Less than a decade ago, Greek-style yogurt was nowhere to be found on the supermarket shelves of America. But with the seemingly overnight success of Chobani, as well as the explosion of copycats hoping to cash in on the trend, Greek yogurt has become the country’s top seller. Now, a start-up in Wisconsin believes that lovers of the popular dairy product are ready to embrace a completely new style of yogurt.

“In terms of texture, we’re about as far away from thick, heavy Greek yogurt as you can imagine,” said Markus Candinas, Founder and President of Madison-based Yodelay, yodelayyogurt.com. “But we see that as a plus. Yogurt eaters are always looking for something surprising and different.”

Local Milk. International Inspiration.

Yodelay’s milk comes from Brown Swiss Cows that are pastured near Monticello, about 25 minutes from the company’s small factory. Candinas believes the fat and protein content of the breed’s milk are ideal for making yogurt, and that it’s particularly well suited to the unique style of Yodelay.

“Yodelay has a taste that makes our family – and our cows – proud to be involved,” said Bryan Voegeli of Voegeli Farms, a sixth-generation dairy operation. “Our philosophy is to do things naturally, and Markus’ belief in the same kind of approach makes this partnership a perfect fit.”

Craft Yogurt?

The journey from concept to cooler shelves has been a long one for Candinas. Throughout the time-consuming process of perfecting his recipes and building out the factory, he was also busy running Candinas Chocolatier. He intends to bring the same Artisan mentality to Yodelay that earned his chocolates worldwide acclaim.

“My mindset in creating this yogurt is the same as it was with my chocolate,” he says. “People can taste quality, and they appreciate the fact that there’s nothing is in the cup that shouldn’t be there, and everything in the cup that should be.”

Yodelay is rapidly gaining retail distribution in south-central Wisconsin, and plans to grow organically into the Milwaukee and Chicago markets soon. Currently, there are more than 15 area grocery stores stocking the brand. Visit http://yodelayyogurt.com/find-yodelay/ to find a store near you.

About Yodelay

Yodelay makes Swiss Yogurt in the heart of America’s Dairyland. Its perfect balance of “sweet” and “tart,” fruit-forward taste, and lighter body make it different than anything else available today. Yodelay Yogurt is headquartered in Madison, WI. Its herd of Brown Swiss Cows is headquartered just outside New Glarus and Monticello. For more information, visit http://yodelayyogurt.com.