Product

Turkish chocolate, biscuits and wafers: producers, specs and rules by market

Lotvela · Gaziantep · Checked 29 October 2026

Türkiye exported $1,408.9 million of chocolate and other cocoa confectionery and $1,725.3 million of cakes and biscuits in 2025 (Ministry of Trade, TÜİK data). Gaziantep is one of the main centres: exporters registered with GAİB, the south-eastern associations based in the city, accounted for 19.7% of Türkiye's registered chocolate exports and 37.4% of its sweet biscuit and wafer exports (computed). The one thing to get right is the name: whether your product counts as chocolate in your market or must be sold as a compound coating, which decides the recipe, the label and the price.

Türkiye and Gaziantep in numbers

The Ministry of Trade's 2026 sector report gives these export figures from TÜİK data:

Product group	2024	2025	Change
Cocoa confectionery (chocolate products)	$945.9 m; 240,624 t	$1,408.9 m; 253,096 t	+48.9% value; +5.2% tonnes
Cakes, biscuits and similar	$1,613.4 m; 551,354 t	$1,725.3 m; 521,931 t	+6.9% value; −5.3% tonnes
All sugar products (HS 1704, 1806, 1905, 2007, 2105)	$3,917.4 m	$4,548.9 m	+16.1%

Changes are computed from the report. Chocolate's value per tonne rose about 42% (computed). The largest markets for all sugar products in 2025 were Iraq ($719.1 m), the US ($551.1 m), Germany ($271.2 m), the UK ($193.6 m), Russia ($152.8 m), Saudi Arabia ($147.7 m), Belgium ($131.7 m), Libya ($116.5 m), Syria ($106.0 m) and Italy ($91.5 m).

Gaziantep

GAİB's cereals exporters' association registers confectionery and bakery exports from Gaziantep and nearby provinces. Its 2025 figures are registrations, not customs data, and a Gaziantep firm may register elsewhere.

Product group	GAİB 2025	Türkiye 2025	GAİB share
Chocolate and other cocoa food preparations	$270.9 m (+33.4%)	$1,372.8 m	19.7%
Sweet biscuits and wafers	$381.2 m (+11.6%)	$1,019.9 m	37.4%

Shares are computed from the same report, whose Türkiye totals use a different base from the ministry's. GAİB's wider groups were cocoa products $277.9 million (+36.0%) and biscuits and pastry $587.2 million (+12.7%).

The TOBB industrial register (2025, via Akpirinç and Sandal) counts 69 Gaziantep firms with 4,565 workers in cocoa, chocolate and sugar confectionery, and 17 firms with 2,507 workers in biscuits and long-life cakes. By employment, Gaziantep ranks third in Türkiye in both, after Istanbul and Karaman. The same study counts 164 food facilities in the Başpınar organised industrial zone (OSB). For the city's other sectors, see what Gaziantep makes.

Large producers

Türkiye's largest chocolate and biscuit makers in the 2025 rankings include the firms below. TİM ranks exporters by exports; the İSO 500 and İSO second 500 rank industrial firms by sales from production. Some large firms skip TİM's survey or withhold their names, so neither list is complete.

