Chobani appoints Tim Brown as President and Chief Operating Officer

Taps food industry veteran to partner with CEO and management team to further fuel momentum and develop modern food company

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Chobani, LLC

Mar 07, 2017, 10:56 ET

NORWICH, N.Y., March 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chobani, LLC ("Chobani") announced today that Tim Brown has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder, Owner, CEO & Chairman and will oversee Chobani's operations, sales, marketing, legal and finance teams as the company looks to further increase its category leadership while continuing to deliver on its founding mission of making better food for more people.

"Tim and I clicked the moment we met," Ulukaya said. "He's an amazing leader with views and values I really respect and believe in. With his deep experience in consistently delivering quality growth, he's the perfect person to partner with me in continuing to lead the new wave of better food for more people. Chobani's in a very strong position with greater potential than ever before and now with Tim joining we'll grab it."

Brown added: "Joining a company like Chobani to partner with someone like Hamdi and this great team is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I've been following Chobani for years as they have changed the food landscape in this country. I'm thrilled and honored to be coming aboard at a time of such momentum and incredible potential."

Brown joins Chobani with more than 30 years of experience in the food business. Most recently for Nestle Waters North America, he led the third-largest nonalcoholic beverage company by volume in the U.S. Overseeing a portfolio of brands including Perrier, San Pellegrino and Poland Spring, he was responsible for $4.3B in annual net sales, supported by 8,500 employees, 29 plants and operations in more than 140 communities.

The company, which remains independently owned, has announced several product and production expansions in the past year. In May 2016, it announced a $100 million investment to its plant in Twin Falls, Idaho—the world's largest yogurt manufacturing facility—to meet demand for new and existing products. On the heels of its Chobani "Flip"™ product success, Chobani also announced its expansion and investment beyond the yogurt aisle with Drink Chobani™ beverage. Chobani's market-share of the overall spoonable yogurt category is currently 19.8, which translates to 37.6 share of overall Greek Yogurt.* Topline sales growth percentage is up double digits year-over-year versus year prior. The company currently receives up to 5.5-million pounds of fresh milk from local farms in New York and Idaho every day and employs more than 2,000 people.

About Chobani
Maker of America's No. 1–selling Greek Yogurt brand, Chobani, LLC, was founded on the belief that people have great taste—they just need great options. Chobani produces high-quality authentic strained Greek Yogurt products made with only natural ingredients from its plants in New Berlin, N.Y., Twin Falls, Idaho and South Victoria, Australia. Chobani is committed to using milk from regional farms and strengthening its surrounding local economies. Chobani gives a portion of its annual profits to charities worldwide through the company's charitable foundation. In 2017, Chobani was recognized by Fast Company as one of the top 10 most innovative companies in the world. All Chobani products—including Chobani® Greek Yogurt, Chobani "Flip"™, Chobani Mezé™ Dips, Drink Chobani™, Chobani Tots®, Chobani Kids® and Chobani Simply 100®—are kosher certified, contain five live and active cultures and are made with milk from cows not treated with rBST.** Chobani products are available nationwide in the U.S., Mexico and Australia, and in countries in Asia and Latin America. For more information, please visit www.chobani.com and www.facebook.com/chobani.

*Nielsen's xAOC Scantrack database for the yogurt category, tracking most major channels for the four- week period ended January 28, 2017.
**According to the FDA, no significant difference has been found between milk derived from rBST-treated and non-rBST-treated cows.

Media Contact Blair Aires / [email protected] / 913-485-7636

SOURCE Chobani, LLC