Anglo–Dutch multinational consumer goods company Unilever has opened a EUR95m ice cream facility in Konya, Turkey.
The Konya factory will produce leading brands such as Cornetto, Max and Twister and will initially employ 300 people. It has an annual production capacity of 80 million litres, with the option to expand to 200 million litres.
The factory, which is the company's 35th ice cream factory globally, will cater to the domestic market as well as the overseas markets of Middle East and North Africa.
It aims to be the first Unilever ice-cream factory in the world with LEED Certification. The factory reuses rain and surface water, recovers heat, and is zero-non-hazardous-waste-to-landfill by design. Unilever noted that it will be the model for all future Heartbrand factories around the world.
Unilever chief supply chain officer Pier Luigi Sigismondi said that Turkey is an important growth market for Unilever.
"We have a long history in the country - having been in business there for almost 100 years and opened our first factory in 1952. Today, Konya has become our eighth manufacturing site in the country, as we continue to invest in growing our Turkish and regional business. "
"This new factory is a testament to our commitment to drive sustainable growth and make more people smile with our ice creams," Sigismondi added.
According to the company, Konya was selected for setting up the factory due to factors such as access to raw materials, good infrastructure and logistics, the availability of qualified workers and lower earthquake risks, as well as and the good support of Konya's local administration.
The company noted that the factory has significant potential for expansion due to increasing domestic consumption and the opportunities to grow exports.
Unilever entered the Turkish ice cream market in 1990 and has grown its business to a marketing-leading position with a current market share of over 70%.
