Hamdi Ulukaya has led Chobani to the top of the yogurt category, and for that reason, Dairy Foods names Chobani the 2012 Processor of the Year. But the company’s influence is felt throughout the dairy industry.
In his hit song “American Saturday Night,” country singer Brad Paisley celebrates immigrants’ contributions to American culture, including pizza with Canadian bacon, beer from the Netherlands, Brazilian leather, German cars and the Beatles, not to mention “a French kiss, Italian ice and margaritas in the moonlight.”
The Greek yogurt manufacturer opened a new plant in Idaho today.
December 17, 2012
In response to a question from Dairy Foods, O'Brien said Chobani will develop non-Greek-style yogurt products and a frozen Greek yogurt product. The company is looking for "great ideas outside of Greek yogurt," he said.
The future looks bright for yogurt makers. According to Mintel’s December 2011 report on yogurt and yogurt drinks, the market will grow by 49% to reach $9.5 billion in 2016. U.S. sales shot up from $4.7 billion in 2006, to $5.5 billion in 2009, to an estimated $6.4 billion in 2011, with refrigerated yogurt—premium Greek-style yogurt in particular—leading the way.
Franklin Foods, Enosburg Falls, Vt., owners of Greek Mountain Farms, created a Greek yogurt cream cheese said to contain twice the protein and half the fat of regular cream cheese, plus live and active cultures.
In just 7 years, the company has shot to the top of the yogurt category.
December 3, 2012
Hamdi Ulukaya started the Chobani company (formerly known as Agro Farma) in 2005. With a Small Business Administration 504 loan, he bought a shuttered dairy processing facility from Kraft Foods in upstate New York and began making authentic strained Greek yogurt. Today, annual sales are about $1 billion.
Dairy Enterprises Inc., Orrville, Ohio, has expanded its Ruggles line to include low-fat Greek frozen yogurt in six flavors — original tart, vanilla bean, peach, honey, blueberry and strawberry.
What’s said to be the only non-GMO-verified and certified organic Greek yogurt on the United States market was introduced by Straus Family Creamery, Petaluma, Calif.