Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya reflects on the rapid construction of the Idaho facility, which suffered a major mold recall shortly after opening.
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Ulukaya reveals Chobani was nearly forced into bankruptcy after Idaho recall
“You're about to File bankruptcy. Exactly. I've never talked about this anywhere before. It wasn't that damaging. But what it is, is the banks got really nervous, and they wanted their loan to be paid back. And that loan was used to build a factory supported by…”
Disclosure
Investors Demanded Near-Majority Equity and Ulukaya's Ouster During Chobani Crisis
“A time came, and I remember the gentleman called me, and he said, here's the amount that you will get, here is the, you know, percentage of the company that you have to give away, which is what was almost majority at that time, and you will be out of the compa…”
Disclosure
Ulukaya offered his factory as collateral to secure supermarket shelf space
“I personally said, if it doesn't sell, I will give you the factory.”
Assertion Supported
Chobani hired refugees and provided translators to overcome manufacturing labor shortages
“I called the refugee center, and I said, what is the problem? And she said these are people who have a right to work, legally settled, and they don't speak the language, they don't have, you know, transportation, or people don't want to touch it because it's a…”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Ulukaya: Chobani Was One Night From Bankruptcy Before Lender Intervened
“One night before, before we filed, the banker called and said, Hamdi, we hear that you're going to do this. It's going to make us look so bad. I think they were also acting, acting really out of ordinary at that time, forcing me to do something. And he says, w…”
Opinion
Ulukaya: Pre-Chobani American yogurt was ten times worse than Turkish yogurt
“But compared to what it was here, the yogurt was 10 times worse. It was literally horrible. Like, it was awful stuff.”