Tainted Yogurt - Arthur W. Page Society

Tainted Yogurt
An analysis of Chobani’s mold crisis
for the 2014 Arthur W. Page Society Case Study Competition
2 Table of Contents
Overview .........................................................................................................................................3
History of Company.......................................................................................................................3
Founder & Company Foundation..........................................................................................................3
Products....................................................................................................................................................4
Company Growth ....................................................................................................................................4
Recent Issues ............................................................................................................................................4
Greek Yogurt Market....................................................................................................................4
Timeline of Crisis ...........................................................................................................................5
Chobani’s Actions and Response..................................................................................................6
Stakeholders .................................................................................................................................10
Customers...............................................................................................................................................10
Retailers..................................................................................................................................................14
Media ......................................................................................................................................................15
Competitors............................................................................................................................................16
Reflection ......................................................................................................................................19
References.....................................................................................................................................20
Appendix.......................................................................................................................................24 3 “If you’re going to take accountability, then do so publicly. Don’t make light of it and say it’s voluntary.
The yogurt is clearly making some people sick. Put the information on the homepage of your website,
respond to each person, and start apologizing as often as you can...and most importantly, take
responsibility for the mistake.” - Marcia Williams, via Facebook on 9/4/13
Overview
Bulging, fizzing yogurt and an outpouring of social media complaints brought America’s fastest
growing brand of Greek yogurt to an unexpected point of upheaval. After eight years of rising popularity
and financial success, Chobani faced its first large-scale crisis in August 2013 when customers
complained of unpalatable yogurt and reported symptoms of illness. Chobani first became aware of the
situation through social media posts. As it became apparent that a significant amount of product was
affected Chobani began to use the company blog as the primary channel of communication. Initially, the
Greek yogurt producer asked customers to report concerns via email, and retailers were directed to
remove product from shelves. Chobani stated on its blog that a voluntary withdrawal was in effect.
However, as hundreds of customers used Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to broadcast concerns that the
company was not effectively handling the situation, Chobani altered its decision and issued a voluntary
recall with the partnership of the Food and Drug Administration. An investigation conducted by Chobani
found that the tainted product came from a specific batch of yogurt made in the company’s Twin Falls,
Idaho manufacturing facility. By the end of September nearly 300 complaints of nausea, cramps and
vomiting were filed with the FDA. On Oct. 2, Chobani posted a final message to the company blog,
letting customers know that the company was back to regular operations and resumed promotional social
media activity. “Tainted Yogurt” is a case study of how Chobani managed crisis response in a two-way
communication environment, detailing the reactions of customers, retailers, media and competitors.
History of Chobani
Founder & Company Foundation
Chobani was founded in 2005 by Hamdi Ulukaya, a Turkish immigrant, after he saw an
advertisement for the property of an old Kraft yogurt manufacturing plant. In an interview published by
USA Today, Ulukaya said, “Until that moment, I never had planned to start a business...And I didn’t even
have any type of financial strength to be able to buy anything, including a house” (Bartiromo, 2013).
However, after a tour of the property he decided there was an opportunity, and he created a plan to massproduce Greek yogurt in the United States. A small business administration loan provided the capital to
purchase the plant and hire a small staff to perfect the process and recipe (Bartiromo, 2013).
The first cup of Chobani Greek yogurt was on a retail grocery store shelf in New York in 2007
(“Who We Are”, 2013). The introduction included a few deliberate decisions intended to differentiate the
product. A European package design was used to signal to customers that the content was different from
other yogurt. Additionally, Ulukaya wanted Chobani to only be “sold in mainstream grocery stores rather
than specialty stores, and that it be stocked in the dairy aisle, alongside existing yogurt brands, rather than
in the gourmet or natural food aisles” (Ulukaya, 2013).
4 Products
Chobani Greek yogurt is available in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. The
company only produces Greek yogurt but has several different product lines, including Fruit on the
Bottom, Blended, Bite, Flip, Champions, Tubes and Multi-Pack. A variety of flavors are offered. The
company prides itself on the ingredients used. All items are natural, without preservatives and are made
with real fruit. Chobani also markets the Greek yogurt as having twice the amount of protein per serving
than regular yogurt (“Products”, 2013). The company states that the unique straining process provides for
a better Greek yogurt because excess whey is removed. More than two million cases of Greek yogurt are
shipped every week (“Chobani Resource Library”, 2013). Ulukaya has said, “I care about the integrity of
our product - I want it to be delicious, nutritious, and accessible to everyone” (Ulukaya, 2013).
