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U.S.-based strained yogurt brand Chobani's founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, who also chairs the U.S.-Türkiye Business Council, gathered senior Turkish and U.S. figures in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Held on the sidelines of the final Group D match between the United States and Türkiye at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the meeting also came ahead of the NATO Summit, scheduled to take place in Ankara on July 7-8.
The gathering brought together government officials, business executives, and sports figures to discuss ways to expand bilateral trade, investment, and strategic cooperation between Türkiye and the United States, according to a statement from the council.
Among those attending were Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak; former Youth and Sports Minister and Izmir lawmaker Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoglu, Türkiye's Ambassador to Washington Sedat Onal, former Fenerbahce chairperson and Koc Holding Vice Chair Ali Koc, former national team coach Senol Gunes, as well as business executives and members of the Turkish media.
Participants exchanged views on expanding bilateral trade, improving market access, and opening up new investment opportunities in key sectors. The discussions also reaffirmed the two countries' commercial ties and shared strategic interests.
Speaking during the event, Ulukaya highlighted the ability of sports, particularly football, to connect people across borders and described the World Cup as an opportunity to promote Türkiye's global cultural and diplomatic outreach.
Following the reception, Ulukaya, Koc and the other guests watched the United States-Türkiye World Cup match together from the stands, where Türkiye secured a 3-2 victory with a stoppage-time winner despite already being eliminated from the tournament.
In an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency, Ulukaya reflected on Chobani's sponsorship of Turkish club Fenerbahce, calling it one of the most meaningful partnerships of his life.
Chobani signed a landmark sponsorship deal with Fenerbahce in 2025 worth at least €120 million ($136.7 million), becoming the club's stadium naming rights sponsor and European shirt sponsor.
"I returned to Türkiye through Fenerbahce at the invitation of President Ali Koc. After that, more things began to happen," Ulukaya said.
Ulukaya had previously hinted at plans to expand Chobani into the European and Turkish markets following the sponsorship deal. However, no further developments have been announced since then.
Founded by Ulukaya in 2005, Chobani has grown into the leading yogurt brand in the United States, with roughly a 20% share of the country's yogurt market. The privately held company generated about $3.8 billion in net sales in 2025 and was valued at approximately $20 billion following a $650 million funding round last year.
Ulukaya, whose estimated net worth stands at $13.7 billion, is the richest Turkish-born person on Forbes' 2026 World's Billionaires list.
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