ISTANBUL, October 2, 2026 — In a major development for the international food industry, Turkish multinational conglomerate Yıldız Holding has signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation protocol with TSE Global, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE). This landmark agreement is designed to merge Yıldız Holding’s extensive domestic and international food safety practices with the advanced conformity assessment, auditing, and certification capabilities of TSE Global.
The partnership establishes a framework under which TSE Global’s technical expertise will be utilized across Yıldız Holding’s diverse geographical operations. Furthermore, the collaboration will extend beyond the holding’s own production facilities, reaching into its extensive supplier ecosystem to address evolving industry requirements and ensure rigorous compliance with national and international standards.
The formal signing ceremony, held at Yıldız Holding’s headquarters, was attended by key leaders from both the public and private sectors. The high-profile delegation included Oruç Baba İnan, Chairman of the Board of TSE Global and Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology; Dr. Hüseyin Alper Türedi, General Manager of TSE Global and Chairman of the Board of UDK; Murat Ülker, Board Member of Yıldız Holding; Mehmet Tütüncü, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Yıldız Holding; and İbrahim Taşkın, Board Member of Yıldız Holding and President of the Food Safety Board. Other senior executives from both organizations were also present to mark the occasion.
A Synergy of Public Authority and Private Sector Expertise
The newly established protocol brings together two distinct areas of expertise: the deep-rooted operational knowledge of the Yıldız Holding Food Safety Board and the specialized conformity assessment capabilities of TSE Global. Under the leadership of the Yıldız Holding Food Safety Board, the partnership will deploy TSE Global’s core competencies—including inspection, surveillance, supplier audits, and formal certification services—across the holding’s domestic and international business units.
Crucially, the scope of the agreement is not limited to internal operations. Recognizing that modern food safety is heavily dependent on the integrity of the entire value chain, the protocol allows for these rigorous assessment protocols to be integrated into Yıldız Holding’s supplier network. This expansion into the supplier ecosystem is designed to ensure that raw materials and intermediary goods meet the same exacting standards as the final products.
Beyond auditing and certification, the strategic framework targets other critical technical services required to maintain high operational standards. A key sub-component of the agreement includes the development and implementation of both theoretical and practical training programs. These educational initiatives will be aligned with national and international regulations, helping to ensure that employees and suppliers alike are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills in food safety management.
Driving Global Competitiveness Through Quality Standards
During the signing ceremony, Oruç Baba İnan, Chairman of the Board of TSE Global and Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology, emphasized the critical link between standard compliance and international competitiveness. He pointed out that in the modern industrial landscape, maintaining quality, reliability, and alignment with global standards is a primary determinant of a country’s export strength and global market presence.
"Particularly in the food sector, which directly concerns human health, managing all processes from production to consumption with a reliable and sustainable approach is of paramount importance," İnan stated. He went on to highlight the significance of the partnership, noting that it represents a valuable model where the technical accumulation of a proven public institution is brought together with the global commercial experience of a leading private enterprise.
İnan expressed his optimism for the broader impacts of the protocol, stating: "We find it highly valuable to be able to bring together the technical knowledge of our public institutions—which have proven their expertise in conformity assessment through their established capabilities—with the international experience of our private sector. We hope that this cooperation will strengthen food safety efforts, allow our country’s conformity assessment capacity to be utilized more effectively on an international scale, and contribute significantly to the position of Turkish industry within global value chains."
End-to-End Quality Control and Halal Production Principles
The operational philosophy behind the partnership was further elaborated by Dr. Hüseyin Alper Türedi, General Manager of TSE Global and Chairman of the Board of UDK. Dr. Türedi emphasized that modern food safety cannot be treated as a retrospective check performed only at the end of the production line. Instead, it must be approached as a continuous, preventative system.
"Food safety and halal production principles are vital control mechanisms that require a holistic approach," Dr. Türedi explained. "These principles cannot be limited merely to checking the final product. They demand comprehensive management across all stages of the lifecycle—starting from the sourcing of raw materials, moving through the active manufacturing processes, and extending to supplier evaluations and strict compliance with international standards."
By incorporating TSE Global’s surveillance and auditing protocols, Yıldız Holding aims to reinforce this preventative approach. This ensures that every ingredient, process, and facility involved in the manufacturing of its products conforms to both food safety regulations and recognized halal production guidelines, safeguarding consumer trust in diverse global markets.
Standardized Governance Across a Vast Global Footprint
The logistical and regulatory complexity of managing food safety on a global scale was highlighted by İbrahim Taşkın, Board Member of Yıldız Holding and President of the Food Safety Board. Taşkın provided insights into the scale of Yıldız Holding’s global operations, illustrating why a structured, independent auditing partnership is essential for the company’s long-term strategy.
"One of the most critical elements of ensuring the continuity of food safety is the systematic implementation, monitoring, and independent verification of robust standards on the ground," Taşkın noted. "Under the coordination of our Yıldız Holding Food Safety Board, we manage our operational processes in accordance with common, unified principles across 33 production facilities located in 11 different countries."
Taşkın expressed his confidence that the collaboration with TSE Global would provide a strong, independent layer of verification for these global operations, helping to harmonize standards across different regulatory environments and reinforcing the holding’s commitment to quality. "I wish for this cooperation we have realized with TSE Global to be highly beneficial," he added.
Aligning with Global Climate and Sustainability Frameworks
The strategic partnership also aligns with broader global initiatives, particularly in the areas of sustainability, agriculture, and climate action. Mehmet Tütüncü, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Yıldız Holding, contextualized the protocol within the framework of upcoming international environmental milestones, noting Turkey’s active role in the global climate agenda.
"As we co-chair the efforts in the fields of Food Safety and Agriculture during the COP31 process, which will be hosted by Turkey, we firmly believe that permanent progress in food safety is achieved through the development of applicable and scalable solutions," Tütüncü stated.
Tütüncü framed the agreement with TSE Global as a practical application of this philosophy, demonstrating how corporate partnerships can drive systemic improvements that support wider national and global goals. "We view this cooperation protocol signed with TSE Global as one of the concrete, tangible steps of this very approach. We believe that TSE Global’s high level of competence in the field of conformity assessment will make significant contributions to our ongoing work. I would like to express my gratitude to all of our colleagues and the TSE Global team who contributed their efforts to bringing this cooperation to fruition."
With the signing of this protocol, both Yıldız Holding and TSE Global aim to establish a benchmark for public-private collaboration in industrial food safety. By combining independent public oversight with global private-sector execution, the partnership seeks to enhance the safety, quality, and compliance of food products distributed across both domestic and international markets.
