Do We Really Consider Chobani an Idaho Company?

Many businesses are considered Idahoan. Recently, someone told me that Chobani is a local Idaho business. Sure, they have a plant in Twin Falls, but are they really an Idaho business?

Known for Greek Yogurt and turning the entire industry on its head with their "Flips" yogurt, Chobani has been a part of the Idaho business scene since the end of 2012 when they opened their Twin Falls plant. It was a big help to the local economy. It made Chobani an even bigger player in the dairy industry nationwide.

When you compare that to companies like Albertsons and WinCo, you can trace their history much further. The first Albertsons opened on State Street in 1939, while WinCo also started in Boise in 1967. Both have established themselves as significant players in the United States grocery industry, with Albertsons being the biggest.

While Albertsons and WinCo trace their roots to the Gem State, Chobani's roots are traced back to New York, where they were founded in 2005 and continue to operate and are headquartered. However, the impact that Chobani has made in such a short time in Twin Falls has to count for something. Their Twin Falls plant is one of the largest yogurt plants in the world, not just in the United States. Their commitment to sustainability and community involvement also reflects the values of our state.

Just because Idaho wasn't where Chobani started doesn't mean it's not Idahoan now. How many of us who live here and call Idaho home were actually born here ?Transplants now outnumber native Idahoans in most of the state. While the future of Albertsons is unclear, Chobani continues to create local jobs, engage with the Twin FGalls community and has made a postitive impact on the economy.  

Chobani may not be the first company to come to mind when considering Idaho businesses. Still, it belongs to the list of Idaho businesses like Albertsons and WinCo.