Chobani

Chobani was founded in 2005 by Turkish-Kurdish businessman Hamdi Ulukaya. He chose the name Chobani as a variation of the modern Turkish word çoban, from Ottoman Turkish چوبان : čobân; itself derived from Persian چوپان : čupân meaning "shepherd."[9][10][11]

Chobani was inspired by Ulukaya's childhood spent raising sheep and goats and making cheese with his family.[12] Not impressed by the yogurt options available in the United States, Ulukaya made strained yogurt at his home in Upstate NY.[13] In 2005, after seeing an ad for a former Kraft Foods yogurt plant for sale in South Edmeston, New York, Ulukaya bought it with a Small Business Administration Loan.[14] He launched the strained yogurt business with the help of a handful of the plant's former employees. His goal was to provide Americans with a more authentic, nutritious and accessible yogurt.[13] In less than five years after launch, Chobani realized over $1 billion in annual sales and became the leading seller of Greek yogurt in America.[15][16]

In November 2011, Chobani expanded into Victoria, Australia through the purchase of Victorian dairy company Bead Foods.[17] It then invested $30m to expand the facility and began manufacturing from the Dandenong South plant in December 2012.[18]

In 2012, Chobani became an official sponsor of the US Olympic Team[19] and premiered their first national commercial during the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.[20]

In 2012, the brand opened its second plant in what became the world's largest yogurt facility in Twin Falls, Idaho, with an initial investment of $750 million. The move created approximately 7,000 jobs, and unemployment rates in the region dropped from 6.3% to 2.4%.[21]

Chobani also opened its first brick-and-mortar cafe in SoHo, NYC in July 2012.[22][23][24]

In 2013, Chobani was ordered to change their yogurt's labeling in England and Wales after a judge ruled that the wording "Greek yoghurt" (rather than Greek-style) misled consumers into thinking the yogurt was made in Greece (yogurt imported from Greece is sold in Britain, and is the only type sold as "Greek").[25][26]

On September 3, 2013, Chobani pulled some of its Greek-style yogurt from supermarket shelves after hearing of "swelling or bloating" in cups. The company said it has investigated and found a type of mold commonly found in dairy that may be to blame.[27] Chobani announced a voluntary recall on September 5 in cooperation with the FDA.[28] On September 9, 2013, the FDA reported at least 89 people reported becoming sick after eating the yogurt.[29]

The Twin Falls plant won the 2013 DBIA Design-Build Project of the Year award and the 2013 Food Plant of the Year award from Food Engineering magazine.[30]

In April 2016, CEO Hamdi Ulukaya announced that he would be giving Chobani employees 10% of the company's shares.[31][32] In October 2016 the company announced it was implementing a program to give six weeks of paid parental leave to new parents.[33]

Chobani introduced its products into Mexico in August 2016.[34]

In 2017, Chobani surpassed Yoplait as the No. 2 manufacturer in overall yogurt.[35] That same year, the company introduced new packaging and a new brand identity as a “food-focused wellness company.” [36] The company also announced a $20 million expansion of the Twin Falls plant, with a 70,000 square-foot sustainable facility and a new global research and development center.[37]

When Chobani was launched, Greek yogurt made up less than 1% of the yogurt market in the U.S. As of 2017, Greek yogurt accounted for 50% of U.S. yogurt sales.[38]

In the spring of 2018, CEO Hamdi Ulukaya appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show[39] and Good Morning America to announce that the company was celebrating its 10th anniversary as a national brand by giving a Chobani yogurt to every person in America.[40]

In August 2018, the company launched Chobani Savor, a brand for their yogurt-based condiment.[41]

In November 2019, Chobani introduced plant-based beverages made with organic oats and Chobani Coffee Creamer, made with milk and cream that comes naturally from the company's yogurt-making process.[42]

Chobani states that its mission is to provide "better food to more people,"[43] and it identifies as a "food-focused wellness company." [44]

In 2016, following reports on Chobani's practice of employing refugees, the company received calls for boycotts and death threats. Approximately 30% of Chobani's 2,000 employees are legally resettled refugees and immigrants.[67]

In April 2017, Chobani filed a defamation lawsuit in Idaho state court against Alex Jones following a number of allegations made on the InfoWars website.[68] As a result of the lawsuit, Jones issued an apology and retracted his allegations on May 17, 2017.[69]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chobani.

• Chobani Official website