Dive Brief:
- Russian customs officials have blocked shipments of Chobani Greek-style yogurts destined for U.S. athletes at the Sochi Olympics.
- The move attracted protests from U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, who sounded like he was doing a commercial for the brand — which is based in his state of New York — when filing a complaint that "this protein-packed, New York-made food has met a serious roadblock in the Russian Government."
- The problem is that Russia bans most dairy imports, and some 5,000 single-serving cups of Chobani have been seized by Customs officials.
Dive Insight:
The folks at Chobani must be beside themselves with glee. What started out as a simple Olympics marketing ploy has morphed into an international incident. You're hard-pressed to read, watch, or listen to news anywhere in America today that doesn't talk about Chobani and the Russians.