Company Growth
Chobani is an eight-year old company. It expects that 2013 sales will be more than $1.3 billion. In
a USA Today article published in June 2013, Ulukaya said, “We're growing about 50 percent this year
again, which is huge. We had very big growth in the early years” (Bartiromo, 2013). There are now two
manufacturing plants, the original New York plant and a new plant in Idaho. Nearly 3,000 people work
for the company. Early success included being named the best-selling brand of Greek yogurt in the United
States in 2010 and best-selling brand of all yogurt in the United States in 2011. There was approximately
one billion dollars in sales for the year 2012. While the company has experienced significant growth, the
owner still treats it as an entrepreneurial venture. There are no plans to go public, and Ulukaya said, in a
Harvard Business Review article, that nearly 100 percent of his net worth is invested in Chobani
(Ulukaya, 2013).
Recent Issues
Chobani has enjoyed an impressive reputation and loyal following, but the company does
regularly receive complaints for its use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Some customers
believe Chobani does not actually deliver on the promise of providing all natural products. Those who
have an issue typically share it through social media, and the company rarely responds to these
statements. Chobani has placed a statement on its website explaining that products are not organic so that
all can enjoy the product. If the yogurt was made with organic standards it would cost more to
manufacture and subsequently need to be sold at a higher price. (“Chobani Greek Yogurt FAQ”, 2013).
A few days before Chobani acknowledged customer reports of tainted yogurt, the company made
the decision to remove hemp seeds from its products. This choice came after the Air Force banned all
Chobani products containing hemp seed or oil due to the potential to affect drug test results. This decision
gained national attention from both media and customers. Many strong opinions were voiced on both
sides of the argument with some individuals supporting Chobani’s decision and others upset about the
elimination of the nutrient-rich ingredient (“Chobani to remove”, 2013).
Greek Yogurt Market
Chobani introduced Greek yogurt to the everyday American consumer. The founder made the
strategic decision to sell the product in mainstream grocery stores alongside traditional yogurt. When
Chobani was introduced it had one other competitor, FAGE, which was established in Greece, imported
and then sold to Greek-Americans in New York. Sales were growing for FAGE in the early 2000’s and
much of this success was due to word-of-mouth marketing. However, because it was an imported product
5 the price of the yogurt was more expensive; thus, it remained a niche product sold in specialty grocery
stores. Chobani took advantage of the existing interest in Greek yogurt and became a common household
name by maintaining lower prices and positioning the yogurt as affordable for all Americans
(Mourdouktas, 2013).
Not only did Chobani take advantage of the early buzz about Greek yogurt in the United States,
but the company was also able to offer the product before major traditional yogurt producers began
making Greek varieties. Danone, parent company of Dannon and the world’s largest traditional yogurt
producer, first launched its Greek yogurt brand Oikos in 2010 (“The Greek yogurt”, 2013). Yoplait,
owned by General Mills, had issues with its first introduction of a Greek product. The product had fruit
blended into the yogurt, which caused confusion among customers who expected Greek yogurt to be
white (Schultz, 2012). While the largest producers of traditional yogurt did not introduce Greek yogurt to
the American diet, they are now using their size and ability to provide a more cost effective product. An
article from The Economist published in August 2013 said that while Chobani is still growing, the
company is losing share in the Greek yogurt market to the competitive advantages of the large producers
(“The Greek yogurt, 2013).
Regardless of company, the market for Greek yogurt has grown significantly in the United States.
In the fall of 2007 its market share in the larger yogurt market was less than one percent and by June of
2013 that figure increased to nearly 60 percent (Bartiromo, 2013). Below is a chart from Harvard
Business Review demonstrating the rapid growth of Greek yogurt from millions to billions of dollars in
just three years. These numbers also demonstrate that there was a decrease in purchases of other types of
yogurt.
(Ulukaya, 2013).
