Turkey expands global chocolate and cocoa market share

Turkey is expanding its presence in the global chocolate and cocoa market. During the first half of the year, the country generated $500,781,000 in export revenue from chocolate and cocoa products. This sector ranked as one of the highest earners in the grain, legume, and oilseed category, following sunflower seeds.

Mehmet Yıldırım, Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Pastry and Confectionery Products Committee, attributed this growth to high production quality, effective marketing, and participation in international trade fairs. He also noted significant advancements in packaging and wrapping technologies, which have increased the visibility of Turkish products globally.

Major production hubs include Istanbul, which hosts 95 percent of exporting companies, as well as Gaziantep and Adana. Turkey holds a competitive advantage in producing trending items like ‘Dubai chocolate’ due to its domestic supply of high-quality raw materials, such as pistachios and kadayıf. The industry aims to establish Turkish chocolate as a global brand alongside established names like Switzerland.