Chobani Plans Expansion of its Idaho Facility and Launches Meze Dips and Drinks

Chobani, LLC is self-funding a number of major expansion to its manufacturing facility in Twin Falls, Idaho, which will be used to drive continued growth in the region, the state and the community, and expand production capability to meet demand for new and existing products.

As the yogurt category and overall consumption continues to grow, Chobani is self-funding major expansion initiatives, including:

"Building the largest yogurt manufacturing plant in the world and expanding it three years later is a really proud moment for us and an example of how right it was to pick Idaho as our second home," says Hamdi Ulukaya, chairman and chief executive officer of Chobani. "Our success in Idaho and New York is an example of the power and strength of U.S. manufacturing. To food companies like ours, it's a signal of the momentum of the food movement that we started: better food for more people."

Chobani commissioned its second domestic manufacturing facility in Twin Falls, Idaho, in 2013. The company had previously invested more than $450 million to build the one million square foot, world-class operation. The initial construction was completed in an unprecedented 326 days, with more than 2,000 men and women who put in more than 1.7 million man hours to build the state-of-the-art facility from the ground up.

In addition to expansion plans in Twin Falls, the company is also exploring plans to expand its original plant in Central New York.

Chobani works closely with its communities in Twin Falls and Central New York to support local initiatives. In its three years in Idaho, Chobani has initiated a job training program in conjunction with the College of Southern Idaho and The Chobani Foundation, Chobani's charitable arm, has supported several projects, including the Twin Falls Downtown Renaissance Project, Special Olympics Idaho, the Canyon Rim Classic Soccer Tournament, numerous hunger relief agencies and Veterans service organizations.

The company currently receives up to 4-million pounds of fresh milk from local farms in New York and Idaho every day and employs more than 2,000 people. For every hire Chobani makes, it is estimated that up to 10 jobs are created in its communities.

On the heels of the its Chobani "Flip" product success, Chobani recently unveiled its plans to expand and invest beyond the yogurt aisle with two new products that build on the Mediterranean tradition of shared spreads with Chobani Meze Dips and portable protein with Drink Chobani beverage—all true to Chobani's food philosophy of using only natural, non-GMO ingredients with no artificial preservatives. 

"For us, when it comes to food, innovation means sticking to our roots, using simple recipes and only natural ingredients to build on our momentum and guide us into new areas that could use some better options," says Peter McGuinness, chief marketing and brand officer at Chobani. "Chobani's founding mission is to make better food for more people and as a brand we're expanding into two new categories like drinks and savory dips to give consumers what they're looking for: delicious, nutritious, natural food that's accessible to everyone."

Rooted in the rich tradition of the Mediterranean table and inspired by global flavors, Chobani Meze Dips feature real veggies, herbs and spices blended with creamy Greek Yogurt. It is crafted in the tradition of Mediterranean "mezé," a Turkish term for a tasty, flavorful snack, with recipes that blend everyday tastes with artisanal palates, offering an everyday snacking option. Chobani Meze Dips are made with only natural ingredients and are perfect for dipping vegetables, chips or pretzels. 

The four Chobani Meze Dip flavors include: Roasted Red Pepper, a sweet and slightly hot mix of fire roasted peppers; Three-Pepper Salsa, a bold blend of green peppers, chili peppers & jalapeno peppers with tomatoes and herbs; Chili Lime, a thick, tangy blend of lime and light spice, with notes of ranch-style herbs; and Smoked Onion Parmesan, a smoky mix that combines bold onions with the rich, nuttiness of parmesan cheese.

Chobani Meze Dips will be available nationwide beginning June 2016 in the chilled deli aisle at grocery stores and retailers in 10-ounce containers.

Drink Chobani beverage pushes the brand into a new territory, offering a smooth and simple yogurt drink for a rejuvenating and refreshing burst of flavor on-the-go, featuring pure flavors including Mixed Berry, Strawberry Banana, Apple Cucumber Spinach and Mango.

Drink Chobani will be available nationwide beginning July 2016 at grocery stores and retailers in 10-ounce bottles.