NEWS

As Türkiye’s largest user of cocoa with a yearly average use of 35 thousand tons, Ülker has joined the World Cocoa Foundation - WCF in order to take a place among the world’s chocolate producers. On this platform Ülker aims to contribute to the active economy of world agriculture, adopt sustainable principles that will develop the prosperity of the world population and provide a contribution to the economic and community development of cocoa farmers.

World Cocoa Foundation President Bill Guyton pointed out that the membership of Ülker is a turning point and added: “This development is very good news for the cocoa farmers of the world. This decision to support cocoa farmers, which is in line with the increasing consumption of chocolate in Türkiye and the interests of the consumers, is a very pleasing development from our perspective.”

Yıldız Holding Food and Beverage Group Chairman Mehmet Tütüncü said that the total chocolate and chocolate covered products market in Türkiye is around 180 thousand tons and thus gave the reminder that Türkiye is the biggest cocoa consumer adding the following comments: “We have become the first Turkish company to be a member of the World Cocoa Foundation.  The World Cocoa Foundation is an organization that was founded in the year 2000 to render the cocoa sector sustainable and to increase the level of prosperity for cocoa farmers. It is active in 15 different countries in America, Africa and South East Asia where cocoa is produced. The World Cocoa Foundation, of which world brands are a member, operates with the objective of conducting studies with the governments, universities and non-governmental organizations of countries where cocoa is produced, to increase quality and productivity in cocoa production and educate farmers and their families. The World Cocoa Foundation has given a variety of training courses to over 540,000 cocoa farmers to date. As a sector in Türkiye where all the products of agriculture are utilized, from wheat to dairy, we are pleased to be able to continue this on a worldwide scale.”

Mehmet Tütüncü emphasized that agricultural raw materials are vital for Yıldız Holding and therefore the holding companies play an important role in increasing productivity in agriculture and the incomes of farmers. Tütüncü continued with the following: “The Yıldız Holding food and beverage companies, which are among the largest purchasers of agricultural raw materials, enable everything from wheat to milk, from hazelnuts to oil, to be utilized in industry. By increasing productivity in wheat, one of the main raw materials of biscuits, and providing seed support we are always by the side of our farmers.”

Ülker, the leader in the chocolate market in Türkiye with a 50 percent share, a production capacity of 200 thousand tons and a turnover of 3 billion, draws the attention of world markets with its size. Ülker holds the 10th place among companies that are active in this field according to the 2011 international Candy Industry Magazine Global Top 10.

Yıldız Holding, a company that has adopted the principle of responding to innovation and the needs of consumers in the best possible way since the day it was founded, also became the first Turkish member of the CIAA Liaisons Committee formed within the Federation of European Food and Beverage Industry Foundations in  2009.