Chobani Unveils Brand Ambassadors for London 2012

With London 2012 Olympics looming, yogurt maker Chobani, a first-time sponsor of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Team USA, has announced its sponsorship of six U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls for the 2012 Games who will represent the company as Team Chobani.

Team Chobani includes: Lauren Cheney, 2012 Olympic hopeful and 2008 Olympic gold medalist, soccer, Lashinda Demus, 2012 Olympic hopeful and 2004 Olympian, track & field, Matt Grevers, 2012 Olympian and 2008 Olympic gold (x2) and silver medalist, swimming, Steven Lopez, 2012 Olympian and three-time Olympian and medalist: gold (2000 and 2004) and bronze (2008) medalist, taekwondo, John Orozco, 2012 Olympic hopeful, gymnastics and Allison Jones, 2012 Paralympic hopeful, cycling and five-time Paralympian and four-time medalist in cycling and alpine skiing in both Summer and Winter Paralympic Games: gold (2006) silver (x2, 2002), silver (2008).

“Like Chobani, these six inspiring athletes are driven by heart. We too began our journey with a dream. With hard work and the support of our amazing employees, farmers, local communities and fans, we turned an abandoned factory into a near billion dollar business in less than five years,” said Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder, President and CEO of Chobani.  “It’s an honor to be naturally powering Team Chobani and Team USA and supporting them on their journey to the London Games to help their Olympic dreams come true.”

As the official packaged yogurt provider to the USOC and Team USA, authentic strained Chobani Greek Yogurt will be made available to every athlete living or training at the U.S. Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs, Colo., Chula Vista, Calif., and Lake Placid, N.Y. Additionally, Chobani will follow Team USA to London where it will be served at the USA House and High Performance Training Center during the London Olympic Games. The agreement, which runs through 2014, represents a new sponsor and category addition for the USOC.

John Orozco, 2012 Olympic hopeful and Team Chobani athlete said, “It’s great to have Chobani available at the training center because it plays such an important role in my training diet by providing me with high quality protein – especially in the recovery phase of my workouts. I was hooked after the first taste.”

Team Chobani athletes will be featured in mix of TV, digital and out-of-home advertising through the conclusion of the LondonGames.