Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu is preparing to enter a new era in production with an investment of TRY 40 million. The company is opening a new chapter in its growth journey with a seven-storey baklava production facility established in Esenyurt, Istanbul. Built with an investment of approximately TRY 40 million and already operational, the facility is expected to reach full production capacity shortly. Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu owner Abdurrahman Özcan said the company would initially meet the product requirements of its own branches, before supplying national and local supermarket chains and catering companies across Türkiye.
Abdurrahman Özcan
Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu began operations with its first store in Istanbul in 2021. The company aims to combine traditional baklava production with modern technology, high production capacity and an expanding retail network. Having grown to 14 branches, the brand follows an integrated growth model encompassing everything from product diversity and raw material procurement to pricing policy.
The company’s seven-storey production facility in Esenyurt, with a total enclosed area of 1,580 square metres, lies at the heart of this growth strategy. With the new facility, built through an investment of approximately TRY 40 million, Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu aims to move beyond retailing and become a strong player in organized retail and the foodservice market.
Built on owner Abdurrahman Özcan’s many years of experience in the food industry, Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu is now growing with the active participation of family members. Özcan, a father of seven, has involved all his children except his son who works as a pilot in various areas of the company, from production and management to the new facility investment. The professional expertise of his children who are an architect and a civil engineer also made an important contribution to the planning and construction of the seven-storey production facility in Esenyurt.
We spoke with Abdurrahman Özcan about the brand’s founding story, production philosophy, Esenyurt investment and future objectives.
Could you tell us about your background in the food industry and the journey that led to the establishment of Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu?
I worked in different areas of the food industry for many years. During that time, I had the opportunity to closely observe many aspects of the business, from product quality and raw material procurement to consumer expectations and pricing policy. I wanted to put this experience to use under our own brand and carry the traditional culture of baklava into the future through a more corporate structure.
We began operating as Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu with our first store in Istanbul in 2021. From the outset, our goal was not simply to establish a business that sold baklava. We wanted to create a brand built on solid foundations that addressed production, retailing and customer satisfaction as a whole. Today, with 14 branches and an expanding production infrastructure, we continue to advance towards that goal.
Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu is also a family business. What roles do your children play in the company?
I have seven children. Apart from my son who works as a pilot, all my children take an active role in different areas of our company. Each contributes to the business according to his or her skills, education and interests. Working alongside my children also allows me to pass the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years on to the next generation.
One of my children is an architect and another is a civil engineer. We drew on their professional knowledge and experience, particularly during the planning and construction of our seven-storey production facility in Esenyurt. This enabled us to design the facility not only around today’s requirements but also in line with the production capacity and growth objectives we aim to achieve in the future.
What was the main need that prompted you to establish a new production facility?
As the number of our branches increased, standardization, capacity and logistics management in production became more important. We want to offer consumers the same quality and flavour at every point of sale. To achieve this, we needed to move production to a stronger and more systematic infrastructure.
At the same time, our goal is not limited to establishing a structure that supplies only our own stores. We plan to make Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu products available to consumers through supermarket chains and other sales channels across Türkiye. Catering is another area in which we want to grow. We designed our Esenyurt investment to support all these objectives.
Could you tell us about your new facility in Esenyurt?
We have built a seven-storey baklava production facility with a total enclosed area of 1,580 square metres in Esenyurt, Istanbul. We invested approximately TRY 40 million in the project. The facility is already producing, and we plan to reach full capacity once all its sections become operational in the near future.
We do not regard our new facility merely as a production site that will increase capacity. It will be a centre where every process, from raw material intake and production to packaging and dispatch, can be managed with greater control. We aim to combine modern production capabilities with traditional baklava craftsmanship.
What will be the initial production plan for the new facility?
Our first priority is to meet the product requirements of our own branches. It is very important for us to supply our stores regularly with fresh products of consistent quality. The centralized production structure will allow us both to manage our operations more efficiently and to further improve product consistency across our branches.
Once the facility begins operating at full capacity, we will increase production for other sales channels. We intend to expand our production plans gradually in line with market needs and the requirements of our business partners.
You aim to enter the supermarket channel. What are your plans in this area?
