TIM President Mustafa Gültepe called for strengthening the brand value of the Turkish pasta industry at the World Pasta Day event. Emphasising Turkey's agricultural roots and historical heritage in pasta culture, Gültepe stated that this advantage should be utilised more strongly and said: "We are the homeland of wheat and pasta; we should transform our cultural heritage into a brand."
The World Pasta Day 2025 event, held in Istanbul, once again brought together global leaders, producers, and decision-makers of the pasta industry. In his address, Mustafa Gültepe, President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), underscored Turkey’s strong position in the global pasta market and called for greater focus on branding and value-added production to strengthen the industry’s global footprint.
“Turkish pasta must compete not only in quantity but also in value”
Gültepe began his remarks by highlighting pasta’s universal appeal: “From Asia to the Americas, from Europe to Africa, pasta is loved and consumed all over the world. It’s affordable, nutritious, plant-based, diverse, easy to prepare, and has a long shelf life. These qualities make pasta a staple of global dining. As Turkey, we are a significant global player in this field.”
Citing trade figures, Gültepe stressed that Turkey’s growing export volume should be matched with higher value creation: “Turkey accounts for around 10% of the world’s annual pasta exports, which total about 9 million tons. We rank second globally in export volume, but fourth in export value. In 2024, we achieved 926 million dollars in pasta exports. This shows a clear reality: we must enhance the added value of our products.”
“We are the homeland of wheat and pasta – we must turn this heritage into a brand”
Emphasizing Turkey’s deep agricultural roots and cultural connection to pasta, Gültepe stated: “We live on the land where wheat was first cultivated — the birthplace of pasta. Anatolia has one of the richest culinary heritages in the world. Yet, this cultural and historical wealth is not fully reflected in our branding and promotion efforts. Just like in other sectors, we must focus on branding in agriculture and food production. We need to make Turkish pasta a globally recognized, trusted, and preferred brand.”
“Agricultural production is strategic — sustainability must be at the center”
Touching on the growing global demand for food and the shrinking agricultural areas, Gültepe called for strategic and sustainable action: “While the world’s population continues to grow, agricultural lands are shrinking. This shows that agriculture has become a truly strategic sector. At the Turkish Exporters Assembly, we act with this awareness. Our Agriculture Council works actively across a wide range of areas — from organic production to sustainability, from export market diversification to international promotion.”
“We must position Turkish brands in high-income markets”
Gültepe noted that Turkey’s production capacity and geographic advantages provide strong potential to expand in premium markets: “Our region offers significant opportunities. Especially in Europe and surrounding regions, we are close to markets with high purchasing power. Few countries possess the production capacity and advanced technology that Turkey has. We must use this advantage to position Turkish pasta and other agricultural brands in high-income markets such as Europe, the United States, and Japan.”
“Knowledge sharing and promotion will move the industry forward”
Concluding his speech, Gültepe highlighted the importance of collaboration and sectoral visibility: “Events like World Pasta Day are valuable platforms for sharing knowledge, experience, and raising awareness. I would like to thank IPO, TMSD, and all sponsors and contributors for making this event possible. Together, we must focus on building and promoting Turkish pasta as a global brand.”
Mustafa Gültepe’s remarks once again underlined that Turkey’s pasta industry must leverage its strong production base with a forward-looking brand strategy. With sustained export performance and increasing investment in brand recognition and innovation, “Turkish Pasta” has all the potential to become a global success story.