Europe's Largest Gelatin Plant Opens

Since 2011, Halavet Gıda, operating under İskefe Holding, has been engaged in the production of edible halal food gelatin and collagen for the healthcare, pharmaceutical and food industries. The company opened its second factory—the largest gelatin production facility in Europe—in Bolu Gerede, with the participation of Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank. Halavet Gıda, the successful food sector brand of İskefe Holding, one of Turkey's major industrial and technology companies, began operations at its new production facility in Gerede Organized Industrial Zone to meet gelatin demand in Turkey, Asia and Europe. Producing halal gelatin according to sustainability and zero-waste principles, Halavet Gıda contributes to the country's economy by exporting high value-added products such as gelatin and collagen. Built with a USD 25 million investment and equipped with Europe's largest gelatin production capacity, the facility will produce beef gelatin at a rate of 12,000 tons per year. The factory will initially provide employment to 200 people while producing healthy and reliable raw materials with high traceability standards for the healthcare, pharmaceutical and food industries. The opening ceremony held in Gerede was attended by Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank, Bolu Governor Ahmet Ümit, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Ankara Abzal Saparbekuly, AK Party Members of Parliament for Bolu Arzu Aydın and Fehmi Küpçü, Bolu Mayor Tanju Özkan and Gerede District Governor Cengiz Ayhan.

Varank: "Halavet Gıda reversed the import-export balance"

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said, "Today we are officially opening the factory designed and built by Halavet Gıda with a visionary perspective, the largest in Europe in terms of food gelatin production capacity. Those who have followed this will know that Turkey's first collagen production was carried out by Halavet Gıda in 2012. Our company, which reversed the import-export ratio through beef gelatin and collagen production starting in 2012, will, inşallah, with this new facility, raise Turkey's share of world exports to much higher levels."

Aydemir: "We will increase our production capacity in Turkey by 100 percent in 2021"

İskefe Holding Chairman of the Executive Board Yusuf Aydemir said the second factory in Bolu Gerede, built with a USD 25 million investment, will begin production quickly. "As Halavet Gıda San. ve Tic. A.Ş., we have been producing edible beef gelatin and collagen using domestic raw materials since 2012 in Istanbul Leather Organized Industrial Zone. As Halavet Gıda, exporting to 60 countries, with the contribution of our new Gerede factory, we aim to increase our turnover above USD 80 million in 2021. We are Turkey and Europe's largest producer of edible beef gelatin and Turkey's first collagen producer. Our Tuzla factory has annual production capacity of 9,000 tons of edible gelatin and 2,000 tons of collagen, approximately 60 percent of which we export. At our facility where we will initially produce edible gelatin at 7,000 tons per year capacity, we will put into operation our new collagen line with 5,000 tons annual capacity in 2022 and export approximately 90 percent of our production. Our new facility will support the leather sectors of Gerede and surrounding provinces and contribute to their growth and development. We will extend the exports we currently make to Europe, the Middle East and Asia to North America in 2021. In 2022, we aim to open a gelatin facility in Kazakhstan," he said.