Fortune/From Seed to Glass

LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD

JANUARY 2025 / 3

From Seed to Glass: Sustainable and Innovative Strategies

Under the leadership of Bahar Uçanlar, Mey|Diageo continues to make a difference with its sustainability vision, from local communities to global markets. The company is becoming the voice of Turkey worldwide with its success in rakı exports.

Operating with the principle of sustainability from seed to glass, Mey|Diageo is launching impressive projects across a broad spectrum, from carbon neutrality to innovative products. General Manager Bahar Uçanlar shared many successes, from supporting local communities to international export goals. As a straightforward leader, she shared with us how sustainability and innovation have brought a fresh perspective to the industry.

Sustainability is One of Mey|Diageo's Core Strategies

Sustainability is an indispensable topic for us. We operate in line with our principle of "leading sustainability from seed to glass." We focus on nature, raw materials, and people; we carry out our work within this framework and in line with Diageo’s Ecosystem 2030 sustainability goals. Since 2020, we have published our sustainability report every year.

In the last 15 years, we have reduced the amount of water used in production by half, despite increased production volumes. Our goal is to reduce it by another 50% in the next seven years. Our Bilecik factory, which has completed the carbon-neutral certification process, has started using renewable energy in its operations. Additionally, we are engaged in viticulture on our land, and we source all the agricultural components of our products from Turkey. We procure agricultural raw materials such as wheat, sumalik grapes, wine grapes, raisins, and anise. This way, we are impacting approximately 22,000 farmers.

Samandağ Gastronomy Village Project

After the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, the Samandağ Gastronomy Village project, initiated under the leadership of the Women's Labor Evaluation Foundation (KEDV), continues at full speed with the collaboration of the Samandağ Women’s Cooperative and the Samandağ Municipality. While the structuring work of the Samandağ Gastronomy Village continues, the "Learning for Life" education programs launched as part of the project are continuing at various locations. In the first phase, practical and theoretical training spaces in the village will be completed. Later, restaurants and guesthouses planned for the village will be launched. This will enable women to gain economic independence and increase the region’s tourism potential.

Mey|Diageo’s Global Success in Rakı Exports and Future Goals

We have been the export champion in the distilled alcoholic beverages sector for years. We export to over 30 countries, including the US, Japan, Germany, and Australia; indirectly, this number reaches 50. Rakı constitutes 95% of our export volume. With the investments we have made since 2020, we have grown our sales in Europe by 20%, and our goal for this year is to double that figure. The limitation of production due to regulations in Turkey is a major challenge; however, with the world’s first rakı innovation center we established in Alaşehir, we are contributing to the sector by developing craft anise-flavored products. While continuing to invest in premium products, we are able to reach consumers in every price segment. We are one of the largest production centers of global leader Diageo. We believe in the importance of innovation, which is why our strength is growing globally every day.