms that supply milk for fairlife products to adhere to stringent animal care guidelines and comply with regular 3rd-party audits.”
This marks the ninth time ARM has found abuse at a Fairlife supplier, despite the company’s public claims about sourcing from farms with high animal care standards. Since learning about these findings, Fairlife has cut ties with Select Milk Producers and quietly removed animal welfare marketing claims from its website.
ARM founder Richard Couto stated, “Fairlife milk is now a habitual offender, and Coca-Cola will be forever known as the global corporate leader in animal cruelty.”
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Why is Coca-Cola’s Fairlife milk division concerning?
The repeated pattern of animal abuse across multiple Fairlife suppliers points to system-wide problems in Coca-Cola’s oversight of its dairy supply chain. This directly affects communities through consumer deception, as many people choose Fairlife products based on promises of ethical treatment.
In February 2025, ARM released two more investigations from Arizona dairies also in Fairlife’s supply chain, where cows were stabbed, beaten, shot, and electrocuted. Thousands of calves were kept in illegal veal crates and left to suffer.
The legal consequences are mounting. In 2019, Fairlife agreed to a $21 million class action settlement for false advertising related to its animal welfare claims after similar abuse was exposed at Indiana dairies. In June 2025, a new class action lawsuit was amended to include both the Arizona and New Mexico cases.
Coca-Cola has made some good steps in other areas, such as water conservation and promises to reduce plastic waste through its World Without Waste plan. However, these animal welfare issues contradict the company’s public statements about responsible sourcing.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to include a statement from a Coca-Cola spokesperson.
What’s being done about Coca-Cola’s Fairlife practices?
ARM has submitted its findings to several authorities, including the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, the USDA, and the FDA for potential legal action.
As a consumer, you can make a difference, too. Pick plant-based milk options. If you prefer dairy products, look for brands with third-party animal welfare certifications.
Contact Coca-Cola directly through their customer service to share your concerns about Fairlife’s supply chain practices. Consumer pressure often leads to corporate policy changes more quickly than government regulations.
Sign ARM’s petition asking for accountability and real changes to Fairlife’s supply chain practices. Customer voices create public pressure that companies notice when their brand image is on the line.
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