Timeline of Crisis
●
8/20/13
Complaints begin to appear on Chobani’s social media channels
●
8/31/13
Chobani posts on the company blog addressing quality issues
6 ●
9/1/13
Traditional media outlets and blogs begin reporting about retail stores pulling
product
●
9/3/13
Nearly all the major traditional media outlets cover the story, and Chobani
publishes an update on the company blog with first details about the affected
product
●
9/5/13
Chobani moves from a voluntary withdrawal to a voluntary recall and apologizes
on Facebook
●
9/6/13
Chobani identifies the mold as “Mucor circinelloides”, and a Cornell University
professor states that it is not considered a foodborne pathogen
●
9/7/13
Chobani stops posting new content on social media and focuses its effort on
replying to customers
●
9/11/13
Chobani posts an apology on the blog and details the response strategy used
during the crisis
●
9/18/13
A California resident files a class action lawsuit for negligence
●
9/25/13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the FDA received nearly 300 complaints
of illness
●
9/27/13
Chobani posts an image on social media expressing thanks to customers for
support
●
10/8/13
Chobani resumes promotional posts on social media
Chobani’s Actions and Response
Though customer complaints began as early as Aug. 20, Chobani did not make a formal statement
about the situation until Aug. 31. It posted the message below on the company blog.
7 (“Our Promise to You”, 2013)
Chobani did not initially issue a formal recall, but rather “voluntarily and proactively removed
and replaced the majority of potentially affected products” (“Our Promise to You”, 2013). This is defined
by the FDA as a market withdrawal and “occurs when a product has a minor violation that would not be
subject to FDA legal action. The company removes the product from the market or corrects the violation”
and the incident is not related to the manufacturing or distribution process (“Recalls, Market
Withdrawals”, 2013). A withdrawal indicates a precautionary quality assurance measure by a
manufacturer; whereas, a recall indicates that the FDA is investigating the possibility of a product being
harmful to the public.
The Greek yogurt company did not clarify the withdrawal information on social media, causing
many customers to comment on Chobani’s Facebook page that the company was refusing to publicly
acknowledge the situation. Many customers did not understand the differences between a withdrawal and
a recall. Chobani replied to customer comments by directing them to an Internet contact form.
(Ferrara, 2013).
On Twitter, Chobani’s responses to customers made a distinction between voluntary withdrawal and a
recall, indicating that the Greek yogurt was not being recalled. These posts directed customers and
followers to its statement on the blog.
8 (Chobani,
2013).
On Sept. 3, the blog was updated with two key facts. First, the bulging and fizzing reactions were
caused by a mold “commonly found in the dairy environment.” Second, the mold affected less than five
percent of Chobani’s product. It was not until Sept. 5 that the CEO issued an apology and announced a
voluntary recall in partnership with the FDA, which acknowledged that there was an issue with the
manufacturing of the product. The voluntary recall included all yogurts with the code 16-012, which
corresponded to a batch from its Idaho plant, and best by dates of Sept. 11, 2013 to Oct. 7, 2013 (“Our
Promise to You”, 2013).
A press release was distributed with information about the recall and affected product
(“Voluntary recall of small”, 2013). These facts were also posted on the company’s Facebook (Appendix:
Image 1) and Twitter (Appendix: Image 2) pages as well as on the ongoing blog post about the situation
(Appendix: Image 3). The Facebook post included a personal message from the CEO and said, “my
heartfelt apologies to our friends and customers…” (Facebook, 2013). It directed customers to the
homepage of the Chobani website rather than to the blog post or to the press release, which was
significant as the homepage did not include any mentions of the mold situation. The post also indicated
the code and expiration date of the products included in the recall. The Twitter post directed customers to
the blog and indicated that customers should replace all product marked with the 16-012 code. This
message did not indicate that a formal recall had been issued. The blog displayed the image below of a
Chobani lid to make it easier for customers to determine if they had products included in the voluntary
recall. The text near the bottom showed customers how to identify the best by date and the 16-012 code
that corresponded to the tainted batch (“Our Promise to You”, 2013).
9 (“Our Promise to You”, 2013)
On Sept. 6, one day after the voluntary recall was issued, Chobani published the results of lab
testing conducted via its blog with the headline, “Mold behind Chobani recall poses little threat to
consumers” (“Our Promise to You”, 2013). The company reported that the mold in question, mucor
circinelloides, “is not considered a foodborne pathogen” (“Our Promise to You”, 2013). Cornell
University professor Randy Worobo made a statement, listed below, saying that there was little reason to
be concerned about safety. The university media relations department also issued a press release with Dr.
