NEW BERLIN, N.Y. — Yogurt-maker Chobani says it has reached a major milestone in its efforts to reduce plastic use and put more sustainable packaging on grocery store shelves across America with the introduction of the paper cup.
With the launch of the paper cup for its oat blend yogurt, Chobani is calling for greater recycling capabilities in the U.S.
Company officials say this is an important step toward a more sustainable future.
"We all have a role to play in protecting our planet," Chobani Founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya said in a statement. "People have been asking for a paper cup, and we welcome this challenge to start reducing our plastic use, and to spark a conversation about how we can drive change together."
Chobani's paper cup is 80% paperboard and made from renewable material. The cup has a thin plastic lining to maintain the quality of their product.
"While this paper cup is a step in the right direction, it's just the beginning," Ulukaya said. It took two years to move their oat blend yogurt into a paper-based cup. Chobani says it plans to explore more sustainable packaging that will use less plastic and more paper.
Chobani operates plants in Twin Falls, Idaho, and New Berlin, New York. It will be the only major food maker with a paper cup in the yogurt aisle. Chobani's oat milk, cold-brew coffee and coffee creamers already come in recyclable paper-based packaging.
Consumers will start finding Chobani's paper cup in the yogurt aisle at the end of this year. It will begin with single-serve Chobani oat blend. The company says it will continue to invest in sustainable packaging across its product portfolio.
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