Podcast Summary: The CPG Guys – Growth-Oriented Category Disruption with Chobani's John Frost

Date: January 21, 2026
Host: Sri Rajagopalan (with mention of Peter V.S. Bond)
Guest: John Frost, Chief Customer Officer (CCO), Chobani

Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with John Frost, CCO of Chobani, exploring how the brand has driven sustained, growth-oriented disruption in the yogurt, dairy, and beverage categories. Frost shares insights from his 25-year CPG journey—from Frito-Lay and PepsiCo to steering Chobani's retail and omnichannel innovations. Key themes include customer-centric growth, balancing brand purpose and scale, community impact, modern category management, authentic partnerships with retailers, and the evolving omnichannel consumer experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

John Frost’s Background & Philosophy

• Career Journey ([04:43]):

  • Swimmer at Virginia Tech, degrees in marketing and management science.
  • Started at Frito-Lay for frontline experience; valued the "stability" of consumer goods (“people still eat salty snacks and beverages”).
  • Learned at PepsiCo: “the ability to be a builder, a builder and a leader of a business.”
  • Joined Chobani as a builder during a period of transformation.

• Chobani’s Mission & His Role ([04:43], [08:59]):

  • Chobani is a “mission-driven brand,” with people and products as priorities, followed by driving growth for customers and the business.
  • His focus: breaking down silos, aligning customer and commercial teams, and prioritizing “customer-centricity” and mutual value creation with retailers.

Defining Customer Centricity at Chobani

• Retailer Partnerships ([08:59]):
  • Chobani uses a “growth mindset” to help retailers get the most from their fixed assets.
  • “We try to get under the hood of what our retailers are trying to solve for. We are obsessed with our consumer. We have incredible consumer insights. So, how do those insights start to manifest into retailer problems to solve?” – John Frost [09:14]
  • Engages in discovery sessions and builds 3-5 year joint business plans with both large and small customers.
  • Disruption is achieved by driving incremental growth and shelf productivity—“growth to help solve our retailer problems.”

Modern Category Management in Dairy

• Asset Productivity & Incrementality ([11:30]):
  • Dairy requires substantial fixed assets (refrigeration, logistics, labor).
  • Category management challenge: “How do you get more profitable velocity against those fixed assets? And then two, how do you get more incrementality so you can get to a point where one plus one equals three?”
  • Advocates for planning beyond traditional “items in, items out,” looking at adjacencies and new growth avenues to drive 3–4% category growth.

Scaling Purpose-Driven Disruption

• Staying True to Roots While Scaling ([14:48]):
  • Chobani positions itself as a “food company, not a brand company”—prioritizing natural, nutritious, delicious, accessible products.
  • “We develop food that at its fundamental core is food that you would be proud to serve to your family… That is the lens in which we say we are going to come in with food that fits that classification.” – John Frost [14:55]
  • Continuous improvement in quality, safety, service, and innovation; transparent on evolving formulations to meet changing consumer demands.

Value Beyond Price—Quality & Transparency

• Redefining Value ([18:08]):
  • Frost emphasizes that value isn’t just about price—it’s also quality and transparency.
  • Social listening and consumer feedback drive decisions and improvements.
  • “The business is really making good food, the best possible food we can possibly make, and getting that into consumers’ lives and then using that to be a force for good in the community.” – John Frost [19:10]

Innovation with Retail Alignment

• Bringing the Right Innovation to Market ([20:00]):
  • Innovation begins with understanding where the consumer is headed, and includes deep collaboration with retail partners.
  • Example: Chobani Drinks’ evolution:
    • Started with yogurt drinks, pivoted based on insights and retailer feedback (more protein, new formats like 4-packs).
    • “When I joined the company, that product was just less than $100 million at retail...as I stand here today...[it] will be an $800 million business at retail. And a big part of that was not just our food and our innovation pipeline...but it was also listening to retailers who we are innovating with...” – John Frost [22:12]

Community Impact and Purpose

• Food as a Force for Good ([24:45]):
  • Community giving is woven into Chobani’s DNA, e.g., Chobani Let’s Eat Week targeting food insecurity.
  • Developed “Chobani Super Milk” for disaster relief—shelf-stable milk produced only for distribution after disasters in partnership with retailers.
  • Locally, supports meal programs (e.g., in Twin Falls, Idaho) with retail partners.
  • “It is a fundamental element for every single associate that works at Chobani is living that mission every day inside the community.” – John Frost [28:10]

