An Enjoyable Conversation with Mişel Gülçiçek, Founder of MG Gülçiçek

MG Gülçiçek International Fragrance Company founder Mişel Gülçiçek provided information about the stages MG Gülçiçek has gone through from a small shop in Tahtakale to becoming a global firm, and its current structure.

Could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your educational background and professional experience?

I am the founder of MG Gülçiçek International Fragrance Company. Before I even turned 20, I started working at Kampana Essences (Firmenich) Avni Tuncer and Partners, one of the strongest names in the fragrance sector at that time. After leaving them to complete military service, I worked as Sales Manager at PeReJa Colognes, founded by my former employers. In 1961, I entered the business world as a fragrance wholesaler in a small shop in Tahtakale. I moved this small business from Tahtakale to Bahçekapı and expanded into fragrance wholesale and the import of fragrance raw materials in a larger shop. After relocating to Bomonti in the 1970s, when our small production workshop with 56 employees performed better than expected, the business evolved beyond being merely a perfumery and industrial fragrance production was introduced. Throughout these developments, I sent my nephew Erol Meşulam abroad for perfumery training and to specialize at an international level. In 1983, we moved to a 6,000 square-meter facility in Ayazağa. In 2015, when we celebrated our 54th year, our company began production at an unprecedented new facility in Gebze. We currently work with a total of 250 experienced personnel and internationally recognized perfumers. Through our emphasis on innovation and R&D work in the sector over the past 56 years, we produce more than 200 fragrance raw materials of our own. We are planning to market these raw materials worldwide as MG International Ingredients within a separate structure.

Could you provide information about MG Gülçiçek's founding process, the stages it has gone through to reach today, and its current structure? Your state-of-the-art facility investment in Gebze Organized Industrial Zone attracted worldwide attention—what features does this facility have?

Founded in 1961, MG Gülçiçek positioned itself as a contender to enter among global leaders in the field with its proprietary essences produced after its establishment. MG International Fragrance Company opened the world's first integrated fragrance production facility under one roof in Gebze Organized Industrial Zone (GOSB). With our 100 percent domestically funded investment exceeding USD 65,000,000, growing eightfold, our company constructed a 45,000 square-meter facility on a 20,000 square-meter plot and came to own one of the world's few fragrance production facilities. An automatic production robot capable of such large-scale fragrance production for the first time was installed in a Turkish factory.

Which sectors does MG Gülçiçek mainly supply and what type of products? Could you provide information about MG Gülçiçek's products, brands and services?

We produce for all types of products containing essences that you can think of—from household cosmetics to personal care, from industrial products to the cosmetics sector. We develop and supply the most suitable content for the relevant product in line with specifications from our customers.

What kind of work do you do in innovation and R&D? Could you provide information about MG Gülçiçek's 'fragrance library', which produces its own raw materials that have entered world literature?

Our company has always been pioneering in this sector. Currently, we are continuing our leadership in the sector with firm steps. One of our firsts in R&D and one of the most important features that sets us apart is that among more than 4,000 raw materials we use in fragrance production, we produce more than 200 fragrance raw materials ourselves. This characteristic has made our fragrances special and impossible to imitate. We have four proprietary molecules that are entirely ours, called "Captive" molecules. We continue to contribute to the development of our fragrance sector by continuously adding new innovations and R&D investments.

You dedicate an important area of your state-of-the-art facility in Kocaeli to innovation, organic synthesis and research. Could you provide information about the features of this area and the work carried out there?

In our new 45,000 square-meter production area, our 5,000 square-meter Synthesis Laboratory was a first in Turkey. With this, we increased our production capacity to 7,500 tons. We dedicated our 5,000 square-meter area to innovation, organic synthesis and research. Within 5 years, we aim to increase the number of raw materials we produce.

MG Gülçiçek is a specialist company in fragrance and essences. What is the importance of fragrances and essences, and how do they affect consumer behavior?

The effect of fragrance on the end consumer is undeniable. Many manufacturers in Turkey prefer to produce fragranced products. One of the most important reasons for this is the consumer's tendency to make purchasing decisions by smelling the products they will buy. This is where we come in. MG Gülçiçek is an organization that not only supports its suppliers in all fragrance-related areas but also never hesitates to make every effort to help business partners reach the positions they deserve in the market. We have a long-standing customer portfolio that we have worked with for a very long time in industrial, household care, personal care and cosmetics sectors. With an awareness of environmentally respectful production practices and in support of the preservation and development of natural life, MG Gülçiçek (MG International Fragrance Company) made a significant investment in this field by opening the world's first integrated production facility in 2016, and was recognized with the 22nd Şahabettin Bilgisu Environmental Award organized by Kocaeli Chamber of Industry in the same year. Subsequently, in the scope of the 9th Sectoral Performance Evaluation Organization organized by Kocaeli Chamber of Industry, MG Gülçiçek became the recipient of the award given in the "Large-Scale Enterprise" category.

MG Gülçiçek is also involved in special projects, creating custom designs for exhibitions and even cinemas. How do you conduct work for these special projects?

We experience the complementary power of fragrance in all areas of life. Scenting spaces has become a very current topic in our country in recent years. In this context, we have collaborated with designers and artists in areas such as exhibitions, film screenings and fashion shows. Additionally, in 2012, we designed a fragrance called GQ Style that reflected the charismatic and sophisticated demeanor of the GQ man specifically for the GQ Men of the Year evening and greeted guests at the event with this fragrance. In 2013, we entered into a joint project with Ezra-Tuba Çetin and designed a custom fragrance for their fashion show where they introduced their "Deepwaves" collection, ensuring the show appealed to all senses. For a special exhibition titled 'Fragrance and City', we carried out a project in cooperation with Koç University Anadolu Civilizations Center, where we exhibited fragrances narrating Istanbul from ancient times to today. Most recently, we will create a fragrance installation for the 'Halls' exhibition, featuring sculptural works by Sevgi - Hayri Karay, which will be displayed at Tophane-i Amire throughout March.

How many perfumers work at MG Gülçiçek?

MG International Fragrance Company has succeeded in bringing together the world's best fragrance experts; Turkish and foreign perfumers in a harmonious creative process. New formulas designed by eight specialist perfumers continue to bring fresh impetus to the sector.

What criteria are prioritized when forming MG Gülçiçek's investment plans? Do you have investment plans for the upcoming periods, and if so, what are they?

Currently, we have nearly 5,000 customers in 81 provinces of the Turkish market. Starting our journey as an import company, we take pride in being the first fragrance company to export essences produced in Turkey to countries such as France and the United States. We have regular exports to 64 countries. MG Gülçiçek essences are found in products of world-renowned brands in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, France and Italy. At the same time, the Middle East and Africa are regions where we are active and where our exports are increasing. In the coming years, we have plans to make factory investments in the United States in order to maintain a presence in the still-growing American market and to secure a lasting position among global players.