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Invest HatayInvest Hatayby Burç Consulting

Regional Food Brand & Export Center Investment

Hatay's olive-oil and agricultural production base gives properly packaged and certified regional products a real advantage for reaching international markets.

A market displaying regional food products

Hatay's regional products, olive oil, pepper paste, spices, carry significantly more revenue potential once branded and turned into a value-added product rather than sold as raw material. Access to İskenderun Port makes it easier for these brands to reach export markets.

What Project Types Are Worth Considering?

  • Premium olive oil/pepper paste brand development and packaging
  • Branded sale of geographically indicated regional products
  • Food export center (consolidation + logistics)
  • Organic/halal-certified product line

Which Areas Should You Consider?

Kırıkhan and Altınözü, close to olive and agricultural production, offer a raw-material supply advantage. İskenderun, with port access, is the most suitable location for setting up an export center.

Licensing and Permit Process

  • Food production/packaging permit from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Food registry certificate
  • Certifications required for export (geographical indication, halal, organic)
  • Trademark registration (TÜRKPATENT)

Incentives and Support

Region 6 incentives apply to food production and packaging facilities; export-oriented projects can additionally draw on Ministry of Trade export support programs.

See our Investment Incentive Consulting service

What to Keep in Mind

Taking a regional product to international markets requires more than production, packaging design, certification and compliance with the target market's food regulations all add investment on top, and this process often takes longer than expected.

Sources

From the official data

Distribution of Food Businesses by District

According to the district table in the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry's 2025 Activity Report, the number of food businesses registered with district directorates totals 10,825. İskenderun (1,650) and Antakya (1,470) rank first and second.

IndicatorValueYearSource
İskenderun1,6502025[1]
Antakya1,4702025[1]
Samandağ1,2332025[1]
Arsuz1,2202025[1]
Defne1,0592025[1]
Dörtyol9162025[1]
Reyhanlı6012025[1]
Kırıkhan5352025[1]
Altınözü4492025[1]
Hassa3732025[1]
Yayladağı3482025[1]
Payas3292025[1]
Belen3082025[1]
Erzin2682025[1]
Kumlu662025[1]

What does this data mean for an investor?

The top four districts (İskenderun, Antakya, Samandağ, Arsuz) hold 51% of businesses. It is notable that Samandağ and Arsuz rank ahead of the more populous Defne and Dörtyol, which suggests food production and sales are registered more densely in coastal districts than population alone would predict (interpretation). It is a starting point for reading competitive density district by district for restaurant, central-kitchen or food-brand investments.

Limitation: The count is registered food businesses subject to inspection; the type (restaurant, producer, retail) and size of business are not in the table. The “2025 realisation” and “2026 target” columns of the same table may relate to the inspection programme and were not used. A further 688 businesses are registered with the provincial Food and Feed Branch and are not allocated to districts.

Pages related to this data

Sources

  1. [1] Hatay Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, 2025 Activity Report (data period: 2024–2025)

Figures come from official sources; interpretations are Invest Hatay's own and are not investment advice.

Frequently asked questions about regional food brand & export investment

Through an application to TÜRKPATENT, documenting that the product meets geographic-origin criteria; we manage this process on your behalf.

Related Investment Opportunities

Gastronomy & Food InvestmentsAntakya Cuisine Restaurant & Gastronomy Center InvestmentOlive Oil Factory Investment

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