Greek Yogurt Colonizes New York

Women and yuppies’ seemingly insatiable appetite for Greek yogurt is helping boost Upstate New York’s ailing economy, the Associated Press reports (via Washington Post).

As detailed by the AP (and also by The New York Times), Chobani and Fage — the top two Greek yogurt producers in the U.S. — have decided to expand massively, because of growing demand for the creamier dairy mousse. Chobani plans on opening a second plant in Idaho, and boosting production at its South Edmeston factory — to 2 million cases weekly from 1.5 million.

Fage also plans on doubling capacity at its Johnstown facility, according to the AP.

Unlike other food fads (think cupcakes), experts say that Greek yogurt probably will persist in American diets, since many consumers have become increasingly fixated on “authentic,” “nutritious” foods the AP notes.

Market analyses indicate that the people leading this trend are women and wealthy, small households, the news wire reports.

“I personally do not believe that the yogurt story has started yet. I believe the yogurt story in this country is about to start,” Chobani’s founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, told the AP. “The magnitude hasn’t started yet.”