Ülker is a Turkish multinational food and beverage manufacturer based in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

, Turkey. Its products are exported internationally, to 110 countries. Ülker's core products are biscuits, cookies, crackers, and chocolates, although it has expanded to other categories. Ülker received the "Candy Company of the Year in Europe" award from the European Candy Kettle Club in 2004. In 2016, Yıldız Holding transferred 51% of Ülker's shares to its new global business Pladis.

History

Ülker was founded in 1944 by Sabri and Asim Ülker, two brothers whose parents immigrated to Turkey from

Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...

, commencing operations in

as a small bakery. A factory was opened in 1948. Ülker expanded in the 1970s to exporting to the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

market, chocolate manufacturing, and packaging. By the end of the 20th century, Ülker was manufacturing margarine, vegetable oil, and dairy products. In 2002, Ülker diversified into carbonated beverages and in 2003 added Turkish coffee, ice cream, and baby food to its product range. In 2003, it introduced

Cola Turka Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was ...

, a competitor to Coca-Cola. The advertisement for Cola Turka featured actor

Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He became the breakout cast member in the first season of ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1976), where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment b ...

, and according to local sources

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

cut 10% off its prices due to the success of the Cola Turka launch. In 2015 Ulker disposed of its drinks business. Parent company Yıldız Holding employed more than 41,000 people and was the fifth on the list of the most successful manufacturers in

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

in 2001. Ülker sales reach $1.5 billion internationally. Fulya Banu Sürücü was appointed as the CFO of the company on January 3, 2022.

References

External links

Official website

Moody's rating raised
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulker Food and drink companies based in Istanbul Turkish brands Companies listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange Companies in the BIST 100 Yıldız Holding Food and drink companies established in 1944 Turkish companies established in 1944 Confectionery companies Chocolate companies Dairy products companies Multinational food companies

History

See also

References

External links