| Net Worth: | $1.5 Billion |
| Date of Birth: | 1972 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Profession: | Businessperson |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
Hamdi Ulukaya Net Worth: Hamdi Ulukaya is a Turkish businessman who has a net worth of $1.5 billion. Of Kurdish origin and with current residence in the States, Hamdi Ulukaya is the founder and the sole owner of Chobani Inc., a maker of strained yogurt. Born in 1972 to a Kurdish family who operated a dairy farm in Erzincan, Turkey, he had the chance to complete his studies in America. First, he took up political science at the University of Ankara, and then he settled in the States and enrolled at the University of Albany. Upon his graduation he followed his father’s advice and started a feta cheese company, Euphrates, in upstate New York in 2001. Off to a good start, he went on to acquire a Kraft Foods yogurt plant in a neighboring town and started perfecting the recipe for Greek-style yogurt. After a while, he set up today’s Chobani and the first order of the marketed “Greek Yogurt” was shipped in October 2007. Ever since, the company has grown and its annual sales reached almost $1 billion. In late 2012, he also opened a new yogurt plant for $450 in Twin Falls, Idaho, as well as he bought a dairy farm in Australia the same year. For his great business achievements, he received several recognitions including the 2013 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year.