Worobo’s comments.
(“Our
Promise to You”, 2013).
This message was posted on both Twitter (Appendix: Image 4) and Facebook (Appendix: Image
5). The Twitter post included a link to the blog; however, the Facebook post did not. On Facebook,
Chobani posted a graphic and referred to the mold as one “commonly found in the dairy environment.”
After the Sept. 6 social media posts, Chobani temporarily suspended adding new promotional
content. It instead focused on responding to consumer complaints that were accumulating on its
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. The company continued to update its ongoing blog post.
On Sept. 11, Chobani posted an update to the blog with an apology for slow response times due to
the increased volume of calls and emails. It detailed the elements of its crisis response as 1) updating
customers in real time; 2) bolstering its Customer Loyalty Staff; 3) providing real time social
engagement, and 4) supporting retail locations. The post ended with the statement, “nothing is more
important to us than responding to and connecting with our fans—including, and most importantly, those
10 who have a less than perfect experience. Every day we set out to do that just a little bit better” (“Our
Promise to You”, 2013).
On Sept. 27, the company posted a graphic on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts with
the phrase “Thanks for your support” (Appendix: Image 6). On Twitter and Facebook the caption said,
“We’re working ‘round the clock to get back to each and every one of you!” On Instagram the caption
read, “We wouldn’t be where we are today without our loyal fans.” The following week, Chobani
continued the theme of thanking fans by starting a #1fans hashtag on Instagram that was later used on
Twitter.
The final post on the ongoing blog page, which was devoted to the crisis, was added on Oct. 2.
Chobani emphasized that it was working “round the clock” on the situation and expressed appreciation
for the loyalty of its fans.
(“Our
Promise to You”, 2013)
Stakeholders
Customers
Customer reaction on social media began as early as August 20.
(Meg, 2013).
Chobani did not issue a formal statement on the situation until Aug. 31 which caused some customers to
complain that the company was hiding the problem from the public. Even after the initial blog post there
was frustration with what customers believed was a lack of information on the situation. A few
individuals provided updates to each other on Chobani’s Facebook page. Before the CEO’s apology
11 appeared on Facebook, customers grew increasingly angry as demonstrated by word choice and posting
multiple times. Many began to criticize the company for containing its updates to the blog.
There were several points of contention among customers. The first was that the company was
slow to take action. Customers pointed out the delay in issuing the recall as well as slow email and phone
response times from the Customer Loyalty Team. Second, customers demonstrated frustration with the
way in which the company handled the crisis. Third, despite Chobani’s report that the mold should pose
little threat to consumers, social media posts revealed that customers were ill from the tainted products.
Fourth, customers reported a disconnect between the knowledge of the social media teams and the
Customer Loyalty Team. Lastly, towards the end of October, comments shifted to complaints that
replacement coupons provided by Chobani’s Customer Loyalty Team were void or not accepted in stores.
Customer grievance examples:
Slow or non-responsive
(Veit, 2013).
(Hardin Hunt, 2013).
12 Company reaction to the crisis
(Williams,
2013).
Ill customers
(Mercedes, 2013).
13 Disconnect between social media and Customer Loyalty Teams
(Reiki, 2013).
Invalid coupons
(Caldarell-Whitaker, 2013).
When Chobani published the CEO’s apology, the first Facebook post on the situation, it received
1,749 likes, 1,930 comments and 2,666 shares (Chobani Facebook, 2013). The Twitter version of the post
received 82 re-tweets, 20 favorites and 50 comments. Chobani responded to nearly all negative comments
made on these channels (Chobani Twitter, 2013). Though many comments were negative, there were
some customers who demonstrated support for the company. Chobani’s social media staff replied to
several with a thank you message.
14 (Isitt - Jackson, 2013).
On Oct. 6, Chobani posted a graphic on Facebook and Twitter saying, “We pour our hearts into
every spoonful”. Customer comments on the image indicated that some were still unsatisfied. By October
the amount of customer complaints posted on social media significantly decreased, although customers
continued, as of Nov. 12 to write comments about the invalidity of replacement coupons.
