Hamdi Ulukaya Bought an Old Yogurt Plant in 2005
Hamdi Ulukaya is founder and CEO of Chobani. In 2005 he bought a closed yogurt factory in South Edmeston, New York, and started the company there. Within five years of its first cup of yogurt, Chobani had become a billion-dollar business.
| Role | Founder and Chief Executive Officer |
|---|---|
| Company | Chobani |
| Headquarters | New York, United States |
| Industry | Food and Beverage |
| In role since | 2005 |
| Born | 1972, İliç, Erzincan, Turkey |
| Education | Studied political science at Ankara University; English at Adelphi University; business courses at the University at Albany |
| Company website | www.chobani.com |
From a Turkish Dairy Village to a Feta Business in New York
- Grew up on his family’s dairy farm in İliç, eastern Turkey
- 1994: moved to the United States to study English
- 2002: opened Euphrates, a small feta cheese plant in Johnstown, New York
- 2005: founded Chobani
- 2016: founded the Tent Partnership for Refugees
- 2023: Chobani bought the coffee roaster La Colombe
He has signed the Giving Pledge. Since 2022 Chobani has donated more than 6.4 million pounds of food to fight hunger in the United States. Tent has more than 300 company members that hire refugees.
Chobani’s Sales, Staff and Coffee Brand
Chobani sells Greek yogurt, oat milk, creamers and La Colombe coffee drinks, including cold-pressed espresso and lattes on tap at 32 La Colombe cafes. The company is privately held. Its revenue rose 29% to $3.8 billion in 2025, and it has said it expects earnings to grow in 2026 as it spends on new capacity.
Chobani has more than 3,000 employees and is known for profit-sharing and paid parental leave.
