Fage yogurt now made in NY, and awful

[Luckylies]

I bought a tub of whole milk Fage (from Wegman's) that was produced in upstate, NY, and it tasted exactly as I remember the Greek-make Fage yogurt tasting that I used to buy in Astoria.  Not grainy and watery at all. 

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If it helps, we (in our kitchen are eating the o%) and also have been eating it every day for 2 years..so yes, it' not the most dramatic difference, but it's noticeable to those of us who follow the yogurt closely.

[Beanie]

The logistics are easier if you import from Greece to a NJ port and then distribute the product out.  It's harder from upstate NY because it's just so far out - the infrastructure isn't good.  In the metro area, trucks can piggyback their pickups.  Upstate, you have to spend one day going out for product and that makes it harder.

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Huh??? The transportation infrastructure in this part of the state is excellent (to the chagrin of many of us who hate truck traffic), which is why Fulton County, where Fage is located, has been very successful in attracting many new companies ... And just last week the Swiss company, Hero, broke ground on a multi-million dollar plant for Beechnut Foods in neighboring Montgomery County. Both counties are 5 minutes away from the NYS Thruway and centrally located to NYC, Boston, Canada and the midwest.

Back on topic ... though I personally detected no difference in the local product, I plan to monitor it and will definitely contact the company if I find quality control to be an issue.

[rickster]

I'm an occasional user of Fage and just went through 2 containers of 0% fat product and noticed no difference vs. the Greek sourced version. I've only ever used the plain yogurt, either 2% or 0%.

It's posible the plant was having some start up problems and inconsistent product for a while.

[Gastro888]

I wonder if they have a harder time distributing it from upstate New York than they do from Greece?...

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The logistics are easier if you import from Greece to a NJ port and then distribute the product out.  It's harder from upstate NY because it's just so far out - the infrastructure isn't good.  In the metro area, trucks can piggyback their pickups.  Upstate, you have to spend one day going out for product and that makes it harder.

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This makes no sense at all. The product may or may not be the same, but it isn't because of the distribution infrastructure of upstate NY!...

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My previous post was in response to weinoo's post about logistics and distribution only, not how logistics affects quality. The fact that they're producing here is what changes the quality of the yogurt. Period, end of story.

I was open minded to domestic production until I tasted the product. Maybe I'll give Kesso a second chance but to me it was watery/runny.

I went to my local deli and saw FAGE yogurt that was still imported from Greece (!) mixed in with the domestically produced ones. I assume that they're only doing a certain level of production domestically and supplementing with imports when necessary. So read your labels and hope that you'll get one that's made in Greece.

[slkinsey]

Maybe I'll give Kesso a second chance but to me it was watery/runny.

If you're worried about thickness, get the strained whole milk Kesso, not the 2% yogurt which is not strained.

Here's an article about Kesso: http://www.yogurtplacenyc.com/sections/about.htm

[takadi]

I read this thread a while back and was fearful that the made-in-New-York epidemic would reach my town. Sure enough, I bought a pack of them, all made in New York - the yogurt is goopy and too sour and the honey was grainy and disgusting.

What a tragedy

[CaliPoutine]

If you can get your hands on Liberte', give that a try. Its still made in Montreal as far as I know. I think Whole Foods carries it.

[OnigiriFB]

I've been buying Greek Goddess yogurt. I like Fage but it's only available reliably at a gourmet grocery and it's expensive there. GG is available at one of my local grocerers Hy-vee where I generally pick up my prescriptions so I pick up a nice size carton (for me only) when I get there. I generally buy plain and add my own stuff. I haven't noticed any difference between the two brands. Maybe Fage is a bit smoother? Other than that the price difference and availability in Des Moines, Ia is my main factor with not going with Fage brand. Too bad the NY place isn't making quality stuff. Has anyone tried to complain to the company? Any responce?

[Dianabanana]

Too bad the NY place isn't making quality stuff. Has anyone tried to complain to the company? Any responce?

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Yes, I wrote to them. Here is their response. (I declined their offer--who wants a case of lousy yogurt?)

Dear Diane,

Thank you for contacting us; regarding our FAGE Total yogurt product.

We have forwarded your complaint to our Quality Control Department for

review.

We appreciate your interest and support. FAGE Dairy Industry is one of

the largest food producers in Greece; it operates 5 production

facilities in Greece for dairy product production (milk, yogurt, and

cheese and milk desserts) and has opened a new state-of-the-art yogurt

production facility in upstate New York in April 2008.

