Yñldñz Holding is a Turkish conglomerate that is best known for manufacturing food products. The company also produces other consumer goods and has its own retail, private equity and real estate operations.
Yñldñz Holding is among the largest food manufacturers in CEEMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), the company generated revenues of âº391 billion (US$13.5 billion) in 2023 across all businesses. The company employs 80,000 people and has 42 factories (20 of which are outside Turkey).
Yñldñz Holding has over 300 brands available in 5 continents reaching 4 billion people. Through Yñldñz Holding's core focus on biscuits, cakes and confectionery, the company has become number two in the world in the sweet biscuits category and number seven in the chocolate category by revenue.
Sabri and Asim ÃÂlker, whose parents migrated from the Crimea to Turkey, began manufacturing biscuits in 1944. The company opened its first factory in Topkapñ in 1948 and its first biscuit factory in 1965.
The 1970s was a period of expansion, with the company moving biscuit production to Ankara in 1970. Ulker produced chocolate for the first time in 1972, which proved so popular that a dedicated chocolate factory was built in Istanbul in 1974. In the same year, the company began exporting to the Middle East and opened its own R&D division in order to compete with international competitors.
The company began manufacturing some of its own equipment in the 1980s. In 1984 the Topkapñ Makine facility was founded to create the machines required for biscuit and chocolate production within the group.
In 1989, Yñldñz Holding was created to consolidate all operations and businesses within the group.
Yñldñz Holding continued to expand its operations, entering the margarine, vegetable oil and industrial food oil market in 1992 and the dairy industry in 1996.
The company also increased its international expansion, partnering with Cerestar to form Pendik Nià Âasta in 1993, producing the first cake bars and filled cakes in Turkey. It sold its share of the company in 2021.
Yñldñz acquired premium chocolatier Godiva Chocolatier in 2008.
Yñldñz began producing ice cream, baby food, soda and cola-style beverages and instant coffee. The company also entered the cereal market with Kellogg's, creating Ulker Kellogg's in 2005. The partnership ended in 2018.
In 2009, Yñldñz combined operations with Danish gum technologist Gumlink.
Yñldñz saw further growth in 2012, when it formed a partnership with SCA, a paper and personal care company, and acquired retail chain à ÂOK Supermarkets. In 2013, Yñldñz acquired meat processor Aytaç.
In 2014 Yñldñz Holding purchased DeMet's Candy Company in the United States and United Biscuits in the UK.
In 2016 the company brought together its core biscuit and confectionery businesses Godiva Chocolatier, United Biscuits, Ulker and DeMet's Candy Company, to form a new global company, âÂÂpladisâÂÂ.
In 2018, in the course of the Turkish currency and debt crisis, 2018, Yildiz Holding unexpectedly requested its creditors to restructure as much as US$7 billion in loans.
In 2019, Yñldñz Holding sold Godiva's operation in Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and its manufacturing facility in Belgium to MBK Partners.
Yñldñz Holding's food production business was its first and remains one of its key sectors. The company's brands include ÃÂlker, which operates globally and is part of pladis, a group that includes GODIVA, United Biscuits, and DeMet's. As of 2017, pladis was the second-largest biscuit company and seventh-largest chocolate company in the world. Yñldñz Holding also offers other food products, such as edible oil, frozen food, and charcuterie. Adapazarñ à Âeker, one of Turkey's oldest sugar factories, and DFU, a leading Turkish frozen bakery company, also operate under Yñldñz Holding.
Pladis is a global biscuit and confectionery company which was established in January 2016 when Yñldñz Holding brought together United Biscuits, ÃÂlker, Godiva Chocolatier (excluding stores), and DeMet's Candy Company.
Retail operations consist of four separate brands.
The largest Cash & Carry chain in Turkey, with over 170 stores in more than 70 provinces.
It focuses on the out-of-home consumption sector, offering sales, supply, distribution, and logistics services for food and non-food products needed by professional kitchens and businesses.
Convenience stores was established to support small-scale tradespeople, and its markets operate throughout Turkey.
Discount supermarkets one of Turkey's largest retail chains, with over 9,500 stores and 40,000 employees.
Yñldñz Tech supports the digital applications of the holding, especially in software development.
Gözde Girià Âim Sermayesi Yatñrñm OrtaklñÃÂñ is Yñldñz Holding's private equity company and is listed on the Borsa Istanbul Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GOZDE.Gözde Tech Ventures was established by Gözde Girià Âim Sermayesi Yatñrñm OrtaklñÃÂñ, to invest in technology start-ups and drive the development of innovative business ideas. Yñldñz Holding has invested in several companies, including Makina Takñm, Azmüsebat, Polinas, and Penta Teknoloji, creating added value for these companies.