"Chobani Greek Yogurt Store"

“ There’s a war going on outside, no man is safe from/ you can run but you can’t hide forever…..”

So goes the opening lyrics of 90’s rap stalwarts Mobb Deep’s hit song Survival of the Fittest. And it’s a fitting soundtrack to the current war ragging in the world of commercialized Greek Yogurt. Over the past 5 years, Greek Yogurt has been the veritable “main event” in the culinary wars of modern times. Currently Chobani, a Greek Yogurt brand started in an abandoned factory in upstate New York by a Turkish ex-pat, is pushing to lead the charge, while the understated, elegant, and generally accepted standard-bearer FAGE holding court at the top. But very recently Chobani upped the ante, giving the other brands a run for their money (Dannon, Stonefield Farms, Trader Joe’s and many others have all launched Greek Yogurt variants recently). They did something the others haven’t: They went retail.

In NYC this week, Chobani cut tape on a new retail experience, the first “Greek Yogurt Bar” of it’s kind. Situated in the Soho neighborhood, the bar features their trademark yogurt, paired with exotic and local, fresh ingredients, beer and spirit pairings and a modern, sleek design normally associated with a high-end fashion shop. But think of this more of a learning center. The goal of the shop is to inspire new customers to incorporate Chobani yogurt into various different recipes, from sweet to savory, in their own homes. While a meal can be had in the shop itself, they also encourage customers to take yogurt home with them and try their hand at it.

The shop press release states their mission:

“The Chobani store’s carefully crafted menu features a collection of non-frozen, yogurt-based creations mixed with seasonally-inspired, hand-selected, gourmet ingredients. Two offerings currently on the menu include Toasted Coconut + Pineapple, featuring toasted coconut flakes, fresh pineapple, agave syrup and hazelnuts, and Pistachio + Chocolate, featuring Turkish pistachios, dark chocolate, clover honey, oranges and mint leaves.

Each creation will be made-to-order by in-house Yogurt Masters who will handcraft the perfect combination of yogurt and select ingredients to deliver an exquisite flavor profile in each and every bite.

Guests can also purchase a variety of Chobani flavors in 6oz or 32oz containers in addition to featured seasonal fruits from the Harvest Table, which is located prominently in the center of the store. Chobani SoHo will also curate a rotating assortment of Mediterranean specialty oils, nuts and more from its Mediterranean Pantry. These items will be available for takeaway purchase, allowing guests to experiment with their own creations at home.”



So basically, it’s the yummiest school session you’ll ever attend?

Cool. We can definitely get with that.

Links to consider:

http://chobani.com/community/blog/categories/chobani-soho/