Company	2025 ranking	Where it produces
Şölen Çikolata Gıda San. ve Tic. A.Ş.	TİM 74th ($363.3 m exports; 1st in the cereals, pulses and oilseeds products sector); İSO 500 88th	Gaziantep (plants set up in 1989 and 2005) and Silivri, Istanbul (2009). A further Gaziantep plant of about $100 million opened in June 2026 (press)
Tören Gıda San. ve Tic. A.Ş.	TİM 402nd ($78.5 m); İSO 500 495th	Gaziantep, 4th OSB: wafers, compound chocolate, coconut and nougat bars, spreads
Akanlar Çikolata İçecek Gıda San. ve Nak. Tic. Ltd. Şti.	TİM 851st ($38.4 m), head office Gaziantep	Gaziantep OSB: chocolate, powdered drinks, coffee (press)
Beyoğlu Çikolata San. Tic. A.Ş.	TİM 392nd ($80.5 m); İSO 500 395th	Kilis OSB, in the province next to Gaziantep
Eti Gıda San. ve Tic. A.Ş.	İSO 500 23rd	Eskişehir (biscuit, cake, chocolate and cracker plants) and Bozüyük, Bilecik; also Craiova, Romania
Ferrero Türkiye Çikolata ve Tarım Ürünleri San. ve Dış Tic. A.Ş.	TİM 314th ($99.8 m)	Manisa (Investment Office, 2013)
Bifa Bisküvi ve Gıda Sanayi A.Ş.	İSO 500 396th; TİM 738th ($44.7 m)	Karaman: biscuit, chocolate, cake, wafer and cracker lines
Anı Bisküvi Gıda San. ve Tic. A.Ş.	TİM 573rd ($56.7 m); İSO second 500 183rd	Karaman OSB
Şimşek Bisküvi ve Gıda Sanayi A.Ş.	İSO second 500 210th	Karaman OSB
Bolçi Çikolata A.Ş.	TİM 943rd ($34.7 m); İSO second 500 329th	Bolu OSB

Gaziantep's largest chocolate exporters in TİM's 2025 list are Şölen, Tören and Akanlar. Most of the 86 cocoa, confectionery and biscuit firms on Gaziantep's TOBB register (computed: 69 + 17) are smaller.

Product types and what to specify

Chocolate, compound and cocoa butter equivalents

EU and UK law reserves the names. "Chocolate" needs at least 35% total dry cocoa solids, including 18% cocoa butter and 14% dry non-fat cocoa solids. "Milk chocolate" needs at least 25% dry cocoa solids, 14% dry milk solids, 3.5% milk fat and 25% total fat. "White chocolate" needs at least 20% cocoa butter and 14% dry milk solids, of which 3.5% is milk fat.

Up to 5% of the finished product may be cocoa butter equivalents from six listed fats (illipe, palm oil, sal, shea, kokum gurgi and mango kernel), without cutting the minimum cocoa contents. The pack must then say "contains vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter", in bold, near the ingredients. A compound coating that replaces cocoa butter beyond that cannot be sold as chocolate in the EU or UK, even if a Turkish catalogue calls it "compound chocolate".

Specify: cocoa solids and milk solids, the fat system (cocoa butter only, up to 5% equivalents, or compound), sweeteners, emulsifier and its source (soy or sunflower lecithin), flavourings, and any claim such as "single origin" or "no palm oil".

Filled bars, pralines and spreads

In the EU and UK, a filled chocolate's outer chocolate must be at least 25% of its weight, and a praline must be at least 25% chocolate. The filled-chocolate names do not apply when the centre is biscuit or bakery. State the filling (hazelnut, pistachio, caramel, cream), its share of the weight, the nut content you will declare, and the bar or piece weight. For cocoa spreads, give the cocoa and nut percentages and the oil.

Wafers

Give the number of wafer sheets and cream layers, the cream share by weight, the cream's flavour and fat, the coating (chocolate, compound or none, fully or half enrobed), the piece weight and the wrap. Ask for acrylamide results: the EU benchmark level for biscuits and wafers is 350 µg/kg.

Biscuits

Say which type: sandwich biscuits with a cream centre, cookies with chips or inclusions, tea or digestive types, chocolate-coated biscuits or crackers. Give the piece weight, pieces per pack, inclusion and coating shares, and any whole-grain, sugar or fibre claims. The EU acrylamide benchmark is 400 µg/kg for crackers (other than potato-based) and 800 µg/kg for gingerbread.

"Dubai-style" pistachio and kadayif chocolate

"Dubai chocolate" here means a style: a chocolate shell filled with pistachio cream and toasted kadayif (shredded pastry). It is not a protected name in the rules this page cites. Turkish manufacturers make it: three of the eight imported samples that Baden-Württemberg's food authority tested in December 2024 came from different Turkish makers. Check four points:

The shell. Real chocolate or compound? The same tests found palm-oil fat instead of chocolate in the five UAE-made samples.
Allergens. Pistachio, wheat (kadayif), milk, and sesame if the cream contains tahini. The tests found undeclared sesame in all three Turkish samples.
Aflatoxins. EU and GB rules treat chocolate and bakery products containing more than 20% of a product listed for aflatoxins, such as Turkish pistachios, like the pistachios themselves: official certificate and laboratory results. Ask for the pistachio lot's results. See our Antep pistachio guide.
Origin wording. EU and GB labels must not mislead about the country of origin. Make it clear the bar is made in Türkiye.

