Whole Foods has lost its taste for Chobani.Thenatural and organic grocery chain said Wednesday
that it will be phasingChobani Greek Yogurt out of its stores in early 2014 to make room forother
products.Part of the decision might be fueled by WholeFoods’ push to phase out foods that use genetically
modifiedingredients. But it’s also about offering more exclusive and organicproducts. Chobani is now
available in most supermarkets.WholeFoods Market Inc. said Wednesday in a statement that it is committed
tooffering shoppers the widest variety of high-quality products possible,including items shoppers can’t find
anywhere else. And as the nationaldemand for Greek yogurt has grown, the company says the number
ofconventional Greek yogurt options has multiplied."Whole FoodsMarket challenged its Greek yogurt
suppliers to create unique optionsfor shoppers to enjoy – including exclusive flavors, non-GMO options
andorganic choices," the company said in a statement. "At this time,Chobani has chosen a different
business model."Whole Foods, basedin Austin, Texas but with stores across the country, carries
sixnational brands and a number of regional brands.Greek yogurt,known for its thick texture, tart taste and
high protein content, hassurged in popularity in recent years. It now accounts for more than athird of the
U.S. yogurt market, up from just 1 percent in 2007,according to a report by Bernstein Research.Chobani,
which is thetop Greek yogurt brand in the U.S., says its products are not organicbut use only natural
ingredients. But some advocacy groups have urgedthe company to shift to non-GMO sources as food for its
dairy cows."Thoughwe have limited distribution within Whole Foods, they have been awonderful partner of
ours over the years," Chobani said in a statement."We know our fans love buying our products in
their stores and we hopeto continue our partnership moving forward."This setback follows Chobani’s
recall earlier this year of some of its Greek yogurt cups due to a mold contamination.Copyright 2013 The
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