Retailers
Grocery and retail stores were part of this crisis as these businesses had to pull the affected Greek
yogurt off the shelves and destroy it. Several individual store locations posted signs to shelves with a brief
explanation as to why the product was unavailable. Corporate spokespeople from Kroger, Target,
Walmart and Safeway provided comments to the media that were in line with the messaging that Chobani
used. They emphasized that the removal of product was not a recall situation or a food safety issue, but
rather a proactive measure due to a quality issue (“Chobani pulling some”, 2013) (Andrews, 2013). Some
employees of these grocery stores took to social media to share the situation with their networks, as
shown in the example below.
15 (Portuese,
2013).
Media
The Idaho Statesman, the most widely read newspaper in the state, was the first media outlet to
report the Chobani product issue on Sept. 1. The lead of the story stated, “Grocery stores in the Treasure
Valley have pulled Chobani Greek yogurt from their shelves following what the company is refusing to
call a recall” (Sowell, 2013). The reporter named specific stores that were in the process of destroying
Chobani Greek yogurt, and he included details about social media complaints. Spokesperson comments
were not included as no one at Chobani could be reached. Additionally, the reporter stated that the
customer service line went unanswered.
The Associated Press published a story immediately following the Idaho Statesman and credited
the newspaper for several facts. Reporters at The Associated Press also attempted to reach out to the
spokesperson for Chobani and were not able to reach them for a comment (“Chobani pulls”, 2013). A few
local Idaho media outlets picked up the story; however, national attention did not begin until Tuesday,
Sept. 3, following the Labor Day holiday weekend. At that point a wide range of outlets reported about
the bulging and fizzing Greek yogurt. The major networks published stories that were then also posted by
local affiliates. Several business and industry-based publications covered the issue as well.
Initially the media reporting was focused on supplying the details of the affected products to the
public. Most stories provided information about retail stores getting rid of the Greek yogurt as well as the
expiration dates for the items in question. Several news stories reported on the social media complaints
from customers. On Sept. 5, the voluntary recall was officially announced. At this point the media began
gathering comments from the FDA spokesperson Tamara Ward. The company’s website ceased to work,
possibly due to an overload of visits, which prompted Forbes to post a screenshot of the error page and
Reuters to report about it (Kroll, 2013) (Abrahamian & Clarke, 2013).
16 Several of the articles written during the first two weeks of September did not include comments
from a Chobani spokesperson. Media outlets included sentences about trying to reach a person for
comment, but not receiving any responses. A Reuters article published on Sept. 4 said, “Chobani did not
provide a response after multiple emails and calls for comment and its website was down on Wednesday
evening, making it impossible to access prior statements on the subject” (Abrahamian & Clarke, 2013).
Although on that same day, ABC News published an article with the following quote from a
spokeswoman who said there were, “some claims of illness” and that the company was “investigating and
responding to those claims, as there's nothing more important to [Chobani] than the health and safety of
our consumers” (Farnham, 2013). When spokesperson comments were included in traditional media
articles, statements often expressed concern for the health and safety of consumers or provided details
about the affected product. The CEO of the company was interviewed on Sept. 5 by The Associated
Press. The comments posted in the resulting article provided insight that it was the company’s choice to
go forward with the voluntary recall and not an FDA mandate. Additionally, he said that the issue had
been fixed (Choi, 2013).
On Sept. 6 Chobani identified the type of mold that was the cause of the bulging and fizzing
Greek yogurt. As previously stated, a Cornell University professor who specializes in food safety made
statements that in most cases there would be no health risk to consumers from this mold. Cornell
University’s media relations department published a press release (Osgood, 2013). These new
developments gained attention and resulted in new articles. After this announcement, there was a break in
coverage for a few days until the FDA started announcing the number of individuals who were reporting
health issues believed to be connected to the consumption of Chobani Greek yogurt. The Times-News in
Twin Falls, Idaho was the first to report on Sept. 10 there were 89 people who reported illness to the FDA
(Cadotte, 2013). As new updates with higher totals were available, more coverage continued. Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel reported on Sept. 25 that nearly 300 consumers had filed complaints (Laasby, 2013).
Following the crisis there was media coverage regarding how the company handled the situation.