As a token of our appreciation for your interest in our products, we

would like to send you a case of Total w/ cherry yogurt. Please provide

us with the expiration date, daytime phone number and address, so that

we may proceed.

Regards,

Ann S. Diotte

Consumer Relations & Promotions Specialist

FAGE USA Dairy Industry, Inc.

Johnstown Industrial Park

1 Opportunity Drive

Johnstown, NY 12095

(866)962-5912 ext 240

Fax: (518)762-5918

ann.diotte@fageusa.com

[OnigiriFB]

Too bad the NY place isn't making quality stuff. Has anyone tried to complain to the company? Any responce?

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Yes, I wrote to them. Here is their response. (I declined their offer--who wants a case of lousy yogurt?)

Dear Diane,

Thank you for contacting us; regarding our FAGE Total yogurt product.

We have forwarded your complaint to our Quality Control Department for

review.

We appreciate your interest and support. FAGE Dairy Industry is one of

the largest food producers in Greece; it operates 5 production

facilities in Greece for dairy product production (milk, yogurt, and

cheese and milk desserts) and has opened a new state-of-the-art yogurt

production facility in upstate New York in April 2008.

As a token of our appreciation for your interest in our products, we

would like to send you a case of Total w/ cherry yogurt. Please provide

us with the expiration date, daytime phone number and address, so that

we may proceed.

Regards,

Ann S. Diotte

Consumer Relations & Promotions Specialist

FAGE USA Dairy Industry, Inc.

Johnstown Industrial Park

1 Opportunity Drive

Johnstown, NY 12095

(866)962-5912 ext 240

Fax: (518)762-5918

ann.diotte@fageusa.com

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Wow. Did you respond? I think that was nice of them but a little of a cop out. What do you think? It seemed more like a standard letter they send out to any kind of complaint. From what I have seen of other companies that pride themselves on their products I would think they would respond a bit more... personally? Like as in address your complaint in a better more in depth responce?

[Beanie]

Update: last week I purchased 5 containers for the specific purpose of following up on my previous post. I purchased 2%, 0%, and "total" plain yogurt and two with the side packets of cherry -- all made in NY. I didn't try the lemon or honey yet. Without exception, all were excellent, thick, creamy, not grainy or watery. The cherries were a little too sweet for me, but I've never liked the fruit that comes with yogurt (though these were better than most brands.)

[Dianabanana]

Wow. Did you respond? I think that was nice of them but a little of a cop out. What do you think? It seemed more like a standard letter they send out to any kind of complaint. From what I have seen of other companies that pride themselves on their products I would think they would respond a bit more... personally? Like as in address your complaint in a better more in depth responce?

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I agree. This is obviously just a form letter. My first letter to them was similar to my original post in this thread, explaining how much I've always loved the yogurt, then the story of eating the cherry yogurt, etc. At the end I specifically asked whether they would continue to import some yogurt from Greece or whether all the yogurt in the US would now come from the New York facility. As you can see, they didn't even bother to answer my question.

After I got the e-mail offering the case of cherry yogurt, I told them thanks but unless there was some reason to believe that the yogurt I got was an anomaly, I really wouldn't want a case of it--but that what I would really appreciate would be some further information as to why this new yogurt was so different and whether they had any plans to change it.

I never heard back from them.

[miles717]

My better half became quite fond of it when we spent a couple months in Greece. Whenever she'd run across it in the states, we'd always buy some, but as you noted, a couple months back, we bought some and she was decidedly unhappy with it. We figured it was just a bad batch, or perhaps she just didn't care for that flavor. We tried it again and found the same thing so it's been crossed off our list. I'm glad (kind of) to have been able to tell her why it was so different.

[Gastro888]

That *is* the standard letter. Unfortunately, I doubt anyone's going to get much of any sort of response. At least they're offering a free case of yogurt. Kinda pointless if you're complaining about the quality of the yogurt in the first place.

Still haven't tried Kessos. I'm tempted to make yogurt at home if I can find a tub of FAGE that was made in Greece and use that as a starter

Maybe I'll just start saving up for a ticket to Greece so I can get my fix....

Edited June 23, 2008 by Gastro888 (log)

[markk]

That *is* the standard letter.  Unfortunately, I doubt anyone's going to get much of any sort of response.  At least they're offering a free case of yogurt.    Kinda pointless if you're complaining about the quality of the yogurt in the first place.

As the famous Jewish joke goes, a woman in the Catskills is heard complaining to the hotel manager, "The food in this hotel is poison; sheer and utter poison. And such small portions!"

