The company said this is a continuation of its commitment to responsibly sourcing every ingredient. Chobani is the first national brand to earn this certification for a coconut blend in the yogurt aisle.
Despite the market growth, Chobani said almost all coconut farmers in the Philippines, where Chobani sources its Fair Trade Certified coconuts, live on less than $1 a day and have little bargaining power. To help offer support, Chobani is providing a $50,000 Producer Resiliency Grant to improve the lives of farmers within its coconut producer communities in The Philippines, as well as strengthen the sustainability of their farming operations.
“Putting people and our planet ahead of profits has always been our way at Chobani,” said Peter McGuinness, president and COO of Chobani.
“Ensuring our Chobani Coconut is Fair Trade Certified will meaningfully provide positive financial and community support to small family farms in the Philippines, another way we use food as a force for good.”
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Chobani as they extend their commitment to using Fair Trade Certified coconuts in their non-dairy yogurts,” said Paul Rice, president & CEO of Fair Trade USA.
“Expanding into fair trade coconut further solidifies Chobani’s commitment to smallholder farmers and helps give them resources and autonomy to invest in their lives and communities. Chobani’s coconut offerings will be the first available in mass markets and will give shoppers another means to support fair trade farmers simply by ‘seeking the seal.’”
By the end of 2022, the company said it is committed to supporting programs and practices for its high-priority ingredients: dairy, coconuts, almonds, palm oil, vanilla, and strawberries.
Chobani Coconut is made from non-GMO ingredients, without any artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. It is vegetarian-friendly, gluten-free, and made with six live and active cultures, including billions of probiotics. Chobani Coconut is sold nationally in four single-serve cups: Blueberry, Peach, and Strawberry (all fruit on the bottom) and Vanilla (blended). Each 5.3oz cup sells at a suggested retail price of $1.99.
