Hamdi Ulukaya is a pioneer of the natural food movement and the founder of Chobani, one of the fastest-growing food companies. Raised in a dairy-farming family in a small village in eastern Turkey, Ulukaya founded Chobani in 2005 with the mission and vision of making better food more accessible. In less than five years, Chobani became the number-one-selling Greek yogurt brand in the United States, with more than a billion dollars in annual sales. The company has since expanded into an innovative modern food portfolio, adding creamers and oat milk. In 2023, Chobani acquired La Colombe, a leading coffee roaster with a shared commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and impact.

As a leader in the food & beverage industry, Ulukaya built Chobani with the mission of using food as a force for good in the world. The company’s philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to communities and beyond, working to bring nutrition security to its local communities. Since 2022, Chobani has donated over 6.4 million pounds of food to combat hunger in America, supporting immigrants, refugees, and underrepresented people, honoring veterans, and protecting the planet. Chobani has been named to Fortune’s ‘Change the World’ list of companies, was honored with a Salute to Greatness Award by The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and named one of the ‘Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality’ by the Human Rights Campaign.

An advocate of reducing income and wealth inequality nationwide, Ulukaya implemented innovative profit-sharing and paid parental leave programs for Chobani's 3,000 employees. He founded the Tent Partnership for Refugees to mobilize the private sector to improve the lives & livelihoods of refugees around the globe. He also signed the Giving Pledge, committing the majority of his personal wealth to the cause. For these efforts, he was named an Eminent Advocate by the United Nations Refugee Agency. Ulukaya is also a recipient of the Oslo Business for Peace Award and was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for his work on the refugee crisis and his innovative approach to business. In July 2022, UN Secretary General António Guterres appointed him as an additional advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

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