Lifeway Kefir products get WIC approval

MORTON GROVE - The Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children has approved three Lifeway Foods Inc. kefir products to be added the agency's UPC register.

Three kefir options are now available to WIC participants are 32 oz. bottles of original plain kefir, low-fat plain and nonfat plain.

The Pennsylvania WIC program provides nutrition services for pregnant women and mothers with a goal of improving the overall health of participants and their families. Food recommendations are tailored for recipients to meet their specific dietary needs. Products on the list, including kefir, have all been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture as options that best fit nutrition requirements for this demographic.

"The decision by The Pennsylvania WIC program to include these Lifeway Kefir products on the approved UPC register is an amazing step forward in our mission to increase access to nutritious, probiotic products," said Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky. "We firmly believe that microbiome support is a vital issue, and everyone should be empowered to make choices that positively impact their health and well-being."

Gaining WIC approval in Pennsylvania is part of Lifeway Foods' broader initiative to increase the accessibility of healthy, microbiome-supporting products across all 50 states.

USDA recently clarified their guidance on the inclusion of kefir - a high-protein, fermented dairy beverage - to make it clear that kefir is one of the category of cultured milk products that state WIC agencies can approve for their participants and families.