Chobani officials visited Rome, N.Y., this week to update local officials and media on its plan for construction of a $1.2 billion new plant there, which has been noticeably delayed since the company held a groundbreaking ceremony in April 2025.
According to reports, Chobani had planned to start construction on the 1.4 million-sq.-ft. facility full speed ahead this year. However, Chobani chief impact officer Nishant Roy explained to the Rome (N.Y.) Daily Sentinel in an exclusive interview that the dairy processor had to shift its priorities.
Roy told the publication it had invested more in its existing sites recently in order to get product to market faster and take advantage of growing demand for its products, but added, “we are also not abandoning our commitment to Rome. We’re coming.”
In addition, Chobani has upped its estimate on the number of employees the new facility in Rome will need. Originally, the company believed it would need more than 1,000 employees once the facility was fully operational. But now, that number could reach as many as 1,800, according to additional reports.
Construction will happen in three phases, with Phase 1 now slated for a start date between spring 2027 and summer 2028. Chobani’s plans for Rome include 28 production lines in total, with four to six lines (and about 300-450 employees) expected to be up and running after Phase 1. Phase 2 will build out another seven to 10 lines, and Phase 3 will finish the job.
New renderings of the facility also were released, showing additional buildings and more community-focused recreational facilities and green spaces.