Whole Foods, the nation's largest upscale grocery chain, announced they will no longer be carrying Chobani Greek yogurt as early as 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The reason Whole Foods wants to part ways with one of the top selling yogurts in the country is because it contains genetically-modified organisms, or GMOs, and do not properly disclose the ingredients on the label, according to the Journal.
Just Label It, among other advocacy groups, have tried lobbying for the government to require labeling products which contain GMOs, but most of the big food companies have not complied and said they would not do so voluntarily, the Journal reported.
Food companies argue labeling products that contain GMO will just scare away consumers and claim there is not enough evidence the GMOs induce health issues, according to the Journal.
Though Chobani markets their product as organic, made up of only natural ingredients, consumer advocacy groups have repeatedly complained the company is actually using milk from cows fed with GMO animal feed, the Journal reported.
Fage, which also produces Greek yogurt containing GMO, will still be sold by Whole Foods, but the yogurt isle is becoming more crowded and the grocery chain might also be making room for more exclusive, organic brands, according to the Journal.
The chain's ultimate goal is to remove all products containing GMO by 2018 in order to provide their customers with more organic and niche products, a decision that other brands, like Maia and Stonyfield, who don't use GMO in their yogurts, could profit from Whole Foods decision, the Journal reported.
Chobani, which has been producing Greek yogurt since 2007, is the reason most yogurts in supermarket shelves are "Greek," meaning they are less fatty, have more protein and are creamier, and hope to renew their partnership with Whole Foods in the future, according to the Journal.
"Though we have limited distribution within Whole Foods, they have been a wonderful and an important partner of ours over the years," a Chobani spokesman said, according to the Journal.
