Food & Beverage

Chobani

Founded by Hamdi Ulukaya, who emigrated from Turkey in 1994

Over $1B in annual sales · a $1.2B new production plant announced in New York in 2025

The Founder’s Story

Ulukaya bought a shuttered yogurt plant in upstate New York in 2005 and built Chobani into one of the country’s best-known food brands. He remains CEO and majority owner.

Real Impact

Employment

Committed in 2022 to hiring 200 refugees company-wide over three years, including at its Twin Falls, Idaho plant. [KTVB]
In 2016, founder Hamdi Ulukaya granted profit-sharing stock worth up to ~10% of the company to all ~2,000 employees at the time. [NPR]

Locally Sourced Products

Sources fresh milk exclusively from farms near its Idaho and New York plants “since day one,” and holds New York State Grown & Certified and Idaho Preferred certifications. [PR Newswire]
Pledged $2 million in grants over 10 years to dairy-farming communities, plus dairy-science scholarships at Cornell and the University of Idaho. [PR Newswire]

Charitable & Community Work

Has donated 10% of company profits to charity via the Chobani Foundation since its founding; founder Hamdi Ulukaya has signed the Giving Pledge. [UNHCR]
Ulukaya founded the Tent Partnership for Refugees in 2016, a business coalition connecting refugees to jobs; Chobani is a founding member. [Tent Partnership]

Sources: Wikipedia · NY Governor's office · KTVB · NPR · PR Newswire · UNHCR · Tent Partnership

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