Today, Chobani Opens One Of The World's Largest Greek Yogurt Plants In Idaho

Back in September, we showed our love for Greek yogurt with a bunch of stories like the Do's And Don't Of Cooking With Greek Yogurt and 14 Examples Of How Celebrities Love Greek Yogurt, Just Like Us. Greek yogurt, as it turns out, is one of the hottest foodstuffs in the United States, and today the country's top producer — Chobani — hopes to meet demand with the opening of a $450 million, 1 million square foot processing plant in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Why would an Upstate New York company open in Idaho, you ask? Simple. Idaho is one of the country's top milk producers. Also, the state provided Chobani with a number of tax incentives. As The New York Times reported this morning, the new production plant will allow the company to roll out a number of new products — as well as boost distribution in Western states.

Some of the new products mark an effort to market the protein-rich, distinctively sour food to children. Chobani Champions Tube (hitting shelves in January 2013) is a tube flavored with fruit puree that doesn't require a spoon for consumption. Basically, you better watch your back, Go-Gurt. Two additional products were recently announced: Chobani Bite (100-calorie snack packs) and Chobani Flip, which comes in a square package with a corner containing nuts, dried fruit and granola.

As those products are released, we will make sure to report back how real Greek people rate them.

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