[JeanneCake]

That *is* the standard letter.  Unfortunately, I doubt anyone's going to get much of any sort of response.  At least they're offering a free case of yogurt.    Kinda pointless if you're complaining about the quality of the yogurt in the first place.

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But not if the company thinks the problem in the container you tried was an error; they want you to try it again so you can either confirm your original complaint or realize that the one you had was off for some unknown reason.

[Gastro888]

It's a good point to make but nope, that's the standard letter. There might be some tweaks depending on your complaint but it's the standard letter that's sent out.

Does anyone notice any difference in the honey that's used?

[devinl]

I couldn't find any Fage at the market, but they had Chobani on sale so I picked up a couple. I'm still working through some older yogurt and haven't tried it yet. Anyone here eat the Chobani brand stuff?

[takadi]

Gastro, the honey that came out of my container was grainy, coarse, and had an almost brown sugar flavor. Could be the fact that the honey just crystallized.

[SarahW]

I buy two cases of Fage Yogurt a week, or rather, did.

The "GR" coded yogurt is still the same great old stuff. The NY yogurt is a horror show.

I got my first cases of NY yogurt about a month or two ago. The GR coded case from the week before was fine. The NY (0%) was shockingly wierd. It was wet, and grainy (flocculated) like Ricotta cheese, and was unpalatable. I threw it out, both cases.

I complained and was sent a free case.

That free case was delicious, so I though, ok, Fluke.

Nope.

Every week since where my shipment included a NY case of yogurt, whether 0% or 2%, I have been disappointed with nasty yogurt.

The "GR" cases continue to be of the old excellent quality.

The NY cases are not always horrible in the same way. Lately they have had an "off" taste, as though they are on the verge of spoiling, or made from bad milk. The texture is off, too.

I have not had the same trouble with clumply flocculation or curds in the yogurt, but instead strange little air holes or pockets throughout.

I liked Fage so much I guess I just kept wishing and hoping there was some other explanation besides quality control failures at the NY plant.

I have one more shipment in my standing order to arrive in a few days. If there is any NY yogurt, and it's "off" yet again, I will return it to the store and never purchase any fage that isn't from a "GR" coded plant again.

Then when trader Joes hits town, try some other brand or brands.

There is a problem in New York. I hope they figure out what that is and fix it.

[tirgoddess]

About four years ago Fage was having import problems and the product was not availabe in the US until they were resolved. I was a Trader Joe's employee at the time and I wrote to them to get a specific answer as to why we were unable to receive their product. I was replied to in a very nice email by a woman from Greece. She continued to stay in touch with me for a while. I suggest that you email Greece instead of USA. They may be more responsive. I eat the 2% almost daily with fresh fruit and granola. Sometimes twice daily. The only difference that I notice in the USA product is that it is not as firm.

[SueJen]

This explains a lot. I bought some Fage last week and it was not the same texture at all. I thought it was fluffy, which was not what I was used to.

[SarahW]

I'm giving up on New York Fage - it's not the Fage I knew.

I have standing order with my grocer for two cases a week, I practically live on the stuff. It was true love since the day I found it. Until this spring, when the NY yogurt made it to my grocer.

The cases from Greece continue to be the same high quality. I've had bad cases from New York consistently. Today I cancelled that standing order, as I got two cases from New York this week and both were "off".

The texture is smoother than the ricotta cheesy stuff that was my introduction to NY fage. But it is "off". It's got lots of air bubbles, and an aftertaste like spoiling or souring product.

I can't say they lost me as a customer completely. I love Fage from Greece and am always delighted by it. From now on, though, I will only buy off the shelf those containers with "GR" in the manufacturing plant code, and steer clear of the American-made stuff.

It would be nice to have an explanation, but that's not going to happen.

I complained and was offered some complimentary yogurt, I declined. I don't want to eat that NY stuff until I know they've fixed their quality control failures.

Edited July 18, 2008 by SarahW (log)

[Marmish]

I had only one container from NY and thought it was fine. I usually buy Oikos, though, since it is in a slightly smaller container, also comes in a large tub, and I think the 2% is better than the Total 2%. I almost never buy any type of fruit yogurt, and prefer to add my own honey, so I can't speak to those types. In the Yogurt-making at home thread I posted my Greek friend's mother's directions for yogurt making. Lots of other good info there if you are going to make your own.

[Alexis]

This is really disappointing. I go through a lot of plain yoghurt, and I'm moving back to New York in 3 weeks. Hopefully Fairway will still have some Greek made in stock--or i'll be trekking around NYC looking for some to use as a starter!