Chobani
increased its scholarship program by additional $1m to support students in agriculture
Chobani announced an expansion of its Scholars Program, adding a pledge of $1 million
dollars and a focus on supporting historically under served students who wish to
pursue a broad set of agricultural interests. The program has helped dozens of
university students pursue their ambitions in the dairy industry. That mission
now includes creating a more equitable future in agriculture.
Chobani
is an American food company specializing in strained yogurt. The company was
founded in 2005 by Hamdi Ulukaya,a Turkish businessman.Chobani sells thick,
Greek-style yogurt with a higher protein content than traditional
yogurt and is one of the main companies to popularize this style of yogurt in
the US. The company has also expanded to non-dairy, plant-based products such as
dairy-free vegan yogurt, oat milk and coffee. Chobani's yogurt's market share
in the U.S. rose from less than 1% in 2007 to more than 20% in 2021, and is the
top-selling Greek yogurt brand in the United States and operates the largest
yogurt facility in the world.
Through
its partnerships with Cornell University and the University of Idaho, the
Chobani Scholars Program will offer eight $20,000 scholarships ($5,000 each
year) over five years to historically under served students interested in
studying agriculture, dairy, food science, and/or food entrepreneurship.
Chobani will also provide $20,000 of annual funding to each of the universities
during the same time period to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
training and education. Chobani Scholars will have an opportunity to intern
with Chobani during their college careers. In prior years the program was
limited to students from a dairy background who were pursuing a career in
dairy.
"Today's
announcement builds on our mission to help ensure opportunities for students
from under served communities with an interest in working on a farm or in
agribusiness, in food science, and those who want to start a food
business," said Peter McGuinness, Chobani President and Chief Operating
Officer. "We're proud to be supporting dozens of current students in our
home states of Idaho and New York, and we're thrilled to be expanding the
Chobani Scholars program."
Peter McGuinness, Chobani President and Chief Operating Officer
The
Chobani Scholars program was established at Cornell University and University
of Idaho in 2018. The grants have helped more than two dozen students attending
Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the
University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). With
today's announcement, Chobani's scholarship funding pledge will total more than
$1.4 million by 2027.
"Since
its inception, the Chobani Scholars program has provided substantial support to
students from New York farm families, helping them to access world-class
education and real-world experiences in dairy science and management,"
said Benjamin Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell University's College
of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "With this latest investment, Cornell
CALS is excited to further enhance our efforts to attract students from underrepresented
backgrounds to careers in food and agriculture, which is a critical need for
our state. We are grateful to Chobani for their ongoing generosity and for
bolstering our programs to train the next generation of leaders in agriculture,
dairy, food science and food entrepreneurship."
"The
Chobani Scholars program provides an incredible opportunity to Idaho students
who otherwise may not be able to attend college," said Michael Parrella,
Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of
Idaho. "We are grateful for our strong partnership with Chobani and their
passion for creating a pathway for Idahoans from underrepresented communities
who wish to pursue a career in agriculture."
Chobani
is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food
accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world
a healthier place. In short: making good food for all. In support of this mission, the company is a
values-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and have been
since Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S., founded the company in 2005. It produces yogurt, oat milk, dairy- and
plant-based creamers, ready-to-drink coffee and plant-based probiotic drinks.
Chobani yogurt is America's No.1 yogurt brand, and it's made with only natural
ingredients without artificial preservatives.
Chobani
uses food as a force for good in the world – putting humanity first in
everything we do. The philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to communities
and beyond: working to eradicate child hunger, supporting immigrants, refugees
and underrepresented people, honoring veterans, and protecting the planet. It
manufactures products in New York, Idaho, and Australia. Its products are
available throughout North America and distributed in Australia and other
select markets.