Lesson: Redefining a category is easy; staying special once competitors swarm is the real test.

Greek yogurt wasn’t new when Chobani showed up. It wasn’t buzzy or innovative. What Chobani did was make yogurt feel like a choice: more protein, better texture, and a product that finally felt like it belonged in an adult fridge. I first noticed it in commercials and on shelves, not through hype, and the value equation was obvious: thicker, denser, more protein per dollar, and it all felt intentional, not manufactured. Hamdi Ulukaya’s origin story mattered too. A loan, a dying factory, and a rebuild rooted in community gave the brand a heartbeat competitors couldn’t fake. You can reverse-engineer packaging and flavors. You can’t reverse-engineer conviction.

But here’s what people missed: Chobani wasn’t lifted by yogurt alone; it was lifted by a global wave around gut health and functional foods. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global probiotics market is projected to grow from USD 73.13B (2025) to USD 115.13B by 2032, at a 6.70% CAGR, a tailwind that made “gut health” feel mainstream and helped Greek yogurt read as “smart,” not just filling.

Then the noise hit. Every brand had a Greek variant. Retailers pushed endless flavors. The thing that made Chobani special became the category default. Chobani didn’t lose its edge; the category absorbed it. Chobani stayed good. The market just got louder.

Three Signals That Matter

Signal 1 - Founder/Operator Takeaway

If you pioneer a format, assume you won’t own it for long. When you educate the market, you create demand for everyone, not just yourself. Guard the moat before the category graduates.

Signal 2 - Consumer Insight

“Greek yogurt” isn’t inherently cleaner anymore. Once a category matures, shortcuts scale. The healthiest option is usually the simplest one you ignored.

Signal 3 - Investor/Market Lens

Category creators shine early, but standardization brings price compression, too many look-alike products, and tighter margins. The winning signal: who maintains pricing power after differentiation disappears.

That’s my read on it from actually building in the CPG space.

Stick around. I’m just warming up.

Subscribe here for more → The Weekly D-Briefs (or forward this to someone building something meaningful)

_{DISCLAIMER - All content by Devraj Patel, including The Weekly D-Brief, is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute business, legal, or personalized advice. No client relationship is created unless agreed upon in writing. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. You are solely responsible for your decisions—always consult appropriate professionals before acting on this content.}