Wall Street Journal posted an article online titled, “Chobani Gets a Lesson in the Power of Social Media”
that discussed how early indicators of the crisis came from social media. The article included comments
from the CCO who said that the crisis was a new experience. She expressed regret that external resources
had not been brought in sooner to help address consumer inquiries (DiPietro, 2013). Several
communication industry publications provided perspectives of how the company handled the crisis. These
included Digiday and Media Bistro.
Competitors
One competitor took advantage of Chobani’s crisis by promoting its new Greek yogurt product
line during the height of the situation. Yoplait used timely social media posts and strategically placed
online advertisements to bring attention to its Greek yogurt. On Facebook, an image of Yoplait’s product
was posted along with the statement, “Now’s the time to try NEW delicious Yoplait Greek”. The Twitter
post said, “Delicious, strained Greek yogurt isn’t hard to find. Try the new Yoplait Greek.” This caught
the attention of a reporter at Businessweek who published an article, “Chobani Issues Moldy Recall,
Yoplait Pours It On (Stock, 2013).” Additionally, a blogger noticed that Yoplait placed an online pop-up
advertisement, promoting its Greek yogurt, over the ABC News article, “Chobani Recalls Some Greek
Yogurt Cups” (McMedia, 2013).
17 (Yoplait, 2013).
18 (Yoplait, 2013).
(McMordie, 2013).
19 Reflection
What will be the financial impact of this crisis on Chobani’s business? The company was able to
grow quickly by being the first to market Greek yogurt to the everyday American. With declining market
share and this crisis situation it is even more important that Chobani moves forward with a strong
business plan that takes into account these setbacks.
How can Chobani regain the trust of its customers? During this situation, many customers voiced
their frustrations with the company’s response to the crisis. On social media some even threatened to stop
purchasing and consuming the product. What might Chobani do to appease customers and prove that the
brand values them?
How can Chobani regain the trust of its retail partners? This situation forced stores to take
product off of its shelves. This move caused customer frustration due to unavailable product and
confusion for reasons behind the removal. In the follow-up to the crisis, stores were asked to accept
coupons for free yogurt, many of which were incompatible with their systems. What can Chobani do to
ensure that its retail partners are satisfied and preserve their share of shelf space in a competitive market?
How can Chobani rebuild relationships with journalists and form a media relations strategy with a
proactive approach? During the crisis the Greek yogurt company received national media attention with
hundreds of articles published. Chobani did not have media personnel ready to address questions after the
initial public blog post nor was the company able to keep up with the amount of media inquiries as the
crisis progressed. A negative tone was apparent in several articles due to the company’s inability to
respond. How should Chobani move forward to be trusted as a source by journalists and approached first
for future stories?
What should Chobani do to prepare for a potential future crisis? As seen in the disconnect
between the responses of the social media and Customer Loyalty Teams, the company was not fully
prepared for crisis mode. How might Chobani have better streamlined its reaction to this situation, and
prepare a better plan for the future?
Going forward, Chobani will have to answer all of these questions and rebuild trust with its
stakeholders. The company has learned the importance of anticipating a crisis before it happens and
should use this knowledge to construct a crisis plan for the future. This case demonstrates the necessity of
being prepared for two-way communication efforts in addition to more traditional public statements, due
to the increasing influence of social media.
20 References
(2013, Aug 28). Chobani to remove hemp seeds from yogurt after Air Force ban. Fox News. Retrieved
from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/08/28/chobani-to-remove-hemp-seeds-from-yogurtafter-air-force-ban/
(2013, Aug 31). The Greek-yogurt phenomenon in America left big food firms feeling sour. They are
trying to get better at innovation. The Economist. Retrieved from
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21584353-greek-yogurt-phenomenon-america-left-bigfood-firms-feeling-sour-they-are-trying-get
(2013, Sept. 1). Chobani pulls yogurt from store shelves. KHQ. Retrieved from
http://www.khq.com/story/23313120/chobani-pulls-yogurt-from-store-shelves
(2013, Sept. 3). Chobani pulling some yogurt over quality concerns. Associated Press. Retrieved from
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/chobani-pulling-some-yogurt-over-quality-concerns
Araxia Abrahamian, A. & Clarke, T. (2013, Sept 4). Chobani’s pulling moldy yogurt from U.S. shelves
prompts federal probe. Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/04/us-usa-yogurt-moldidUSBRE9831AW20130904
Andrews, J. (2013, Sept. 2). Chobani pulls yogurt cups, says no recall. Food Safety News. Retrieved from
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/09/chobani-pulls-yogurt-cups-says-norecall/#.Uoq8Zruh5IJ
Bartiromo, M., (2013, June 16). Bartiromo: Chobani CEO at center of Greek yogurt craze. USA Today.
Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/bartiromo/2013/06/16/chobaniulukaya-yogart/2423611/
Cadotte, J. (2013, Sept 10). FDA receives 89 reports of illness from Chobani yogurt. Magic Valley.
Retrieved from http://magicvalley.com/news/local/fda-receives-reports-of-illness-from-chobaniyogurt/article_328cf34a-d61c-522b-b83e-6c2090a033d9.html
Caldarell-Whitaker, C. [Cathy]. (2013, Sept.) Imagine my surprise when I took my free coupons to the
market and they said they were void [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/Chobani
Chobani. (2013). Voluntary recall of small quantity of product produced at Chobani Idaho facility [Press
Release]. Retrieved from http://chobani.com/who-we-are/news/2013/09/05/voluntary-recall/
Chobani. (2013, Sept. 4). @syracusedaily No recall here! We're replacing product that didn't meet our
quality standards. More info here: http://cho.ba/1dPGbVB [Tweet]. Retrieved from
https://twitter.com/Chobani/status/375298475111759872
Chobani. (2013, Sept. 4). @Ryan_Quintana No recall here! For all the latest info, please see our blog:
http://cho.ba/1ajoPPf [Tweet]. Retrieved from
https://twitter.com/Chobani/status/375297511411695616
21 Chobani. (2013, Sept. 4). @keeellie No recall here! Just replacing some cups that weren't up to snuff. All
the details right here: http://cho.ba/17zF2wl [Tweet]. Retrieved from
https://twitter.com/Chobani/status/375296540925259777
Chobani greek yogurt faq. (2013). Retrieved from http://chobani.com/products/faq/
Chobani resource library. (2013). Retrieved from http://chobani.com/who-we-are/resource-lib/
Choi, C. (2013, Sept 5). Chobani recalls some greek yogurt cups. Associated Press. Retrieved from
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/chobani-recalls-some-greek-yogurt-cups
Cornell University. (2013, Sept 6). Mold behind Chobani recall poses little threat to consumers [Press
Release]. Retrieved from http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2013/09/06/mold-behind-chobanirecall-poses-little-threat-to-consumers-2/
DiPietro, B. (2013, Sept 17). Chobani gets a lesson in the power of social media. Wall Street Journal.
Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2013/09/17/chobani-gets-lesson-inpower-of-social-media/
Farnham, A. (2013, Sept 5). Yogurt juggaernaut Chobani has mold problem. ABC News. Retrieved from
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/chobani-pulls-greek-yogurt-off-sheves/story?id=20158308
Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts. (2013, Sept. 6). Retrieved from
http://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls/ucm165546.htm
Ferrara, T. [Tim]. (2013, Aug 31). Check your yogurts people for code 16-012, it’s a recall that Chobani
refuses to acknowledge to the public [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151553386341852&set=a.187018951851.136926.
27486451851&type=1&comment_id=10477948&offset=0&total_comments=22
Hardin Hunt, P. [Peggy]. (2013, Sept. 29). Wow this is horrible customer service. Maybe you think
people will just forget about this if you take long enough to respond [Facebook status update].
Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151601703611852&set=a.187018951851.136926.
27486451851&type=1&comment_id=10655495&offset=0&total_comments=503
Isitt - Jackson, J. [Jennifer]. (2013, Sept. 30). I just want to say what a wonderful company you guys are.
