IDMA Today 2024 - Day 2

03 3 MAY 2024 IDMA fairs are highly valuable for the industry ithin the framework of IDMA Istanbul, the “Taste the Future with BBM Kitch- en” discussions, organized by BBM Magazine and sponsored by Özmen Un, are underway. Erhan Özmen, Chairman of Özmen Un, emphasized, “IDMA Fairs hold significant value for the industry. If the Turkish flour sector currently leads global flour exports, it owes much to the technological advance- ments in the Turkish milling machinery sector and IDMA Fairs have played a crucial role in advancing milling machinery. Since its incep- tion, I have made it a point not to miss IDMA Fairs. I closely monitor the sector’s progress and its trajectory. Moreover, we have been staunch supporters of BBM Magazine’s initia- tives, recognizing them as valuable endeavors for the sector.” rhan Özmen highlighted Özmen Un’s significant investment activity over the past 5 years, stating, “In 2016, we es- tablished our Licensed Warehousing company with a 55 thousand-ton capacity, in- vesting $7 million, and renovated Hışvahan Han, Gaziantep’s oldest inn dating back 550 years, along with restaurant and shop investments to- taling $2 million. In 2017, we commenced pro- duction at Turkey’s first dark mill in Gaziantep with an $18 million investment as Özmen Un. In 2022, we acquired Yeni Un brand and facility, renowned for its niche products and among Gaziantep’s most esteemed flour brands. Addi- tionally, in both 2022 and 2023, we launched our SPP project with a total investment of $8 million. Then in 2023, we inaugurated FIRIN’O, our new artisan bakery brand with 2 branches in Gaziantep, investing over $3 million. FIRIN’O stands as one of our most exhilarating projects, allowing us to translate our experiences from soil and R&D directly into products.” Investments full throttle over last 5 years e spoke with Erhan Özmen, Chairman of Özmen Un, at the opening of the 10th edition of the IDMA Istanbul Fair held at the Istanbul Expo Center this year. Discussing both the IDMA Fair and his company, Erhan Özmen emphasized the significance of IDMA Fairs for the sector, stating, “If the Turkish flour sector is lead- ing in world flour exports today, the tech- nological advancements made by the Turkish milling machinery sector play a crucial role in this. IDMA Fairs have made a significant contribution to the develop- ment of milling machines.” Erhan Özmen stated that they have achieved a total wheat crushing capac- ity of 730 tons in two facilities, with 580 tons per day under the Özmen Un brand and 150 tons per day under the Yeni Un brand. He remarked, “Within our group, we provide employment opportunities in various fields and continue to progress towards our production and goals with our team of 300 people. We are already observing the positive effects of our efforts to improve social rights and op- portunities by accelerating our branding and institutionalization processes, which we identified as priority targets last year. Our R&D and Business Development operations, which are highly important to us, are ongoing with great enthusiasm. We are also intensively working towards the goals we have set for 2030 and 2050 in line with the Sustainable Devel- opment Goals.” “We also make a difference in safe food production” Erhan Özmen highlighted their pro- duction of future flour through industry 4.0 technology without human interven- tion, emphasizing that they mix at the flour stage, not at the wheat stage, us- ing their mixing technologies. He stated, “This enables us to produce flours tai- lored to specific purposes, institutions, and individuals. I must emphasize that we also make a difference in safe food production with our flours produced un- touched by a dark mill. With our R&D team and collaborations with academia, we continue to shape the industry with innovative and value-creating products, reaching a product range of over 100 types. Our product line includes special flours for every taste. Particularly, our Zivago and Antep Flour, crafted spe- cifically for baklava makers, continue to set us apart positively in the sector. Additionally, we are present on every table with our Bezosta, Tozluk, Renata, Mozaik, and other flour varieties. We are mindful of living in a new world where re- source management and circularity are increasingly vital. With this awareness, we persist in investing to enhance all our processes and convert by-products into value-added products through new partnerships.” “We produce special flours not only for Turkish cuisine but also for world cuisine” Erhan Özmen, Chairman of Özmen Un, highlighted that while they produce separate flours for products specific to Turkish cuisine and artisans such as İzmir’s boyoz, Diyarbakır’s kadayif, and Kayseri’s mantı, they also produce spe- cial flours for various products of world cuisine such as croissants, pizza, sour- dough, baguettes, and macarons. He stated, “We are one of the richest re- gions in the world in terms of wheat qual- ity and diversity. Milling in lands where cereals and wheat with hundreds of varieties and characteristic features are grown, we’ve conducted detailed stud- ies on the performance and character of wheat varieties when transformed into products, marking one of our significant achievements. Utilizing the unique fla- vors and textures of our regional wheat varieties, we produce separate flours for specialties like boyoz, kadayif, and mantı. Our approach extends beyond Turkish cuisine and artisanal products to include a variety of world cuisines. With this approach and motivation, we export the valuable products we produce to over 40 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, EU coun- tries, and Gulf countries.” ‘We aim to become sector leader through innovation and investments’ W W E Özmen Un, which stands as one of the significant brands in the domestic market with over 100 types of flour produced untouched in Turkey’s first ‘dark mill’, alongside successfully exporting to more than 40 countries, aims to lead the sector with numerous innovations and investments.