The Success Story
of a Village Boy
Teleme
The Drink That Started It All
My ancestors were the ancient people of Yoruk, nomads who bred livestock in the thyme scented and oxygen-rich mountain village, Antakya also known as Antioch and divided by the life-sustaining Orontes River.
As a little village boy, my first experience with dairy products was when I handmade Teleme, (similar to kefir) from fermenting raw milk with fig milk. After drinking a single cup of my drink, I decided to become a chef.
At age 16, I moved to Antalya, a tourist city on The Mediterranean Sea, where I worked as a baker. After much work and dedication, I became a chef at a major 5-star hotel at age 18. I quickly gained lots of experience ranging from breakfast preparation to butchery, meats, pastries, and desserts. I loved where I was in my life, the little village boy inside me was jumping with joy. Then one day, I had an unexpected but fortunate visit…
Always Moving
My name is Murat Hokka. In 1995, an American family visiting Antalya came to the restaurant where I worked. They discovered my potential and immediately offered me an opportunity to work in America. My story in America was about to begin. After moving, I worked in many restaurants, catering services, *NGOs, and even supervised a few Bulgarian, Greek, and Middle Eastern restaurants in Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The Cow That Started Orontes
I set my goal to change the current unsatisfying yogurt in the market to a better one. First, I needed a better cow, for better milk, for better yogurt. I went to cattle trading markets in my spare time. One day I found the cow, a Jersey cow. The taste of the yogurt with my special recipe, instantly gave me déjà vu. It was delicious with great consistency, no odor, no artificial ingredients, no additives, similar to what the little village boy in me once drank.
I founded my first yogurt company in May 2016 using Jersey cow milk and my special recipe. Soon my yogurt was on the shelf of many grocery stores. As the demands surpassed our supply, we acquired a large production facility in Winfield, PA to develop and distribute our new Orontes Mediterranean A2A2 Brand Yogurt and drinkable yogurt items.
Orontes: Better Milk, Better Yogurt, Better Health
Our mission is to deliver healthy dairy products of the highest quality to everyone by offering various delicious options using locally sourced ingredients. We are proud that Orontes products support local farmers and local businesses. Producing Orontes is a major milestone in my career.
Our Motto: Better Milk, Better Yogurt, Better Health
