Lifeway Foods Executives to Ring Nasdaq’s Closing Bell March 14 to Celebrate the Release of The Kefir Cookbook, Women’s History Month

MORTON GROVE, Ill., March 13, 2018 -- Lifeway Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq:LWAY) announced today that CEO Julie Smolyansky and Chairwoman of the Board Ludmila Smolyansky will ring the closing bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange at 4 p.m. Eastern time on March 14, 2018, to celebrate the release of Julie Smolyansky’s book, The Kefir Cookbook, and to mark Women’s History Month. Nasdaq Managing Director Pam Buchanan will interview Julie Smolyansky on March 13 from 1:30 to 2 p.m. on Facebook Live, streaming the discussion on Nasdaq’s Facebook page.

The Kefir Cookbook by Julie Smolyansky

Julie Smolyansky, who became the youngest female CEO in Nasdaq history when she took the reins of the company in 2002, is on tour for the launch of her first book, which is now available at leading booksellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and other outlets and can be ordered online at www.thekefircookbook.com. Part memoir, part meditation on resilience and part tribute to the immigrant parents who founded Lifeway Foods, The Kefir Cookbook is a Julie’s unique take on recipes and cooking methods that have helped to influence the resurgent interest in fermented foods. It’s also a collection of stories that highlight the contributions by women on culture, wellness and health.

“My parents, Michael and Ludmila Smolyansky, escaped the former Soviet Union to start a new life in America,” Julie Smolyansky said. “Kefir was a staple in their homeland, and they shared their love for this amazing superfood with their new country, building an amazing company and living the American dream as hardworking immigrants in a way that remains an inspiration, especially today. I’m so proud to share our family’s story, which, like many immigrant tales, parallels in many ways the history of kefir, which started in small villages, persisted through adversity and eventually made its mark worldwide.”

With an appreciation for the past and a focus on nurturing the future, Smolyansky’s book is in keeping with Nasdaq’s current theme, #RewriteTomorrow. Lifeway Foods is now the top manufacturer of kefir, an ancient, dairy-based superfood that is rich in probiotics, which provide many documented health benefits by promoting gut health. A growing body of peer-reviewed research indicates that gut health is essential for wellness, and the unique probiotics in kefir promote digestive balance. Lifeway Foods offers a diverse line of kefir-based products, including beverages, cheeses, snacks and supplements.  

Anticipating growing demand for dairy alternatives, Lifeway Foods has also recently introduced several new vegan products, including Plantiful, a plant-based probiotic beverage, and a line of sparkling probiotic Elixir drinks — organic, non-dairy, carbonated tonics that come in four flavors: Tangerine, Hibiscus, Ginger and Elderberry. Lifeway has also released a new Organic Skyr line, a small-batch probiotics snack inspired by an ancient staple of Icelandic cuisine.

Following the closing bell and book tour events in New York, Julie Smolyansky will promote The Kefir Cookbook in the Chicago area. Get more details at www.lifewaykefir.com/the-kefir-cookbook-tour. Learn more about Lifeway’s line of healthy, delicious probiotic products at www.lifewayfoods.com.

About Lifeway Foods, Inc.
Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY), recently named one of Forbes’ Best Small Companies, is America’s leading supplier of the probiotic fermented beverage known as kefir. In addition to its line of drinkable kefir, the company also produces frozen kefir, specialty cheeses, probiotic supplements and a ProBugs line for kids. Lifeway’s tart and tangy cultured dairy products are now sold across North America, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Learn how Lifeway is good for more than just you at Lifewaykefir.com.

Company Contact:
Derek Miller
847-967-1010
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4a78bd07-ecd0-4dc0-8036-d96c6ab24529