Hamdi Ulukaya — The decisions behind Chobani

From a closed yoghurt factory to an international food group. Which decisions made the difference?

Hamdi Ulukaya moved from Turkey to the United States, where he first built a small feta cheese business. In 2005 he saw an unexpected opportunity: a former yoghurt factory that a large food producer had closed. He decided to take over the factory and developed a new product with a small team. That became Chobani, a company that was already reporting more than $1.4 billion in revenue in 2020.

But behind that success lies a far more complicated story.

In this independent FOREFACT publication you discover how Hamdi Ulukaya built his first business, took over the closed factory, developed his yoghurt, got into supermarkets and grew Chobani into an international food group.

It doesn’t only cover the successes. It also examines the financial uncertainty, loans, production risks, food safety, and difficult choices about investors, employee share ownership and international acquisitions.

From story to practice

This is more than a founder biography. As you read, you are challenged to make decisions yourself. In six in-depth Decision Labs you learn, among other things, how to assess an acquisition financially, calculate product costs and losses, monitor cash flows, interpret financial results, look into employee share ownership and analyse the risks of large acquisitions.

What do you get?

• 38 pages with the full founder story.

• Eight chronological chapters on how Chobani developed.

• Six Decision Labs with business theory and worked examples.

• Six digitally fillable worksheets with 24 answer fields in total.

• Financial calculations, historical decision points and a timeline.

• A six-week Reality Test to apply the lessons yourself.

• 26 source references for further reading and verification.

Who is this guide for?

For curious readers, future entrepreneurs and anyone who wants to understand how an existing factory can become the foundation of an international business. Also of interest if you want to learn more about product development, manufacturing companies, financing, investors, employee share ownership and business growth.

You don’t just read how Chobani grew. You examine which decisions, risks and lessons you can apply yourself.

Digital product · 38 pages · PDF · Available immediately after purchase

This publication was developed independently by FOREFACT and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani or any affiliated companies.