Chobani
As a newly arrived immigrant from Turkey, Hamdi Ulukaya possessed the resourcefulness, determination, and stubbornness that would prove essential for building a business from scratch. Running a small feta cheese business in upstate New York, Hamdi received a piece of junk mail that would alter his trajectory: an ad for an abandoned yogurt factory listed at $700K. He saw an opportunity to bring authentic Turkish yogurt to America—the thick, creamy product he'd grown up eating in the mountains of Turkey.
With financing from a local bank, Hamdi purchased the factory and immediately began production. The response was extraordinary. Sales grew so quickly that he could barely keep up with demand, suggesting he'd struck upon something the American market was hungry for.
Despite navigating some treacherous terrain—bad business decisions nearly pushed the company into bankruptcy—Chobani survived and thrived. Today, it stands as one of the most popular yogurt brands in the U.S., and Greek-style yogurt has become a staple fixture in dairy aisles across the country.
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