Cocoa origin and sustainability

Ask where the cocoa or couverture comes from and who supplies it. A Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade claim needs a certificate covering the Turkish factory; check it with the scheme. For the EU, ask whether the cocoa supplier can pass on deforestation due-diligence data (see below).

Shelf life, heat and packaging

State the shelf life you need left on arrival, not just the total. For hot markets, some producers offer heat-resistant recipes; ask what changes, because extra vegetable fat can take the product outside the chocolate definitions. Specify flow-wrap or carton, display box, case count and pallet pattern. Minimum quantities and lead times are set per producer and per order. Our private-label food guide covers artwork, recipe ownership and approvals.

Quality, and how to check a producer

Certificates. BRCGS, IFS or FSSC 22000 for retail buyers; halal from a body accredited by HAK and, for the Gulf, recognised there. Check each in the issuer's database, as our guide to checking a Turkish factory explains, and ask for the food business registration or approval number from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Laboratory tests. From an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory: aflatoxins in nut fillings, acrylamide, allergens, and a fat analysis if the label says chocolate (ISO 11053 and ISO 23275 detect cocoa butter equivalents; both are also Gulf standards).
Site visit. Look at tempering and enrobing lines, cooling tunnels, wafer ovens, metal detection or X-ray, how nut and sesame lines are kept apart, finished-goods storage temperature and batch coding. Trace a finished pack back to its cocoa, fat and nut lots, and keep a counter-sample of the approved pre-production sample.

Rules by market

Rules as checked on 29 October 2026. Recheck dates before each contract.

European Union

Names and composition: Directive 2000/36/EC, as above.
Labelling: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: ingredients, emphasised allergens (milk, soy, nuts, gluten, sesame), quantities of named ingredients, nutrition declaration and no misleading origin. The colours E102, E104, E110, E122, E124 and E129 need a warning on activity and attention in children. Titanium dioxide (E171) has been banned since 7 February 2022 (Regulation (EU) 2022/63), which matters for decorations.
Contaminants: acrylamide benchmarks under Regulation (EU) 2017/2158; maximum levels, including aflatoxins in nuts and cadmium in cocoa products, under Regulation (EU) 2023/915; pistachio and compound-food checks under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793.
Deforestation: Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 covers cocoa products of headings 1801 to 1806, including chocolate. As amended by Regulation (EU) 2025/2650, it applies from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and from 30 June 2027 for micro and small ones. Biscuits and wafers of heading 1905 are not listed; classification decides, so confirm your code.

Border checks, origin proof and the importer's duties are in our EU import guide.

United Kingdom

Names: the Cocoa and Chocolate Products (England) Regulations 2003 keep the same definitions, the 5% limit and the "contains vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter" statement, and require "milk solids … % minimum" wherever "milk chocolate" is used as or in the name. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulations.
Labelling and contaminants: assimilated Regulation 1169/2011 and Regulation 2017/2158, with the same 350 µg/kg benchmark for biscuits and wafers.
Pistachio products: Great Britain's Annex II to assimilated Regulation 2019/1793 covers sugar confectionery, chocolate and bakers' wares containing more than 20% of a listed product.
Deforestation: the government plans Great Britain rules covering cocoa and chocolate for businesses with turnover above £1 million, with legislation expected in 2027 (GOV.UK, updated 2 September 2026). Northern Ireland follows the EU dates.

See our UK import guide.