We received your replacement coupons last week [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/Chobani
Kroll, D. (2013, Sept. 5). Chobani to replace moldy yogurt, FDA in the dark. Forbes. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2013/09/05/chobani-to-replace-moldy-yogurt-fda-in-thedark/
Laasby, G. (2013, Sept 25). Consumers call for expansion of Chobani yogurt recall. Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel. Retrieved from http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/pi/consumers-call-for-expansion-ofchobani-yogurt-recall-b99106694z1-225273141.html
McMordie, A. (2013, Sept. 7). Props, Yoplait. Retrieved from
http://allisonmcmordie.blogspot.com/2013/09/props-yoplait.html
22 Meg. (2013, Aug. 20). @chobani I eat you daily, but bulge + funny taste = . Anything I can do?? Btw,
coffee + dark choc chip AMAZING!!!! pic.twitter.com/uqmKT0LXyb [Tweet]. Retrieved from
https://twitter.com/Meg111211/status/370000052535967744
Mercedes, H. [Harmony]. (2013, Sept. 4). I have had terrible stomach pains for the past two days and am
now wondering [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151553386341852&set=a.187018951851.136926.
27486451851&type=1&comment_id=10503650&offset=0&total_comments=22
Mourdoukatas, P. (2013, Oct 8). 1 Lesson from a Fast Track Billionaire. Forbes. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2013/10/08/1-lesson-from-a-fast-trackbillionaire/
Our Promise to You (Chobani Blog). Retrieved from
http://chobani.com/community/blog/2013/08/quality-promise/
Portuese, S. [Steve]. (2013, Aug. 31). At the store I work at, I was told to throw away the key lime,
apricot [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from
http://chobani.com/community/blog/2013/08/qualitypromise/?fb_comment_id=fbc_572406809487012_61572148_572554762805550
Products. (2013). Retrieved from http://chobani.com/products/
Reiki, G. [Gail]. (2013, Sept. 27). I strongly suggest you immediately inform your customer service reps
that answer your phones that those coupons they are sending [Facebook status update]. Retrieved
from https://www.facebook.com/Chobani
Schultz, E.J. (2012, June 6). Who’s Winning the Greek-Yogurt ‘Revolution’?. Ad Age. Retreived from
http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/winning-greek-yogurt-revolution/235206/
Stock, K. (2013, Sept. 5). Chobani issues moldy recall; yoplait pours it on. BloombergBusinessweek.
Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-09-05/chobani-issues-moldy-recallyoplait-pours-it-o
Sowell, J. (2013, Sept. 1). Chobani yogurt removed from store shelves. Idaho Statesman. Retrieved from
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/09/01/2737033/chobani-yogurt-removed-from-store.html
Ulukaya, H., (2013, Oct). How I Did It...Chobani’s Founder on Growing a Start-Up Without Outside
Investors. Harvard Business Review, volume 91, issue 10. Retrieved from
http://hbr.org/2013/10/chobanis-founder-on-growing-a-start-up-without-outside-investors/
Veit, K. [Kurt]. (2013, Sept. 1). I think this is being handled poorly by Chobani. I now have doubts if I’ll
ever purchase this product again [Facebook status update]. Retreived from
http://chobani.com/community/blog/2013/08/qualitypromise/?fb_comment_id=fbc_572406809487012_61572807_572664866127873#f1c78d78
Who we are. (2013). Retrieved from http://chobani.com/who-we-are/
Williams, M. [Marcia]. (2013, Sept. 4). If you’re going to take accountability, then do so publicly. Don’t
make light of it and say it’s voluntary. The yogurt is clearly making some people sick [Facebook
23 status update]. Retrieved from http://chobani.com/community/blog/2013/08/qualitypromise/?fb_comment_id=fbc_572406809487012_61582794_574358752625151#f3f90cc07c
Yoplait. (2013, Sept. 4). Now’s the time to try delicious new yoplait Greek [Facebook status update].
Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/Yoplait
Yoplait. (2013, Sept. 5). Delicious, strained Greek yogurt isn’t hard to find. Try the new Yoplait Greek
[Twitter status update]. Retrieved from
https://twitter.com/YoplaitGreek/status/375691817171169280
Appendix
Image 1: Facebook post apology from CEO
Image 2: Twitter post with affected product details
24 Image 3: Blog post with thank you message and affected product details
25 Image 4: Twitter post with name of mold
Image 5: Facebook post with name of mold
Image 6: Thank you graphic posted on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
26 Image 7: Number of social media mentions for the term “Chobani”, Aug. 1- Oct. 31, source:
socialradar.net
Image 8: Positive (green) v. negative (red) word associations for the term “Chobani” in social
media, Aug. 1- Oct 31, source: socialradar.net
27

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