A Chobani employee helps load a vehicle with cases of Greek yogurt during the company’s annual holiday giveaway at the fairgrounds in Norwich.

SOUTH EDMESTON - Like every industry, Chobani faced unprecedented ebb and flow in 2020. The company touted a successful launch of several new products outside of its staple line of Greek yogurt, elevated its workforce, and took generous measures to support local communities - all while curbing the threat of a global pandemic at one of Chenango County’s largest workplaces.

Chobani’s year has been trying indeed. But the company’s nameplate has never been defined by the challenges it faces, say company spokesmen.

Instead, it’s defined by how the company responds to those challenges. And Chobani, they say, has responded strongly with significant investments in its people, communities, and innovation.

“It’s been a pretty intense and exciting year for us, despite the fact that we’re operating in these really challenging, uncertain times,” said Mark Broadhurst, Chobani’s vice president of corporate affairs. “There’s a lot of hurt that continues as a consequence of the pandemic … What we set out to say is, ‘We’re in this for the long haul.’ Not only for our employees, but for our communities.”

From the onset of the pandemic, Chobani laid out a four-pronged approach to handle it. First and foremost was the protection of its employees. Second, the company sought to keep its plants up and running. Third, it kept up distribution to supermarkets across the country. And lastly, it recognized a need to care for local communities, which it did through the donation of nearly 7 million Chobani products coast to coast.