Hamdi Ulukaya

Hamdi Ulukaya, who is new to the Forbes Billionaires list, is the founder, president and CEO of Chobani Inc, formerly Agro Farma, the maker of Chobani Greek yogurt. Born in Turkey, he came to the United States to study business in 1997. In 2001 he started Euphrates, a feta cheese company, in central New York. While running Euphrates he saw a for-sale ad for a Kraft Foods yogurt plant in a neighboring town. He bought the plant in 2005 and started perfecting the recipe for Greek-style yogurt. The first order was shipped in October 2007. Since then the company's sales have grown to nearly $1 billion annually. In December 2012 he opened a new yogurt plant in Twin Falls, Idaho. He is facing a reported $1.5 billion lawsuit brought by his ex-wife, Dr. Alyse Giray. She sued him in August 2012, claiming that she gave him money to start and expand his original business in exchange for a 53% stake. She claims that he used some of the funds to buy the yogurt factory that became Agro-Farma. Ulukaya has said the suit has no merit.