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- Chobani faces a boycott after announcing a partnership with Planet Harvest, co-founded by Ivanka Trump.
- Planet Harvest is a for-profit company that links farmers’ incomplete produce to food companies to reduce waste.
- Partnership critics cite political opposition to the for-profitability of Trump family and collaboration.
- This is not the first time Chobani has faced a boycott. This is because they were targeted in 2016 to hire refugees.
The support behind the boycott of Chobani products is built after the New York-based company specializing in yogurt production recently announced a new controversial partnership.
Headquartered in Cenango County, New York, in the state’s South Tier, Chobani, operating a manufacturing facility, announced a collaboration with Planet Harvest, founded in 2023 by Ivanka Trump and Melissa Ackerman.
In April, Chobani announced plans to build a “prosperous food production center” in Rome, New York, creating more than 1,000 jobs.
The announcement responded instantly on social media. One commenter commented, “I’m extremely pleased that this came across my exploration page. I’ll never buy @chobani again,” commented another comment, “Bye Chobani.”
Here’s what you need to know.
Why are people boycotting Chobani?
According to comments on social media, people are pissed at the fact that Planet Harvest is a for-profit company.
One commenter on an Instagram post about Planet Harvest’s Instagram collaboration said, “This is a for-profit company that means making money from you. They’re not giving it back to Americans without a huge price… @Chobani is also a profit company.
In response to questions about why Planet Harvest is a for-profit enterprise during a CNBC interview on September 12th, Ivanka Trump said:
“In the beginning, I know what, why don’t we buy this extra and take it to the food bank? And I really wanted it to be a volume, to make it a functional private sector business… you could actually impact more changes.”
For others, it’s about politics. “I’ve been very disappointed… there’s a million better ways to stop food waste than partnering with families convicted of felony for nonprofit money.”
What is Planetary Harvest?
Planet Harvest helps farmers sell crops that do not meet the aesthetic qualifications that are sold at grocery stores. The Chicago-based company connects the produce to food companies such as Chobani, reducing the amount of waste food in the fields.
“Planet Harvest is a profitable company with the vision to maximize the amount of fresh produce that travels from farm to family,” the company’s website states. “We will connect farmers with food companies, foodservices and retailers to unlock the overall harvest value, optimize supply chains and reduce environmental waste.”
How did the partnership look?
In an interview with CNBC, Ivanka Trump said she and Urkaya were the first to connect in President Donald Trump’s first term through the Farmers Two Family Food Box initiative she launched during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Urkaya then contacted her after her term and said she was trying to share how beneficial the program is for Chobani dairy farmers and explore private sector options to continue the benefits to his company’s farmers.
According to an interview, the planet’s harvest is only a year, with over a million pounds of strawberries being dumped and “rescued” by purchasing the entire harvest from farmers, and businesses are working together to expand to other types of fruit.
“I didn’t know when the planetary harvest brought it,” Urkaya said of food waste. “(It’s) a victory for the farmers, a victory for the land… wins the economy, wins the consumers.”
Has Chobani received any backlash before?
Yes, the company, which broke the ground in April at a new production facility in Rome, New York, faced a boycott in 2016.
The far-right and anti-immigrant groups have targeted Chobani to hire refugees. According to the New York Times, Urkaya is a supporter of the voices of hiring refugees and has pledged to give away most of his wealth to help them.
Contribution: Arizona Republic Reporter Laiary
Emily Burns Report The USA Today Network’s New York Connect team focuses on fraud and recall topics related to consumer issues. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Please contact ebarnes@gannett.com.
