Art-Filled Journey To The Heart Of Grapes And Aniseed

An art-filled journey to the heart of grapes and aniseed by Mey I Diageo 

YENILIKHANE COMBINES NEW PRODUCTS WITH INNOVATIVE ART 

In addition to the production of Türkiye's first craft products in the raki category, Yenilikhane, the innovation center, which was put into operation by Mey I Diageo within the production plants situated in Alasehir, Manisa, in the previous year, also features the works by the designer Refik Anadol, who creates new generation works with artificial intelligence, and the illustrator Ethem Onur Bilgic. 

Yenilikhane, the innovation center put into operation by MEY | Diageo with an investment of TL 18 million during the pandemic, brings the industry professionals together with the innovative art as well as the craft products, which are the first in Türkiye, and the new scientific studies.  Planned as part of the project "Yeni Yolculuk Alasehir Deneyim Merkezi" (New Journey Alasehir Experience Center) in 2017, Yenilikhane carried out craft production in October 2019 after a 2-year study and opened its doors to industry professionals for the first time last year.

At Yenilikhane, the last link of the experiences and innovative culture of Mey | Diageo, the efforts of the company's expert staff, who is working on the formulations of new innovation products, are accompanied by the magnificent visual work by the artist Refik Anadol, who creates new generation works with artificial intelligence, and animated sketches by the famous illustrator Ethem Onur Bilgic. Yenilikhane includes an art space for the work of  Refik Anadol, who joined the art archive of Mey Diageo through Pilevneli Gallery. This fascinating work, which is selected specially for Yenilikhane and supported by mapping technology, creates a three-dimensional kinetic and architectonic space in a room designed as a composition with a mirror installation. Representing the brands of the company and adorning the walls of the digital "hall of brands", the sketches have been drawn by  Ethem Onur Bilgic and animated by Baran Baran.

Initiated in August 2021, the project "Yeni Yolculuk" (New Journey) aims to enrich and transform industry professionals. The project involves a special event at Alasehir Distillery Plant, the largest raki production factory in Türkiye, where the history and the production process of raki, innovation and craft production activities, as well as the Raki Sensory Wheel and aroma profiles, are explained.

The hub of "firsts": Craft, sensory wheel, digital mapping…

Craft is used to describe products, the production processes of which require know-how, mastery and patience, and Yenilikhane is where it is used in the raki category for the first time. The recipes of craft raki, a "first" in the distilled anise spirit category of Mey I Diageo, are developed through the trials performed in two miniature stills, which are 500-liter versions of the 5000-liter regular raki production stills at 1/10 scale. The stills were named after the mothers of Duygu Beypinar and Koray Ozcan, the company's team leaders in charge of innovation and quality.

Carrying out studies in the light of science and running joint projects with universities, Mey I Diageo also carried out an incredibly noteworthy scientific study in cooperation with universities last year. At the end of the two-year study carried out by Mey Diageo in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Turgut Cabaroglu and Dr. Faculty Member Merve Darici from Cukurova University, who were in charge of Quality, Tech and Innovation, the aroma profiles and sensory wheel of raki were identified. Upon publication of the article on this study in Foods, the world's leading peer-reviewed food science journal, the sensory wheel of raki was included in the international literature and was scientifically registered. The sensory wheel, which was studied for gastronomically rich products, such as whiskey and wine in the spirits industry, and coffee and chocolate in the food industry, was studied for raki for the first time by Mey | Diageo in cooperation with Cukurova University.

Investing in Nature: Sahyar Drip Irrigation Project 

Founded in 2004 following privatization of the alcoholic beverages department of Tekel, Mey has prioritized continuity, quality and innovation since then.  The company operates in accordance with international methods and standards with its expert staff of 40 people in its laboratories, head office and central laboratory units in 9 different locations, in order to maintain quality standards. Alasehir, where the production plant including the innovation center is located, plays a very important role in terms of raw materials for raki production as it is where Sultaniye grapes from West Anatolia and aniseed, which are predominantly used in raki production, meet.  

Setting goals for the sustainability of water reserves in Alasehir, Mey | Diageo has built an infrastructure on an area of 60 hectares in the Sahyar region of the district, in order to ensure drip irrigation to improve the quality of the products in the vineyards of farmers, to increase the yield and the income of the grape growers. Thanks to Sahyar Drip Irrigation Project, which is available for every farmer who wishes to participate in the project, about 50 percent of the water was saved, and 15.192 m3 of water was recovered through the infrastructure built. The project aims to recover 40 thousand cubic meters of water next year. In this way, the total amount of water to be recovered will be approximately equal to the volume of 16.2 olympic pools.

For information: Zarakol Iletisim