This piece is part of the weekly series “Growing Forward: Insights for Building Better Food and Agriculture Systems,” presented by the Global Food Institute at the George Washington University and the nonprofit organization Food Tank. Each installment highlights forward-thinking strategies to address today’s food and agriculture related challenges with innovative solutions. To view more pieces in the series, click here.
Businesses can be profitable without compromising their values or mission. That belief drives Nishant Roy’s work as Chief Impact Officer at Chobani, one of the world’s fastest-growing food companies. Creating a more sustainable and equitable food system is “not separate from our business—it is our business,” he says.
Roy joined Chobani in 2017 as Chief of Staff to CEO and Founder Hamdi Ulukaya, later serving as Chief of Strategic Operations before stepping into his current role. Before Chobani, he built a career spanning multiple sectors, beginning in the U.S. Air Force, then holding positions at the Clinton Foundation and Goldman Sachs. In 2009, he joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where he served as a special adviser during President Obama’s administration and contributed significantly to President Obama’s “Feed the Future” and “Power Africa” initiatives.
In this conversation with Food Tank’s Jessica Levy, Roy discusses Chobani’s work to alleviate hunger, the trust that is needed to build long-lasting community partnerships, and the business case for doing the right thing.
Chobani has invested in hunger relief and expanding access to nutritious foods. What has driven that focus?
Our founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, has often said “A cup of yogurt isn’t going to change the world, but how you make it can.”
Chobani’s commitment to making natural, nutritious, and delicious foods more accessible has been at the heart of our organization from the very beginning.
When Hamdi came across a shuttered yogurt plant in South Edmeston, New York twenty years ago, he didn’t just see a factory. He saw a chance to create something special, to breathe new life into a community, and to reimagine what food could be.
Back then, the average cup of yogurt in the United States had about 43 grams of sugar, but Hamdi knew there was a better way. He perfected a recipe with 40 percent less sugar, twice the protein, and only natural ingredients. And when the first cups hit shelves in 2007, Chobani didn’t just launch a brand—it transformed an entire food category. It raised expectations for what Americans should demand of their food: healthier, cleaner, and more accessible.
But Chobani’s aspirations have never been just about yogurt—it was always about something bigger. It was about proving that wholesome food can be accessible. Food has the power to uplift communities, set new standards, and serve a higher purpose. That’s why we believe it’s our responsibility to use our resources to better the communities around us, especially when it comes to helping those who are facing food insecurity.
Hunger is not a distant problem–it is here, in our towns and cities. In a world of plenty, hunger is an insult to our common humanity. It’s our burden to share, and we need everyone—government, business, and society—working together to solve this crisis. That’s why we partner widely, advocate boldly, and act locally. We strive to be both a catalyst and convener, bringing together all those who share the vision of a nation where no family goes hungry.
Can you highlight a few projects that you think have made the greatest impact in Chobani’s work to eliminate hunger?
We know that a single meal can make a world of difference. That’s why we approach every effort to combat hunger with immense care and reverence for what it means to nourish our communities.
Much of our work is grounded in our hometown communities in New York, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Because we’ve established longstanding, trusted partnerships with local leaders, businesses, and food pantries, we’ve been able to launch a range of programs designed to bridge food access gaps and support those most vulnerable to food insecurity. This includes our year-round efforts to stock pantries and bring more fresh foods to communities, and more customized initiatives like our Summer Program, which just wrapped in Southern Idaho.
Thousands of children in the region face food and nutrition insecurity. This is an issue that becomes even more urgent during the summer months, especially as Idaho has opted out of federally funded programs that would have provided additional SNAP benefits to families. In response, we’ve stepped up to help bridge the gap by distributing weekend meal kits to families across Twin Falls, Jerome, and Buhl counties. Our weekly distribution events became more than just meal drops—they were joyful community gatherings, complete with games and activities for the families.
