CORRECTION: The original article was unclear about the location of the plant that Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya acquired in 2005. It is located near New Berlin, N.Y. The text has been corrected.
In 2005, a Turkish immigrant named Hamdi Ulukaya took out a loan from the Small Business Administration and bought a closed up dairy plant in central New York. Two years later, the first cup of Chobani greek yogurt went to market.
Since then, Chobani has taken Yoplait and Dannon to school. In five years it has become the top selling yogurt in the U.S., and Ulukaya is one of the country’s newest billionaires. Today the company employs 1,200, and a second plant is on the way in Idaho.
Chobani CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya joins Marketplace Morning Report host Jeff Horwich to talk about the company’s success, plans for the future, and what Chobani has meant for the region.
Interview Extra: Listen to our full interview with Hamdi Ulukaya below.
Full Interview: Chobani’s overnight billionaire by Marketplace Radio
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