Lawsuit Claims Fage And Chobani Aren't 'Real' Greek Yogurts

Fage and Chobani yogurts are in a bit of a sour situation. The yogurt companies are being sued by two New York City men who claim that the companies are practicing deceptive advertising because neither Fage nor Chobani are Greek companies, and the product they produce is inauthentic. In fact, plaintiffs Barry Stoltz and Allan Chang claim that eating a cup of Chobani yogurt "is about as nutritious as eating a fudge ice cream bar."

Chobani Low-Fat Greek Yogurt has 4 grams of sugar and 3.5 grams of fat, while their Non-Fat Greek Yogurt has zero fat and 4 grams of sugar. In comparison, Fage's 2% Greek Yogurt has 8 grams of sugar and 4 grams of fat, while their Total 0% Greek Yogurt has 7 grams of sugar and 0 fat. If you wanted to eat a "fudge ice cream bar" instead as the lawsuit suggests, one Fudgsicle has 9 grams of sugar and 1.5 grams of fat, in comparison. 

But there's still the question of Greek authenticity. The lawsuit states that Chobani actually has Turkish roots. According to their websites, both Fage and Chobani are US-based companies, and Fage actually started in Greece. 

We have yet to hear back from Fage, but Chobani replied with this statement:

"Our fans understand that equating Chobani to an ice cream bar is like comparing apples and watermelons. Our yogurt is packed with protein, our fruit is real fruit and we have always been committed to making delicious food using only natural ingredients... Our fans also understand that, like English muffins and French fries, Greek yogurt is a product description about how we authentically make our yogurt and not about where we make our yogurt in Upstate New York and Idaho... We have proudly built Chobani on being truly authentic and totally transparent, and fully stand behind our products and our craft. 

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Joanna Fantozzi is an Associate Editor with The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter@JoannaFantozzi