Over 13-weeks, we distributed 12,000 plus meal kits to local families this summer. That’s over 48,000 meals in total—meaning 48,000 moments of relief for a parent and 48,000 times a child goes to bed with a full belly.
Another initiative that’s given us more national reach—and the ability to respond to the hunger emergencies we’re seeing as a direct result of the increasing rate of natural disasters—is Chobani Super Milk, a nutritious, shelf-stable milk designed specifically for disaster relief. Access to vital nutrients is critical in times of crisis, and this product helps meet those needs. Since the launch of Chobani Super Milk in July 2024, we’ve distributed more than 1.1 million cartons of this high-protein, lower-sugar milk to food pantries and directly to communities impacted by disasters.
These are just a few steps we’re taking to fight hunger, but victory depends on everyone joining in. Hunger is not unsolvable—lasting change is possible if communities, businesses, nonprofits, and policymakers stand together to ensure every person has enough to eat.
What strategies are key to designing hyper-local hunger initiatives that are scalable across different communities?
We place a strong emphasis on working hand-in-hand with our communities to develop programs that reflect their unique needs—because we know there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to eliminating hunger. Every community faces different barriers, and by building trusted relationships, we’re better equipped to understand those challenges and respond with solutions that are effective and lasting.
A powerful example of this in action is the origin of our mobile food pantries. Through our work with our local partners, we learned that while many pantries wanted to provide fresh food, they lacked the refrigeration and infrastructure to store or transport it. That gap led us to launch our very first mobile food pantry back in March of 2024, making more fresh foods available throughout Oneonta and Chenango counties in partnership with the Community Cupboard of Edmeston in New York.
The model worked—and we successfully expanded this effort in Idaho a few months later by partnering with the Idaho Food Bank on a second mobile food pantry that serves the Magic Valley community.
Since their inception, our mobile food pantries have distributed hundreds of thousands of pounds of nutritious food to communities where it’s needed most in New York and Idaho. It’s just one example of the impact that can be achieved through careful listening and close collaboration—an approach that, if embraced broadly, could fuel a movement of lasting, transformative change.
What advice would you give to companies that want to build effective community partnerships but don’t know where to start?
It starts with showing up. A lot of companies donate money or products and call it a day. But what truly strengthens community partnerships is having boots on the ground—and that begins with your people.
At Chobani, we’ve built a culture where employees at every level step out of the office, roll up their sleeves, and lend a hand. We have ongoing impact events and activations across our offices and plants, involve employees in on-the-ground efforts, and put community engagement at the forefront of everything we do.
When your people experience firsthand what it means to provide a meal or support a neighbor in need, the work becomes personal. And that builds trust—not just within your team, but with the community itself. Whether it’s packing meal kits, helping with distribution, or simply sharing a smile—that human connection on the ground matters. That’s where real change begins.
At the end of the day, we aim to be the support our neighbors can count on when other societal pillars fall short, and hope more businesses adopt the same approach: standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their communities to confront these challenges together.
What lessons can you share with other businesses trying to balance long-term impact with financial performance?
At Chobani, we’ve learned that long-term impact and financial performance aren’t at odds—they’re actually connected. Through our impact efforts, we’ve shown that it’s possible to grow a strong, profitable business without compromising on our values or losing sight of our mission.
We treat the positive outcomes we create for our communities and employees as essential measures of business health. Today’s consumers are increasingly values-driven—they want to see brands taking real action and moving the needle on the issues that matter. In that sense, doing the right thing isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s a business advantage. People want to support brands that reflect their beliefs and take real action.
Our impact is a key driver of trust. It’s what’s enabled us to build deep, lasting relationships with our consumers and communities. Because when people believe in your mission, they’re more than customers—they become advocates. And that kind of connection has the power to create a movement.
At the end of the day, we all have a stake in creating a more sustainable and equitable food system. That’s not separate from our business—it is our business. We measure our success not only in what we sell today, but in the future we leave behind. A future where food is natural, accessible, and abundant—for our children and for theirs.
Photo courtesy of Chobani
