Chobani’s CEO says he slept in the company’s factories for the first 5 years of the business

Chobani’s Hamdi Ulukaya said he used to sleep on factory floors.

John Nacion/Getty Images

Chobani’s CEO said he barely left the factory in the first five years of the business.
Hamdi Ulukaya, the billionaire behind the yoghurt company, said it was necessary to make such commitments.
Other CEOs like Elon Musk have also said they have slept on factory floors to show their dedication.

Chobani’s CEO said he used to sleep on the factory floor in the early days of the Greek yoghurt company.

Hamdi Ulukaya, a Turkish billionaire who started Chobani in 2005, said in a Tuesday “Rapid Response” podcast episode that he started his business in the countryside.

“Where I started business is country where the cows are, where the land is, and no bars and no restaurants, nothing,” Ulukaya said. “So you’ll sleep in the factories.”

The company was founded in New Berlin, New York, a small countryside town about 200 miles from New York City.

Ulukaya said in the podcast that in the first five years of the business, he rarely left the factory. He also said that when he built a factory in Idaho, he didn’t leave for six to seven months.

“You’ve got to make those kinds of commitments,” the 53-year-old leader said. “Unless you make those kinds of commitments, especially in a high-growth environment, it will go south really fast.”

Ulukaya is not the only CEO who has spent nights on the factory floor.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has shared about his sleeping habits on numerous occasions.

Speaking at the Annual Baron Investment Conference in November 2022, Musk said he was living in Tesla’s factories in Fremont and Nevada for three years straight, calling them his “primary residences.”

He said he slept on the floor, which was “damn uncomfortable” and made him “smell like dust.” But he wanted to show his employees that he was not “drinking Mai Tais on a tropical island,” hoping to motivate them to work hard.

He said again in May this year that he was “back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms.”

Xiaomi’s CEO and founder, Lei Jun, posted a picture on X in November, showing himself sleeping on a white mattress on the factory floor.

“Good morning! Woke up to the news that 100,000 units of Xiaomi SU7 achieved!” he wrote in the post’s caption.

Representatives for Chobani did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Content Accuracy: Keewee.News provides news, lifestyle, and cultural content for informational purposes only. Some content is generated or assisted by AI and may contain inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. Readers are responsible for verifying the information. Third-Party Content: We aggregate articles, images, and videos from external sources. All rights to third-party content remain with their respective owners. Keewee.News does not claim ownership or responsibility for third-party materials. Affiliate Advertising: Some content may include affiliate links or sponsored placements. We may earn commissions from purchases made through these links, but we do not guarantee product claims. Age Restrictions: Our content is intended for viewers 21 years and older where applicable. Viewer discretion is advised. Limitation of Liability: By using Keewee.News, you agree that we are not liable for any losses, damages, or claims arising from the content, including AI-generated or third-party material. DMCA & Copyright: If you believe your copyrighted work has been used without permission, contact us at dcma@keewee.news. No Mass Arbitration: Users agree that any disputes will not involve mass or class arbitration; all claims must be individual.