---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001683168-26-004989"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "LWAY"
cik: "0000814586"
company_name: "Lifeway Foods, Inc."
filed_at: "2026-06-18T21:28:46+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-18T21:31:20.648595+00:00"
event_type: "other_material"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.5
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Lifeway Foods shareholders elect all director nominees, ratify auditor, approve executive compensation

## Summary
- All seven director nominees elected: Chartier, Dalto, Drori, Harris, Hultquist, McWhorter, Smolyansky.
- Jason Scher elected to board with 8.89M FOR votes vs 3.84M AGAINST.
- Ratification of Grant Thornton as auditor: 10.6M FOR, 142K AGAINST.
- Advisory vote on executive compensation approved: 9.48M FOR, 3.35M AGAINST.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001683168-26-004989
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: LWAY
- cik: 0000814586
- company_name: Lifeway Foods, Inc.
- filed_at: 2026-06-18T21:28:46+00:00
- event_type: other_material
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.5
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.07, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/814586/000168316826004989/0001683168-26-004989-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/814586/000168316826004989/lifeway_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-26-004989
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-26-004989.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-26-004989.txt

## Key facts
- Shareholder Votes
  Lifeway Foods, Inc. shareholders approved Election of Kirk Chartier, Juan Carlos Dalto, Rachel Drori, Andee Harris, Susie Hultquist, Dorri McWhorter, and Julie Smolyansky as directors at the 2026-06-17 meeting.
  - Proposal: director election
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2026-06-17
  source text: Proposal 1: According to the tabulation of voting results, the following is a record of votes cast with respect to the election of Kirk Chartier, Juan Carlos Dalto, Rachel Drori, Andee Harris, Susie Hultquist, Dorri McWhorter, and Julie Smolyansky, to serve until the 2027 Annual Meeting of the Company’s shareholders (or until successors are elected and qualified): FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES Board of Directors’ Nominees Kirk Chartier 9,526,988 3,320,276 26,844 1,108,016 Juan Carlos Dalto 9,342,348 3,528,493 3,267 1,108,016 Rachel Drori 9,318,215 3,529,061 26,832 1,108,016 Andee Harris 9,027,457 3,819,819 26,832 1,108,016 Susie Hultquist 9,527,494 3,319,572 27,042 1,108,016 Dorri McWhorter 9,025,055 3,846,089 2,964 1,108,016 Julie Smolyansky 9,331,497 3,536,740 5,871 1,108,016
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/814586/000168316826004989/0001683168-26-004989-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  Lifeway Foods, Inc. shareholders approved Ratification of Grant Thornton LLP as independent registered public accountants for year ending December 31, 2026 at the 2026-06-17 meeting.
  - Proposal: auditor ratification
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2026-06-17
  source text: Proposal 2: According to the tabulation of voting results, the shareholders ratified the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accountants for the year ending December 31, 2026: FOR: 10,600,831 AGAINST: 142,402 ABSTAIN: 3,238,891 BROKER NON-VOTES: 0
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/814586/000168316826004989/0001683168-26-004989-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  Lifeway Foods, Inc. shareholders approved Election of Jason Scher as director at the 2026-06-17 meeting.
  - Proposal: director election
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2026-06-17
  source text: Proposal 4: According to the tabulation of voting results, the following is a record of votes cast with respect to the election of Jason Scher, to serve until the 2027 Annual Meeting of the Company’s shareholders (or until a successor is elected and qualified): FOR: 8,891,948 AGAINST: 3,837,148 ABSTAIN: 145,012 BROKER NON-VOTES: 1,108,016
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/814586/000168316826004989/0001683168-26-004989-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  Lifeway Foods, Inc. shareholders approved Advisory vote on executive compensation at the 2026-06-17 meeting.
  - Proposal: say on pay
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2026-06-17
  source text: Proposal 3: According to the tabulation of voting results, the shareholders approved, on a nonbinding advisory basis, executive compensation. FOR: 9,480,869 AGAINST: 3,347,326 ABSTAIN: 45,913 BROKER NON-VOTES: 1,108,016
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/814586/000168316826004989/0001683168-26-004989-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.