For the past couple of years, Greek yogurt has emerged as a breakfast staple for people looking to eat healthier. With less sugar than traditional yogurts and a thick, creamy consistency, this yogurt has taken over shelf space in supermarkets.
One of the most popular greek yogurt brands is Fage, which you can find it in most American supermarkets. But be honest... how did you say the name in your head? Fah-GEE? Fah-geh? Fay-j? Let's put this debate to rest and finally learn how to pronounce Fage correctly.
Fage's History
According to Fage's website, the original dairy shop was started in 1926 by a family in Athens, Greece. They still have their roots in Greece, as they've used the same yogurt recipe for the past 90 years. True to their heritage, the family named their yogurt brand after the Greek word for "Eat!" which is "φάγε." Another meaning for Fage comes from the original company name. In Greek, the name is "Φιλίππου Αδελφοί Γαλακτοκομικές Επιχειρήσει (Filippou Adelphoi Galaktokomikes Epicheiriseis)," or Filippou Bros. Dairy Co. The acronym for this name is ΦΑΓΕ, or FAGE in English.
How to Pronounce 'Fage'
So we've established that the origin of Fage is simply the Greek phrase for "eat". But how do you even begin to pronounce "φάγε"? Well lucky for you, I grew up in a Greek family! As a kid, I visited my grandparents and was showered in love with kisses and too much greek food. Since I was constantly being told to eat more and fill my plate, "fage" was a common phrase in my vocabulary.
Despite the many pronunciations stated in the intro of this article, none of those were correct. "Fage" is pronounced as "fa-yeh," with emphasis on the first syllable. If you don't believe a third-generation Greek college student, just look at Fage's website. The pronunciation of the brand is listed in the first sentence for the company's description.
No matter how you pronounce Fage, I think we can all agree the Greek yogurt brand has a big impact on the way we do breakfast. From fancy brunches to a quick snack, I don't think this yogurt will be going away anytime soon. That being said, hopefully you've become a little more confident with Fage's pronunciation. Next time you want to impress that cute cashier at Trader Joe's, show-off to your friends at brunch, or educate your Spoon chapter, whip out your new and improved pronunciation of Fa-yeh.