Diken.com.tr / Mey | Diageo has invested $170 million in Turkey over the past 13 years

Mey | Diageo, an alcoholic beverage producer, has invested $170 million in Türkiye over the past 13 years.

Speaking to a group of journalists invited to the innovation center Yenilikhane in Alaşehir, Bahar Uçanlar expressed their responsibility to take both global and local brands a step further: “Rakı is important for us. To preserve, develop, and renew a 500-year-old tradition and shape the future of our brands, we aimed to make our innovation efforts more systematic. Our brands have a rich heritage. Advancing this portfolio is one of our greatest responsibilities, and we have achieved this at Yenilikhane.”

Operating in 180 countries

Uçanlar highlighted that the innovation center plays a significant role in these investments, noting that Mey | Diageo’s production capabilities have increased as a result of these investments, which focus on improvement, innovation, and sustainability. She also mentioned that the company has not only become one of the largest producers in the industry but also one of Diageo's largest production centers globally.

Uçanlar added that Diageo supports local beverages in various countries around the world and announced that they will continue their product development and craft rakı efforts at full speed, especially those conducted at Yenilikhane in recent years.

Mey | Diageo operates in 180 countries with over 200 brands. In Türkiye, it ranks as the fifth-largest fast-moving consumer goods company in the food and beverage category, with eight factories and more than a thousand employees.

New formulas in the works

Yenilikhane houses two 500-liter copper stills where new innovation product formulas are developed. The stills are named after the mothers of the company’s leaders responsible for innovation and quality. One is named Saadet, and the other, Reyhan. So far, nearly 200 formulas have been worked on at Yenilikhane, with three craft products launched to the market. The company’s craft rakıs hold the distinction of being the first in the category of anise-flavored beverages.

Alaşehir’s status as a production hub for rakı is no coincidence. It holds a key position for raw materials used in rakı production. Western Anatolia is a region where Sultaniye grapes, essential for rakı, are abundantly grown. Close to Alaşehir, the regions of Denizli, Burdur, and Antalya are major centers for anise production. In this region, Sultaniye grapes and anise come together. The Alaşehir factory, established in 1995 for suma production, has 67 stills with a capacity of 5,000 liters. These stills are where the company’s two most important products in the rakı category are produced.