News

Chobani announces Milk Matters program

9 Jul 2019

Chobani has announced what it describes as a comprehensive, groundbreaking program to further its commitment to positive transformation of its milkshed—supporting the economic, environmental, and social impacts of its #1 ingredient: fresh milk from local farms.

The Milk Matters program will encompass Chobani's commitment to its milkshed as well as efforts to support greater transparency across dairy farms.

Milk Matters was designed to address what Chobani believes are the unprecedented challenges being faced by today's dairy industry. Many current industry programs and certifications, it says, while well-intended, address single issues in isolation and haven't gone far enough to truly provide relief for struggling farms. Milk Matters, Chobani claims, takes a comprehensive approach to bringing transparency to dairy, providing meaningful support for the entire dairy community, and preserving long-term viability for the industry.

The program will include co-op partners, dairy farms, and third-parties such as Fair Trade USA, the World Wildlife Fund, National Milk Producers Federation, Cornell University, state programs and community foundations in Idaho and New York to validate the continued progress. Milk Matters is working towards 100% implementation by 2025.

"Proud to share our vision for the future of dairy — from cows to people to planet. It's a small step with a big message: the future of dairy farmers matters to all of us," said Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO of Chobani. "Dairy farms are the backbone of the communities we call home, but the current model is broken and it's leaving consumers questioning everything, including the treatment of animals, farm workers, and the land itself. Our solution is simple but powerful. We all have a responsibility to support the farmers who make our business and our vision possible."

"This is a big move for one of the important sectors of agriculture in the U.S.—creating shared trust, partnership and value between consumers, farms and brands with a Fair Trade USA standard for dairy," said Paul Rice, CEO, Fair Trade USA. "By funding the exploration and development of a standard that will be available to the entire dairy industry, Chobani is taking a real leadership position. We're thrilled to support an initiative that will drive continued progress, value, and transparency across the dairy industry."

To develop this program, Chobani says it spent the past several years listening to farmers, farm workers, elected officials and experts across the dairy industry to create a comprehensive path forward.