Hamdi Ulukaya — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Serves as Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Chobani.
Founded Chobani in 2005 with a mission to make better food more accessible.
Founded the Tent Partnership for Refugees.
Led Chobani to become a billion-dollar brand five years after selling its first cup of yogurt.
Implemented innovative profit-sharing and paid parental leave programs for Chobani’s 3,000-plus employees.
Led Chobani's acquisition of La Colombe, a coffee roaster, in 2023.

Biography

Hamdi Ulukaya is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Chobani, a company recognized as a pioneer in the natural food movement. Raised in a dairy-farming family in eastern Türkiye, Ulukaya established Chobani in 2005 with the goal of making quality food more accessible. Within five years of selling its first yogurt cup, Chobani grew into a billion-dollar brand and is currently America’s best-selling yogurt. The company has since diversified its portfolio to include creamers and oat milk.