How I Built This with Guy Raz

Chobani: Hamdi Ulukaya

Nov 14, 2022
Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of Chobani, shares his incredible journey from a Turkish immigrant to the yogurt kingpin of America. He discusses the pivotal moment of purchasing an abandoned factory and the fierce determination that helped him create Chobani from the ground up. Hamdi dives into the challenges of navigating the yogurt industry, including the hurdles of securing shelf space and the lessons learned from overcoming a devastating product recall. His story is a testament to resilience, innovation, and community commitment.
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ANECDOTE

Isolated Upbringing

  • Hamdi Ulukaya grew up in a semi-nomadic community in the mountains of Turkey, isolated from modern life.
  • Their only exposure to the outside world came from stories of those returning from cities or military service.
ANECDOTE

Stranger's Advice

  • Initially intending to go to Europe, a stranger's advice led Hamdi Ulukaya to America.
  • The stranger, a former US student, suggested the US, changing Ulukaya's trajectory.
ANECDOTE

Unexpected Invitation

  • A teacher, impressed by Ulukaya's "how to make cheese" essay, invited him to her upstate New York farm.
  • This experience exposed him to rural New York and sparked his desire to leave city life.
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