• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation

2

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

3

Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem

1

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation

2

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

3

Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
FamilyMichelle Obama

Michelle Obama has launched a healthy food-and-drink brand to get children to forgo sugar: ‘We want to contribute to the larger calling’

Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 3, 2023, 7:35 PM ET
A picture of Michelle Obama smiling
Michelle Obama is launching a new food-and-beverage brand.Weiss Eubanks—NBCUniversal/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The former first lady has a new mission: to make children healthier. 

Recommended Video

On Wednesday, Michelle Obama announced the launch of a new health-focused food-and-drink brand, PLEZi Nutrition, that’s targeted at fighting child obesity. 

“Our goal—to make products with real nutrition, to be an ally that parents can trust,” Obama said at the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival on Wednesday, where she announced PLEZi’s launch. “We want to be a huge part of helping create a healthier generation for all children.”

The first of the company’s products is a fruity drink with no added sugar and only 35 calories (compared to roughly 150 calories in some sugary drinks) that comes in multiple flavors. The drink is already available at a limited number of Target and Sprouts stores across the U.S. In the coming years, the company plans to introduce snacks and other products.

Obama is PLEZi Nutrition’s cofounder and strategic partner, and the company will be led by a team of public health, nutrition, and parenting specialists. 

As First Lady, Obama spearheaded the Let’s Move initiative to promote exercising and healthy eating from a young age. Launched in 2010, the campaign spurred action at the national level through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that provided increased funding to public schools to offer healthier meal options. Obama also worked with major food manufacturers to reduce the calorie count in their products.

But Obama said she faced obstacles in bringing real change to children’s nutrition, even while at the White House.

“I’ve learned that on this issue, if you want to change the game, you can’t just work from the outside—you’ve got to get inside,” Obama said. “You’ve got to find ways to change the food and beverage industry itself.”

She called out food brands that preyed on children’s cravings for sugar and other unhealthy ingredients instead of catering to their nutritional needs. 

“Businesses are designed to give people what they want, not what they need,” Obama said. 

In the U.S., about 20% of the children aged 19 and under are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Daily added-sugar consumption, linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes and heart diseases, within that same age group is significantly higher than the recommended level, negatively impacting the health outcomes of children from a young age. 

The motto of PLEZi Nutrition, Obama said, is to offer products that are full of nutrients like fiber and potassium. But the key is to have children keep coming back for more. 

“We’ve learned that innovation without great taste is meaningless because we really want kids to stop choosing soda and sugary drinks,” Obama said, adding that the PLEZi drinks were made with the idea of changing how children consume drinks. “A small innovation in an industry that can significantly improve the health outcomes for our kids.”

“We want to contribute to the larger calling—something bigger than just our bottom line,” Obama said. 

To that end, PLEZi Nutrition will be run as a public benefit company, or a corporation created with the motive of doing social good while turning a profit. 

“I want other companies to know that PLEZi is coming and I want to challenge all companies to do better than us. Out-innovate us,” Obama said. “That’s the scale of change I’m hoping to spur.”

About the Author
Prarthana Prakash
By Prarthana PrakashEurope Business News Reporter
LinkedIn icon

Prarthana Prakash was a Europe business reporter at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Family

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Family

OpenAI CEO says his kids will ‘never be smarter than AI’— and that his parenting style relies on ChatGPT
FamilyParenting
OpenAI CEO says his kids will ‘never be smarter than AI’— and that his parenting style relies on ChatGPT
By Ani FreedmanJune 20, 2025
1 year ago
Child clinging to the leg of an unseen parent
FamilyParenting
Here’s why giving your kid the silent treatment is ‘one of the worst types of punishment’
By Beth GreenfieldJune 4, 2025
1 year ago
RFK Jr. speaks into a microphone
HealthBabies
RFK Jr. has ordered the FDA to review baby formula. Here’s what you should know
By Jonel Aleccia and The Associated PressJune 3, 2025
1 year ago
Child getting a vaccine
HealthCOVID-19 vaccines
What you need to know about Moderna’s new COVID vaccine, just approved by the FDA
By Beth GreenfieldJune 2, 2025
1 year ago
An adolescent boy on a smartphone
LifestyleParenting
Parents are worried about their kids’ smartphone use—but less than half fully utilize parental controls, research finds
By Beth GreenfieldMay 29, 2025
1 year ago
Young mom holding baby
LifestyleParenting
Clues into Gen Z parenting styles can be found in their approach to these two powerful elements
By Beth GreenfieldMay 9, 2025
1 year ago

Most Popular

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
Cybersecurity
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
By Jeremy Kahn and Emily ForliniJuly 21, 2026
1 day ago
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
2 days ago
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
AI
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
1 day ago
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
Success
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
By Emma BurleighJuly 21, 2026
1 day ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
2 days ago
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
6 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.