Chobani voluntarily recalled a small quantity of Greek yogurt cups affected with molds after receiving complaints that some customers got sick after eating the product. The company said the affected products only account for 5 percent of its total production.
Chobani on the withdrawal of yogurt
“To be extra cautious, we have moved from a voluntary withdrawal to a voluntary recall. This partnership with the FDA will allow us to ensure that we’re reaching as many of our consumers with notification of reported quality concerns,” said Chobani.
Chobani said the Greek yogurt cups that were affected were produced from its facility in Idaho and 95 percent has been identified and removed from the shelves of retailers. Chobani first asked retailers to remove 15 flavors of yogurt cups from their shelves that were “swelling and bloating” last week.
Last Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it is reviewing the issue after Chobani acknowledged the mold problem. According to FDA spokesperson Tamara Ward, “We monitor all recalls.” She praised the move of Chobani for voluntarily recalling its products. According to her, “That’s a good thing on the part of the company. We encourage them to do voluntary recalls.”
Yogurt cups affected by mold
Chobani said the yogurt cups affected by mold were marked with the code 06-012 with expiration dates from September 11 to October 7.
In an interview, Hamid Ulukaya, chief executive officer of Chobani, said it was not the FDA but the company that made the decision to recall its products voluntarily. He explained that the problem was caused by a mold that commonly grows in dairy products. He emphasized that the issue has been “totally fixed” and the company experienced a mold problem because it is not using preservatives in its products. “Everybody in the company took this hard. It shook us up,” said Ulukaya.
“The quality of Chobani products and the trust of its consumers are the company’s primary concerns, and it sincerely apologizes to its fans and consumers impacted by this issue. Chobani holds itself to the highest standards and is committed to fully transparent and decisive action to rectify any identified issues,” according to the statement of the company.
Chobani said all consumers who bought the affected yogurt cups should throw it away and contact its customer loyalty team at chobani.com/care to coordinate a replacement or refund.
