Makam revitalizes traditional flavors inherited from Turkish culture and produces for the world consumers.
Black Grape Juice, Tamarind, Cranberry, Hurma and Hunkar Night and others are some of the products of MAKAM’s product portfolio. During the most glorious periods of the Ottoman Empire, these healing syrups/sherbets became elegant drinks of pashas and gentlemen. Thanks to the natural extracts and herbs in their contents, these products were well-deserved to be offered in gold tombacs.
MAKAM Beverages produces these palace drinks from the wonderful fruits of Anatolia, from the plant roots and seeds with chemical-free processes and offers them to the consumers.
Mr. Ömer Kaya, founder and chairman of MAKAM Beverages, told us about his successful and extraordinary initiatives.
Could you tell us briefly about the basic building blocks of your company since its establishment?
Our company, Makam Food and Beverages produces a series of healthy beverages inspired by the beverage culture used in the rich palace kitchens which dates back about 500 years before the Turks. Our products are sold under the brands of MAKAM, PLANTAE and IBRAHIM ARIF.
Our beverages are produced to meet the needs of our customers who have high expectations for taste and quality. Carefully selected natural fruits are produced as original drinks formulated from these plants and seeds.
The most prominent feature of our products is that they do not contain any chemical additive such as glucose and corn syrup, aspartame, caffeine, chemical preservatives and chlorophyll. Our products have important contributions to human health as well as consumed for pleasure.
Drinks prepared in our factory, in Nilufer district of Bursa, are pasteurized with modern devices to preserve their freshness and contents and are bottled in glass which are the healthiest container in the world.
What would you say about your product groups and annual production capacity?
We sell our products under three brands.
Most of our products are reinterpretation of the drinks used in the old Turkish palaces to the present day. PLANTAE branded products are mostly positioned as Detox drinks and mixed fruit drinks. IBRAHIM ARIF branded drinks are traditional drinks that positioned for chain markets, restaurants, cafeteria and so on. This brand is produced as a respect for the names of two wise men with unique knowledge of plants.
The annual capacity of our factory is around 4 million liters. The capacity is increasing in parallel with the increasing demand.
What do you say about your brand in the sector and your market share?
Our company believes that people in Turkey and around the world have some problems with the chemical contents in drinks. Therefore, we have an understanding that drinks have to be healthy and beneficial to people. These varieties do not have a large market share yet. However, people are becoming more conscious and sensitive and have shown a serious interest towards the kind of products we produce. We strongly believe that our production can reach serious volumes in the sector in a short time. The intense demand for our products confirms this fact.
In which countries are you exporting your products and where are your target markets?
Our company is about to complete the restructuring and institutionalization works. Some of our products have started to take place in several chain stores. Besides, in addition to exports to countries such as Germany, Austria, Denmark, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Our exports to Germany, Berlin Region, Qatar and Iraq will be realized in a very short time. Our meetings for exports with countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States continue.
Do you plan to add new products to your product range in accordance with the demands?
We are experiencing developments just like your question. Taking into account the incoming demands, we have started to work to produce several new products.
Soon we will offer a number of high quality drinks to our people first and to other consumers in the world. You will encounter very unique products that have not been produced in series yet. I would like to keep them a surprise.
Could you give information about your investment in R & D and the works you have done to increase your brand awareness?
We are working on this issue. These days, we have included some professional friends in our team, we have increased our activities, we will be in new and special selling points. We will also expand our brand awareness by expanding in key chain markets.
What are the domestic and foreign fairs you attend?
We did not find it appropriate to participate in fairs without strengthening our infrastructure. We recently attended a trade fair organized by the Bursa Chamber of Commerce for importers only. We’ve been very useful. But from now on, we will participate more in similar fairs and bring our useful drinks to the people of the world.
What are your goals to grow your market share?
As I have just mentioned, there is already a weakness in the beverage sector about the human health and benefits. We aim to be one of the serious companies that fill this gap, we are moving forward rapidly.
Do you have any recent investments or developments to mention?
As MAKAM Beverages company, earlier, we did not think about entering chain markets. Then we decided that it would be more beneficial to be in chain markets to increase brand awareness and decided to be in chain markets. In Istanbul, Adana, Bursa and Ankara, we have joined in several effective chain of markets. Our efforts in this direction will continue and we will have a more extensive sales network in a short time. Our goal is to bring these healthy drinks to as many people as possible. We do our best to achieve this.
#drink, #export, #company, #foodTurkey, #beverage, #market, #syrup, #sector
