We started to compete with the giant companies of the world in chocolate with the distinct perspective we brought from the raw material to the packaging of the products we produce. The initiatives we have taken are of great importance for us to come today. I am quite sure that my bravest initiatives throughout 35 years have brought me here. Currently, I am the CEO of a company that can produce million-dollar ideas, employs 550 personnel, 70 percent of who are women, and competes with the giant companies of the world.

Patiswiss Chocolate, which started its chocolate journey as a handmade boutique production facility in Ankara 18 years ago, today produces over 400 varieties in 12 main categories. We talked to Elif Aslı Yılmaz, the Chairwoman of Patiswiss Çikolata, which makes chocolate, cream-paste group, frozen-dried flavors, gluten-free chips, and patisserie varieties to fit product groups in high-tech factories, about her and her company’s success story. The company, which attaches particular importance to women’s employment, was awarded two awards by TOBB (The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye). Young CEO Elif Aslı Yılmaz shared her journey to success in the race she entered with the global giants. 

Ms. Yıldız, can you give us information about your Patiswiss Çikolata story and your work so far?

Patiswiss is a boutique chocolate brand founded in Ankara in 2004 and started to produce chocolate under the guidance of Swiss chocolate experts. Patiswiss has demonstrated how miracles can be created from a cocoa bean by combining natural and fresh Turkish flavors with high-quality chocolate varieties. Patiswiss, which was created by an artist’s loving hands, has always enjoyed bringing this love to the hearts of chocolate lovers and making them happy.

Established as a boutique chocolate production house, Patiswiss Handmade Chocolates turned into a chocolate factory with a total indoor area of 8500m² in January 2020, blending the handmade productions of experienced craftsmen with its 2 factories, producing at high food safety and quality standards. Today, by including additional product families such as cream-paste, and granola-muesli, it has more than 400 product types under 12 main categories in its portfolio including cakes, muffins, and cookies. In addition, it continues its cooperation with many companies also by supplying the raw materials of its industrial chocolate and products.

What sets you apart from your competitors? Can you share your success story with us?

We started to compete with the giant companies of the world in chocolate with the distinct perspective we brought from the raw material to the packaging of the products we produce. The initiatives we have taken are of great importance for us to come today. I am quite sure that my bravest initiatives throughout 35 years have brought me here. Currently, I am the CEO of a company that can produce million-dollar ideas, employs 550 personnel, 70 percent of who are women, and competes with the giant companies of the world.

The majority of innovation in the food industry in Türkiye is being carried out in the packaging section, which is considered product differentiation. One should emphasize that a significant rate of new product launches are variants of already existing products rather than ‘real’ innovations. To guarantee more shelf space, many food manufacturers choose to work on the product by deriving it from existing brands, resulting in many similar products. When we have a look at the shelves in Türkiye, many brands remain quite modest in competition with the world.

‘WE BROUGHT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO THE SHELVES’

What do you think is the biggest mistake in product marketing? 

In Türkiye, the lowest budget in marketing budget is allocated to packaging design. Packaging is one of the most effective and economical marketing tools. The power of packaging to sell a product is 70 percent. This rate can be even higher for children. We also designed such packaging that, the stance of the brand, the quality of the product inside, and the quality perception of the brand were immediately noticed by the target audience, and the selling power of the packaging was close to 100 percent. It took us 8 months to get the companies to apply the packaging material and printing technique. That feeling when you take it in your hand, ease of use, dimensions, quality in paint, every layer of material used… This minimalist visual feast that emerged when combined with design and fashion brought a new breath of fresh air to the shelves and provided the end consumer with a completely different experience. It opened up a completely different space for itself in the crowd of images.

What is the effect of social media on the formation and growth of your brand?

We were almost reinventing snacks. That is, we were branding innovation. In addition, a new era in marketing has begun with the use of social media in the new era. We made the products according to this era; they are all ‘instagrammable’. People shared our new products so many times. I think we are one of the best examples of how to create an ad-free brand, considering that we didn’t have any advertising budgets at the beginning. Because normally it would take years for a product and brand to be recognized with this quality perception.

We currently have more than 400 innovative products under 12 main categories. Some are patented, many are under the protection of our R&D center and registered, and all are registered to us in terms of design. We have been developing our brand for 3 years without sacrificing quality, away from commercial concerns, and equipped with advanced technology software programs, and we carry the quality concept from the last quality to the whole process and advanced production. With our social responsibility project, EQUALITY, we sell the products produced only by women in our company to women in need, at many points in Türkiye, and donate all the profit.

Patiswiss will now produce fairtrade certified chocolates for the first time in Türkiye. What does this mean?

We broke new ground with the raw materials we brought from Switzerland. Patiswiss has entered a new era, befitting its stance. Breaking new ground in Turkey, it drew its lines independently. Patiswiss will now produce fairtrade certified chocolates. Then, what does fair trade supposed to mean? It is an application that contains vital articles such as improving the living standards and quality of producers, providing development opportunities to producers who are disadvantaged in world trade, employing women more actively and under equal conditions, avoiding child labor, and providing them with educational opportunities and that is based on sustainability. Among the 2024 targets of Patiswiss are to design new products by switching to fully recyclable packaging.

You received the ‘Fastest Growing Female Entrepreneur’ award from TOBB. How significant is this for you?

At the Türkiye’s Entrepreneurial Women’s Power Competition Awards, organized in cooperation with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) and the Turkish Economic Policy Research Foundation, Patiswiss Çikolata received an award named the Company that Increases Female Employment the Most. I also received the ‘Fastest Growing Female Entrepreneur’ award. Thus, the success of Patiswiss is registered in many areas.

If someone asked me, what award I would like to receive, I couldn’t even think of these two awards. This winter has been a celebration period for me. We will always keep our promise to Türkiye. We will work with all our strength for the gender equality of women in society. We will produce the best products money can buy and do fair trade.

Today, I am proud that more than 70% of our Patiswiss family, which has more than 550 employees, is women. And I wish that we are no longer talking about the obstacles in front of gender equality, but about the success of women. I would like to thank the TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Board, which supports and encourages women entrepreneurs, for the awards that honored me.