📝 From Kurdish Village to Chobani CEO: The Story of Hamdi Ulukaya
Category: Kurds Who Made It
Estimated read time: 4 minutes
🧀 From Mountains to Markets
Hamdi Ulukaya was born in a small Kurdish village in eastern Turkey. He grew up on a dairy farm, helping his family raise sheep and make cheese and yogurt by hand — the old-school way. They didn’t have much, but they had tradition, and they had pride.
What Hamdi didn’t know back then was that one day, those same skills would help him build a billion-dollar company in America.
✈️ The Move to the U.S.
In the 1990s, Hamdi left Turkey and moved to the United States to study English and business. He didn’t speak much English. He had very little money. And he had no big business plan.
But what he had was hustle. And love for yogurt.
🏭 The Big Risk
In 2005, Hamdi came across a closed-down yogurt factory in upstate New York. Kraft was leaving it behind. Most people would’ve run from the idea — who wants an old factory in the middle of nowhere?
But Hamdi saw opportunity.
He bought the factory with a small loan and hired a group of workers — many of them immigrants and refugees like him. He paid fair wages, gave them benefits, and said, “If we’re going to do this, we’ll do it right.”
🥄 Chobani is Born
He named his new brand Chobani, which comes from a Turkish word meaning “shepherd.” It was a nod to his Kurdish roots.
At first, he sold yogurt to local stores. But people loved it — because it was thick, rich, and real. No shortcuts.
Within a few years, Chobani was on shelves across America.
💰 Success Without Selling Out
Chobani became the #1 Greek yogurt brand in the U.S.
Hamdi became a billionaire.
But he never forgot where he came from.
He gave shares of the company to his employees.
He hired refugees and immigrants.
He launched the Tent Foundation to help displaced people around the world — including Kurds.
🌍 Why His Story Matters
Hamdi didn’t follow the “normal” path.
He wasn’t born rich. He didn’t have perfect English.
But he had vision — and the courage to try.
His story proves something powerful:
Kurds can build global brands. Kurds can lead. Kurds can win.
🙌 What You Can Take From This
-
Don’t wait for the “perfect” time. Start small and think big.
-
Use your background as strength — not weakness.
-
Build for your people, not just for profit.
📣 Want to Recommend a Kurd for This Series?
DM me on Instagram or Facebook and let me know who you think we should feature next in Kurds Who Made It.