Chobani announced plans to expand to markets in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to capitalize on the company’s domestic momentum. Chobani became available in Panama over the past several weeks and will be available throughout the Caribbean shortly.
The company plans to begin exporting single-serve cups of plain, blood orange, blueberry, honey, mango, raspberry, passion fruit and strawberry flavors, as well as multi-serve containers to Asian markets, starting with Malaysia and Singapore. These shipments will originate at Chobani’s manufacturing facility in Australia, which has grown its production over the past year from 25,000 cases per week to 25,000 cases per day.
Chobani will export to the Caribbean and Latin American markets via temperature-controlled shipments from its New York and Idaho facilities.
“Asia and Latin America have untold possibility for Chobani, and our expansion in these regions furthers our business opportunities and builds on our founding mission to provide better food for more people,” says David Denholm, president and COO of Chobani. Australia had been Chobani’s only overseas market until the announcement. The company boasts annual sales in excess of $1 billion.
In the US market, the company says it plans to introduce six new product innovations in July, including a Greek yogurt mixed with fruit and steel-cut oats; Chobani Indulgent, the brand’s first dessert product; and Chobani Kids.
“We’ve always believed that if we can’t do something better, we won’t do it at all. With our new products and innovations, we are extending the way people enjoy Greek yogurt in America and bringing better food to more people,” says Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani founder and CEO. “We’re just getting started.”
Indeed, USDA estimates that while US per capita yogurt consumption has leapt from roughly two pounds in 1975 to about 14 pounds today, that’s still well below the 40 pounds consumed in countries like Germany and France or the 20 pounds consumed in Canada.