Ahmet Demir
Eksim Holding Gıda Grubu President and
Eksun Gıda General Manager

In 2023, Eksun Gıda, having concluded the previous year as the frontrunner in the retail flour market and garnering attention with its sustainable ventures, solidified its innovative stance in the sector by successfully executing four significant R&D projects in food technology. 

Under the umbrella of Eksim Holding, Eksun Gıda, a leading flour producer in Turkey,  significantly increased its sales and exports in 2023 through extensive R&D efforts Operating across a combined area of 96 thousand square meters in its factories located in Tekirdağ and Konya, the company engages in next-generation production, offering over 200 product varieties through both traditional and industrial channels. Additionally, it spearheads numerous initiatives aimed at social benefit. 

With its Sinangil brand, boasting 60 years in the sector, Eksun Gıda maintains its presence in the retail market, while also catering to a significant demand from consumers opting for gluten-free diets through the “Sinangil Gluten Free” brand, a result of product developments at its R&D center. In 2023, the company continued to embark on significant projects, alongside other innovative endeavors conducted at its R&D center, approved by the Ministry of Industry and Technology.   

Innovative approaches to healthy food production

As per the announcement by Eksun Gıda, the first project conducted in 2023 delved deeply into the impact of water quality on dough freshness. The second project, centered on leveraging waste dairy products to enhance the nutritional profile of bread, yielded significant insights for sustainable food production and waste management. Additionally, a separate project investigating the utilization of medicinal and aromatic plants unveiled the potential of a plant within the hibiscus family for bread production. Furthermore, the project aimed at developing natural food products for diabetic patients introduced novel solutions for healthy nutrition.

“We’ve brought four new projects to life”

Ahmet Demir, President of Eksim Holding Gıda Grubu and General Manager of Eksun Gıda, commented on the completed projects and future plans, stating: “We remain at the forefront of innovations in food technology. Conducting sustainable studies that promote healthy food production is among our core objectives. Through our R&D endeavors, we have uncovered the pivotal role of water quality in bread production on the structure and flavor of bread. We have demonstrated the contribution of waste dairy products to sustainable food production. In addition to exploring the health and quality benefits of medicinal plants in bread production, we have focused on developing natural food products tailored for individuals with diabetes.”

New projects underway to enrich the texture of bread

Continuing his remarks, Demir stated, “We are planning to implement four more projects in 2024. In line with this, we aim to focus on enriching the structure of bread, integrating herbal components into bread formulations, and pursuing innovative developments based on the zero waste principle. Through our academic research efforts, we aspire to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and contribute to setting new industry standards. To achieve this, we have established collaborations with Namık Kemal University, 18 Mart University, and Uşak University. We intend to further enhance our university-industry partnerships to meet our objectives.”

Our projects consider both necessities and human health

“After fulfilling an important corporate social responsibility by producing Turkey’s first gluten-free flour through our R&D activities, we continue to carry out our work in a multi-dimensional manner. In this context, we develop projects and products by considering both needs and human health. While these efforts continue on the laboratory side, we are further expanding the scope of our social benefit approach. Last year, we drew attention to the awareness of celiac disease with the Celiac Summit we organized in collaboration with the Celiac Foundation. With the summit, which we will host for the second time this year in May, we will once again address the impact of celiac disease on both individual and community life, as well as the considerations for those who opt for a gluten-free diet without any health issues.”