Who owns Lifeway Foods Inc?
Founded by Michael Smolyansky in the 1980s, Lifeway Foods has been run by his daughter Julie as CEO since Michael’s death in 2002, while Ludmila Smolyansky (Julie’s mother) serves as chair of the board (her consulting contract with the company was terminated at the end of last year).
Why do Russians drink kefir?
For this reason, kefir is a popular cure-all in Russia. It’s said to improve digestion and help prevent and treat gastrointestinal problems, and many Russians attribute their svelte figures to kefir, which is believed to help control appetite and manage weight.
Who owns Lifeway yogurt?
Julie Smolyansky knows what it takes to start a food business from scratch. It’s basically in her DNA. She’s the CEO of Lifeway Foods, a multi-million-dollar company that her parents started in the 1980s to introduce kefir — a probiotic, cultured dairy beverage — to the States.
What religion is Lifeway?
Lifeway Christian Stores operates 165 outlets throughout the country, serving Southern Baptists and the wider evangelical market.
Can alcoholics drink kefir?
Fermented drinks like kombucha and kefir aren’t actually alcohol-free, and drinking a lot of them could even leave you over the drunk driving limit, an Australian study conducted by Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services on behalf of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand has found.
Is there alcohol in kefir?
Fermented foods and drinks like kefir contain small amounts of alcohol. Although the alcohol content can vary depending on the specific brand and type of kefir, most varieties contain 0.5–2% alcohol ( 3 ).
Who is president of Lifeway?
Ben Mandrell
Ben Mandrell, a Southern Baptist pastor who had led churches in Tennessee and Colorado, was elected the 10th president and CEO of LifeWay in June, 2019.
Who is Julie Smolyansky?
When the millions of Ukrainian refugees beginning new lives in other countries have a chance to catch their breath, Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky has a hunch about one of the first things they’ll want: a taste of home. Infant Julie with her parents, Ludmila and Michael, in Kyiv in 1976.
What nationality is Natalia Smolyansky?
Smolyansky was born in Kyiv, Ukraine (then Ukrainian SSR ), to Jewish parents Ludmila and Michael Smolyansky. Her family immigrated to the United States when she was one. Smolyansky earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1996.
What is Julie’s connection to her family’s immigrant story?
Julie’s family has a deep emotional connection to that trauma, and their immigrant story is one that shapes everything about her approach to business and life.
What is Julie’s father’s view of the United States?
Researching where to go, Julie’s father, Michael, an engineer, was enchanted by American ideals. “He loved this idea of checks and balances, the right to speak and protest, freedom of the press, access to information, the right to vote.