WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 4-22-25

Chobani announced plans to build another plant in New York State, which will be a $1.2 billion facility Rome’s Griffiss Business and Technology Park. The Project would add another 1000 jobs in addition to the 1100 jobs at the South Edmeston & Norwich facilities. Chobani also employs 1,100 people at a yogurt plant in Twin Falls, Idaho, and they recently announced an expansion in Twin Falls that is expected to create a minimum of 160 new jobs.

Chobani announced that they are raising their minimum hourly wage from $13 to $15, starting in the first quarter of 2021, at the headquarters in Norwich, and at their Greek yogurt plants in South Edmeston and in Twin Falls, Idaho.  Employees already making more than $15 an hour will see their pay increase by comparable amounts. Chobani’s average hourly rate at the facilities will be about $19 an hour.

Right-wing radio host Alex Jones apologized on his “Info Wars” show Wednesday and retracted false stories about Chobani regarding their Twin Falls Idaho Plant, and some of their refugee workers. Jones had previously accused Chobani employees' children in connection with the rape of a 5-year-old girl in Twin Falls. Chobani sued Jones on April 24, accusing him of posting false and defamatory information, regarding both the alleged crime; Jones also claimed that Chobani was linked to an increase in tuberculosis in the area. Twin Falls is home to a $450 million Chobani plant that employs more than 1,000 employees; they also operate a plant in Chenango County.

Chobani filed a lawsuit Monday against right-wing radio host Alex Jones, for publishing false information about the company. Chobani accuses Jones and his InfoWars website of posting fabricated stories that linked Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya and the company to a sexual assault case involving refugee children. The company filed the lawsuit in Idaho District Court in Twin Falls, where it operates the largest yogurt plant in the world. The video claimed the Chobani plant brought crime and tuberculosis to Idaho since it opened their 5 years ago.

Chobani will be donating one million cups of Greek yogurt to New Yorkers in need this holiday season as part of its commitment to give to the communities where they operate. The first one million cups will be distributed to City Harvest, to help feed more than 1.4 million New Yorkers facing hunger. The company will begin loading product on today from their plant in New Berlin. Chobani will also be making another large product donation to a local food organization near their Twin Falls plant in Idaho.