| Celebrated Name: | Hamdi Ulukaya |
| Real Name/Full Name: | Hamdi Ulukaya |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 49 years old |
| Birth Date: | 26 October 1972 |
| Birth Place: | Erzincan, Turkey |
| Nationality: | Turkish |
| Height: | 1.75 m |
| Weight: | 83 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Louise Vongerichten |
| Children/Kids (Son and Daughter): | Aga Ulukaya, Miran Ulukaya |
| Dating/Girlfriend (Name): | N/A |
| Is Hamdi Ulukaya Gay?: | No |
| Profession: | Businessperson |
| Salary: | N/A |
| Net Worth in 2024: | $2.5 Billion |
| Last Updated: | December 2024 |
Hamdi Ulukaya is a Kurdish billionaire businessman and humanitarian situated in the United States. He is the owner, founding father, and chairperson of Choban, the best-selling strained yogurt brand in the US. It a delicious tasting yogurt that both thick and has a higher protein content than natural yogurt. He started his production in New York, but he has expanded to many other states over the years. Ulukaya yogurt is known all over the globe and has become a favorite snack for many people.
Maybe you know about Hamdi Ulukaya very well, but do you know how old and tall is he and what is his net worth in 2024? If you do not know, we have prepared this article about details of Hamdi Ulukaya ’s short biography-wiki, career, professional life, personal life, today’s net worth, age, height, weight, and more facts. Well, if you’re ready, let’s start.
Early Life & Biography
Hamdi was born on 26th October 1972 in Erzincan, Turkey, to a family that valued dairy farming as the family also kept sheep and goats. His mother is Emine Ulukaya. He studied political science at Ankara University and later transferred to the United States to study English at Adelphi University in 1994. In 1997 Hamdi moved to the university at Albany, state university of New York, and enrolled in business courses where he became knowledgeable about being an entrepreneur.
Hamdi was later employed on an upstate farm after his studies. In one of his father’s visits to the farm, he tasted the local cheese and found it inferior. He then urged Hamdi to import the family cheese from Turkey to his amazement, the cheese became popular, and was on high demand. Hamdi was forced to open a small feta cheese plant in 2002.
Personal Life
He got married to Ayse Giray, who was a doctor in New York City in 1997, and later separated in 1999. In 2015, he had a son named Aga, with another woman named Alida Boer. He then got married again to Louise Vongerichten in January 2018, co-creator and president of a company known as the Food Dreams Foundation. Louise is the daughter of a well-known French-American chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The two love birds we blessed with a son whom they called Iran. Ulukayas hobbies include traveling, sailing, and playing with his two German shepherds.
Age, Height, and Weight
Being born on 26th October 1972, Hamdi Ulukaya Is 51 years old as of today’s date [current_ date]. His height is 1.75 m tall, and his weight is 83 kg.
Career
Hamdi Ulukaya is also known by many as the yogurt potentate. He is the instigator of America’s most loved Greek yogurt brand, called Chobani. He borrowed a loan from the Small Business Administration and bought an old yogurt plant in 2005. He then developed a recipe that was inspired by his heritage in Turkey.
In 2007, his invention started to bear fruits as his yogurt was in high demand. Many people termed the yogurt as high quality, natural, and at the same time, affordable. In 2019, Chobani was able to make more than $1 billion in sales per year. Ulukaya has been able to make the yogurt capture more than 50% of the market and therefore making remarkable progress from the past years.
He bought a second-hand milk-separator machine from Wisconsin for in order to produce the thick strained yogurt on a money-oriented scale. He came up with the name Chobani during his trip to picking the machine. Ulukaya opened a yogurt café and called ChobaniSoHo in 2012, and this café offered exotic dishes like sandwiches and soups. He later became a notable stakeholder in La Colombe Roasters.
Awards & Achievements
Hamdi has had many awards and achievements in his line of career over the years. He was awarded a humanitarian award by the American Turkish Society in October 2015 for his dedication to helping refugees through the Giving Pledge Act. In November 2015, the Children’s Aid Society granted him the corporate leadership award for his tireless effort in piloting change in the lives of the less fortunate in the community and all over the world. Hamdi was also included in Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in the globe for his leadership skills and magnanimous charities for the cause of refugees.
In 2017, he was named by Foreign Policy Magazine as one of the Global Thinkers. During the same year, he was also awarded the Ripple of Hope award.
Net Worth & Salary of Hamdi Ulukaya in 2024
Hamdi Ulukaya’s net worth has accumulated over the years because of his invention of the yogurt. As of December 2024, His current net worth is estimated to be $2.5 billion. His wealth has been contributed by the many businesses he has been able to set up in different places. His income comes from being an entrepreneur, chief executive officer, and philanthropist.
Hamdi Ulukaya has joined the list of the world’s billionaires. The company has continued to grow exponentially under his leadership by expanding its markets in Australia and Investing in new plants. Chobani has re-invented its brand and positioned itself as a wellness company focusing on food.