We want to take baklava beyond a product sold only in traditional dessert shops and make it available to a broader consumer base. For this reason, we attach great importance to working with national and local supermarket chains. Our goal is to bring Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu products to consumers throughout Türkiye through these retail networks.
The organized retail channel requires a strong infrastructure in terms of production standards, shelf life, packaging, logistics and reliable supply. We took these requirements into consideration when planning our new facility. We want to meet the expectations of the retail channel without compromising the flavour or quality of our products.
Catering companies are also among your target customers. Why is this channel important to you?
The catering sector represents an important market with high-volume and regular product demand. We are able to prepare products in different portion sizes and presentations for hotels, restaurants, contract catering companies, receptions and event organizers. With the capacity and operational strength provided by our new facility, we aim to build long-term partnerships in this field as well.
The requirements of catering companies can differ from those of the retail channel. We therefore plan to develop tailored solutions for our business partners in product variety, portioning, packaging and distribution.
What policy do you follow in raw material procurement?
We believe that quality baklava begins with quality raw materials. We meet a significant portion of our pistachio requirements from our own orchards, which contain more than 5,000 pistachio trees. We procure the remainder during the period when the crop is at its best from trusted growers with whom we have worked for many years. Our connection with pistachio cultivation and agriculture is directly reflected in the quality of our products. While remaining faithful to traditional recipes and craftsmanship, we also strive to meet today’s consumer expectations for quality, hygiene, accessibility and trust.
We purchase raw materials in season, from the regions where they are grown, as directly as possible and in large volumes. This model enables us both to control quality and manage our costs more effectively. In addition to pistachios, we are careful to work with reliable suppliers for walnuts, sugar and other ingredients.
You state that you use sugar produced from domestically grown sugar beet. How would you describe your production philosophy?
Our production approach does not compromise on natural ingredients. We do not use artificial sweeteners, colourings or preservatives. For our desserts, we prefer natural sugar produced from domestically grown sugar beet. Avoiding starch-based sugar is also one of our core principles.
While preserving traditional recipes, we seek to apply modern production standards in hygiene and food safety. We conduct regular hygiene inspections at our factory and stores. For us, the safety and reliability of the products we offer consumers take precedence over commercial gain.
You have an extensive product portfolio. How do you approach product development?
Our range includes more than 40 varieties of baklava and other desserts. Alongside classic pistachio and walnut baklava, we produce şöbiyet, carrot-slice baklava, saray sarma, burma kadayıf, cold baklava, sütlü Nuriye, kaymaklı baklava and various rolled specialities.
While preserving classic flavours and recipes, we also monitor consumer trends. We do not view product development solely as creating a new flavour. Presentation, portioning, packaging and product design suited to different sales channels are also part of this work. We will develop new solutions tailored particularly to the requirements of supermarket chains and catering companies.
How do you maintain your commitment to offering quality at accessible prices?
Purchasing raw materials at the right time, from the right regions and in large volumes gives us a cost advantage. By reducing the number of intermediaries, we seek to reach consumers more directly from production. Our production capacity and centralized production model also enable us to manage operating costs more effectively.
Thanks to efficient production and a strong supply structure, we aim to make quality baklava accessible to a wider consumer base. An accessible pricing policy certainly does not mean compromising quality. What matters to us is that consumers receive value for the price they pay in the form of quality and trust.
What are your growth objectives for the store network?
We currently have 14 branches and aim to reach 100 sales outlets over the long term. However, we do not measure growth solely by the number of branches. Each new store must be in the right location, reflect our service philosophy and have a sustainable structure.
At our stores, we serve traditional flavours in modern, spacious settings. When customers enter one of our stores, they should not simply purchase baklava; they should enjoy a complete brand experience shaped by product presentation, store design and friendly service.
Where do you aim to position Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu in the coming period?
Our first priorities are to bring the Esenyurt production facility to full capacity and strengthen the system through which we supply our existing branches. We will then open up new sales channels by developing partnerships with supermarket chains and catering companies.
Our aim is to become a trusted brand that combines traditional baklava craftsmanship with modern production strength, quality and an accessible pricing policy. We intend to establish Fıstıkçı Ağaoğlu as a strong player in retailing, packaged products and the foodservice channel.