Danone sues Chobani over protein claims in yogurt showdown
Danone says Chobani’s 20G Protein yogurt leans on bigger servings to make the label look stronger, turning protein math into a courtroom fight.
Danone has taken its yogurt rivalry with Chobani into court, arguing that Chobani’s 20G Protein line uses serving-size math to make one product look nutritionally closer to another than the label should allow. The complaint, filed June 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, puts a spotlight on how much of the dairy aisle now turns on front-of-pack protein claims.
At the center of the case is a simple comparison with complicated consequences. Danone says Oikos Pro delivers 20 grams of protein in a 5.3-ounce serving, while Chobani uses a larger 6.7-ounce serving size on its multi-serve tubs to support the 20-gram claim on Chobani 20G Protein. Chobani introduced the line in 2024 and has pushed the “20G Protein” label prominently in marketing and packaging, according to the complaint. Retail listings show Chobani 20G Protein in 6.7-ounce cups and 32-ounce tubs.
Danone’s argument is that the larger serving format changes the consumer comparison. If standard serving rules were applied, Danone says the Chobani tubs would fall below 18 grams of protein per serving, and one industry calculation put the comparable figure at about 16 grams in a 5.3-ounce serving. Danone also says getting to 20 grams of protein in a standard 5.3-ounce yogurt cup is difficult and costly, which is why the way a brand frames the serving matters so much. On the shelf, the difference can make two yogurts look farther apart in nutrition, and value, than they really are.
The dispute is larger than one product line. Danone says Chobani is positioning the 20G Protein yogurt as a direct rival to Oikos Pro, while more price-sensitive shoppers might choose Oikos Triple Zero, which Danone says offers 15 to 18 grams of protein per serving. Danone, based in Paris with U.S. operations in White Plains, New York, and Chobani, based in New York, are major competitors in Greek-style yogurt and adjacent dairy categories, where protein has become one of the biggest purchase triggers.
It is also part of a longer legal pattern. This case is at least the fourth lawsuit since 2016 between Danone and Chobani, and Danone is already suing Chobani separately over alleged copying of the “Bright & Mellow” slogan and yellow-and-black packaging used for its Stōk cold brew coffee. Danone is seeking damages and label changes, and the outcome could shape how aggressively dairy brands market protein across yogurt, especially as the fight for “high protein” credibility gets tighter.
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