July 22—Chobani Yogurt was definitely not Greek to New York’s two U.S. Senators—as millions of American kids may soon learn.
Chobani is the upstart, upstate Greek yogurt firm that’s come out of nowhere to make its Turkish immigrant founder a billionaire. And due to lightning-fast work by Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, it may find a lucrative spot in the $11 billion federal school lunch program that serves meals in 100,000 schools nationwide.
The Department of Agriculture has approved Greek yogurt for a pilot program in four states, including New York. Chobani and other competing firms have until Monday to show the feds different versions of what they’d serve, and then await selection of the winners.
Landing the pilot was an impressive coup for the budding dairy industry – and for its champions in Washington.