I brought in a yogurt master from Turkey. I went to Greece. I was always going back and forth, from New York to Turkey and Greece. The recipe we use has been around hundreds and hundreds of years. Growing up in Turkey, not a day would go by that we wouldn't eat yogurt like this. Hamdi Ulukaya backbringday share on social
A closed plant is like a cemetery; it really is. The walls will talk to you; the machines will talk to you if you really talk to them. Hamdi Ulukaya cemeteryclosemachine Change image and share on social
Just about anyone can make a good product, but it's the people that count. In the end, it's the employees who will take it from a kitchen-table idea to the next level. There are a lot of important things in business, but the people portion comes first. Hamdi Ulukaya businesscountemployee share on social
There are a lot of studies about small businesses and how they make a difference in their community and create a lot of jobs and values. So we need to focus on small businesses or entrepreneurs who want to start manufacturing or making things. Hamdi Ulukaya businesscommunitycreate share on social
Every small business will give you an entrepreneurial way of looking at things. I guarantee you that for every plant that closes, if you gave it to one small-business person in that community, he or she would find a way to make it work. The small-business attitude is you always find a way to make it work. Hamdi Ulukaya attitudebusinessclose share on social
Unlike the objective of far too many companies, manufacturing is not about a quick 'exit.' It is centered on long-term value creation. Hamdi Ulukaya centercompanycreation Change image and share on social
Everyone asks me why someone Turkish is making Greek yogurt. In Greece, it is not called 'Greek yogurt.' Everywhere in the world it is called 'strained yogurt.' But because it was introduced in this country by a Greek company, they called it 'Greek yogurt.' Hamdi Ulukaya askcallcompany share on social
What happened was I saw this ad for a yogurt plant for sale. It was in my junk mail pile, and I threw it into the garbage can. And then about half an hour later, with the dirt on it, I picked it up from the garbage can, and I called out of curiosity. Hamdi Ulukaya callcuriositydirt share on social
Entrepreneurship is seen as if you're in Silicon Valley or New York City and starting an app business or a social-media business, which is cool. But what we really have to focus on is people who make things, and how can we fund them, and how can we encourage people to stay in their community and make a difference in their community. Hamdi Ulukaya appbusinesscity share on social
Growing up in eastern Turkey, I was not really involved with the family business - sheep and cow farming, yogurt and cheese making. But I think I learned from my father the unspoken business language or instincts that go back thousands of years. Hamdi Ulukaya backbusinesscheese share on social