Trust, Transparency & Authentic Partnerships

• Building Lasting Brand Equity ([29:15]):
  • Trust built over decades via authenticity and meaningful engagement.
  • Greek yogurt example: market doubted longevity, but consumer demand and focus on nutrition proved otherwise.
  • “Trust and transparency is not something that happens...over a year. We built that over just south of the last 20 years. And what’s important for us is that we don’t lose that trust going forward.” – John Frost [32:35]

Advice for CPG Leaders and Emerging Brands

• Practical Takeaways ([34:03]):
  • For sales leaders: Obsess over retailer problems, co-create win-win solutions, be transparent and dependable.
  • For CPG leaders: Focus on the health of your food, not just the business metrics.
  • For entrepreneurs: Stay grounded in mission. Be prepared to lose business if it means staying true to your values.
  • “Your mission is your true north. And every calorie and every action must feed into that mission every single day.” – John Frost [37:11]

Omnichannel Experience & Digital

• Digital-First, Household-Up Approach ([39:14]):
  • Chobani invests the majority of its marketing in digital and retail media.
  • Focuses on personalized, “household-up” digital connections rather than “splashy campaigns.”
  • Emphasizes digital to drive trial, awareness, and authentic engagement.
  • “We think of things digitally, household up, not mass media down.” – John Frost [41:32]

Looking Ahead: Food Revolution & Future Growth

• The Food Revolution, AI, and the Future ([42:23]):
  • Sees rising consumer interest in nutrition, ingredient transparency, and health.
  • AI/digital will accelerate consumer empowerment, helping people make better choices.
  • Excited by Chobani’s readiness to meet future needs and by the brand’s commitment to “being a force for good.”
  • “We’re seeing a food revolution in the United States... I know our company is going to be at the tip of the spear and...have the food that will be ready for that and the opportunity to use food as a force for good.” – John Frost [43:37]

Notable Quotes

• On Category Management:
  “The game is two things. One, how do you get more profitable velocity against those fixed assets? And then two, how do you get more incrementality so you can get to a point where one plus one equals three?” – John Frost [12:00]

• On Brand Purpose:
  “We’re not a product company, we’re not a brand company. Chobani is a food company...Products that are natural, nutritious, delicious and accessible and be a force for good with that food.” – John Frost [14:55]

• On Innovation & Retailer Collaboration:
  “When I joined the company, that product was...less than $100 million...as I stand here today...will be an $800 million business at retail. And a big part of that was...listening to retailers who...helped us iterate on what this could be.” – John Frost [22:12]

• On Mission:
  “Your mission is your true north. And every calorie and every action must feed into that mission every single day. There will be a lot of distractions as your business grows, but you’ve got to stay true to that mission and be prepared to lose the business at the expense of the mission.” – John Frost [37:11]

• On the Future:
  “We’re seeing a food revolution in the United States that...I don’t see going backwards. All these things are pointing to people wanting transparency on what they’re putting in their body...we will have the food that will be ready for that and the opportunity to use food as a force for good.” – John Frost [43:37]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:43 – John Frost's CPG journey & career influences
• 08:59 – Defining customer centricity at Chobani
• 11:30 – Modern category management in dairy
• 14:48 – Balancing Chobani’s roots with scaling success
• 18:25 – Redefining consumer value: quality & transparency
• 20:21 – Innovation process and retailer alignment
• 24:45 – Community impact & food as a force for good
• 29:15 – Building authentic trust and transparency
• 34:03 – Advice for CPG leaders & upstart brands
• 39:14 – Omnichannel strategy & digital marketing
• 42:23 – The food revolution and what excites John Frost about the future

Memorable Moments

• John Frost predicts a “9 and 3” season for the Virginia Tech Hokies under new coaching ([07:41]).
• The honest self-reflection on missing Greek yogurt trends at General Mills ([32:47]).
• Sri’s CPG Guys T-shirt idea: “The health of the food being the purpose and the outcome at the end of the day.” ([38:17]).

This summary covers all key insights and actionable advice from the episode, offering a comprehensive, engaging recap for CPG/fmcg professionals and brand leaders interested in growth, disruption, and the future of food retail.