Chobani Inc. will receive up to a $1.5 million grant to help expansion. The N.Y. state Jobs Now program will fund the grant.

The $88.5 million expansion involves acquiring 100 acres next to the facility and building an 80,000-square-foot addition. The project is expected to create 450 new full-time permanent jobs.

Greek-style yogurt, which takes more milk to produce than traditional yogurt, has become an economic engine upstate. Chobani buys 25 million gallons of milk a week from local farmers, creating an annual economic impact of $300 million, according to Dairy Management Services.

Source: Albany Time’s Union