United States

Standards of identity: 21 CFR Part 163. Milk chocolate needs at least 10% chocolate liquor, 3.39% milkfat and 12% total milk solids. Sweet chocolate needs 15% chocolate liquor; semisweet or bittersweet 35%. White chocolate needs at least 20% cacao fat, 14% total milk solids and 3.5% milkfat, at most 55% sweetener, and no colouring.
Vegetable fat: a coating with fats other than cacao fat takes names such as "sweet cocoa and vegetable fat coating" or "milk chocolate and vegetable fat coating" (21 CFR 163.150 and 163.155).
Labelling and colours: FDA labelling with the nine major allergens, including sesame. Only FDA-listed colours may be used, and FD&C Red No. 3 must be out of food by 15 January 2027.
Duty: since 24 July 2026 an additional 12.5% Section 301 duty applies to products of Türkiye, with exemptions.

Facility registration, Prior Notice and the importer's supplier verification are in our US import guide.

Gulf: Saudi Arabia and the UAE

Chocolate standard: GSO 567:2021, the GCC technical regulation for cocoa and chocolate products, amended in 2024.
Labels and dates: Arabic labels under GSO 9 (SFDA.FD/GSO 9 in Saudi Arabia; UAE.S GSO 9 in the UAE); expiry dates under GSO 150-1 and 150-2.
Halal: GSO 2055-1, with certificates from bodies the UAE's MoIAT registers or the Saudi Halal Center recognises. Check emulsifiers, gelatine in marshmallow or jelly centres, and alcohol-based flavourings.

Product registration (ZAD in the UAE, Ghad in Saudi Arabia) is in our Gulf import guide.

HS codes and proof of origin

HS code	Product	EU proof
1806 20	Chocolate and cocoa preparations in bulk, over 2 kg (couverture, coatings)	A.TR
1806 31 / 1806 32	Chocolate in blocks, slabs or bars, filled / not filled	A.TR
1806 90	Other chocolate products, pralines, cocoa spreads	A.TR
1704 90	Sugar confectionery not containing cocoa, including white chocolate	A.TR
1905 31	Sweet biscuits	A.TR
1905 32	Waffles and wafers	A.TR
1905 90	Other bakers' wares; check crackers and cakes against the tariff	A.TR

EU: chocolate, sugar confectionery and biscuits are processed agricultural products in the EU–Türkiye customs union. They travel on an A.TR, which shows free-circulation status, not origin.
UK: the UK–Türkiye agreement uses no A.TR or EUR.1. The importer claims the preferential rate with the exporter's origin declaration on the invoice or another commercial document, and the goods must meet the agreement's rules of origin for their code.
US: no free trade agreement; the general tariff rate applies, plus the Section 301 duty.
UAE: the Türkiye–UAE CEPA rate needs a TR-UAE proof of origin or an approved exporter's declaration.

Our food export documents guide lists every document per shipment.

Packing, loading and shipping

Chocolate softens and blooms in heat. For summer shipments, or any route through the Gulf, Iraq or Africa, consider a temperature-controlled container. Agree the set point, pre-cooling of the goods and container, and a temperature logger.
Agree in the contract who bears heat damage and when risk passes (the Incoterm).
Biscuits and wafers break: specify case strength, pallet height and corner protection, and ask for loading photos.
Freight rates, container availability and transit times change by season and route; confirm them per order.

Questions buyers ask

Who are the biggest chocolate manufacturers in Turkey?

By 2025 sales from production, Eti ranks highest of the firms above (İSO 500, 23rd). Şölen of Gaziantep was the largest exporter in TİM's cereals, pulses and oilseed products sector, which includes chocolate and biscuits (74th overall, $363.3 million). Others include Ferrero Türkiye, Beyoğlu Çikolata, Bifa, Anı, Şimşek, Bolçi, Tören and Akanlar. Some large firms withhold their names from these lists.

Can I find a private label chocolate manufacturer in Turkey?

You can approach Turkish chocolate, wafer and biscuit producers for private label. Whether a given producer takes your order, its minimum quantity, mould and wrapper costs and lead time are confirmed per producer and per order. Decide first whether you need real chocolate or a compound, which recipe you will own, and which certificates your retailers require.

Is there a Dubai chocolate manufacturer in Turkey?

Turkish producers make pistachio and kadayif filled bars in this style. "Dubai" describes the style, not the origin, and EU and GB labels must not mislead about where the bar is made. Check that the shell is real chocolate if the label says so, that sesame from tahini is declared, and that the pistachio lot has aflatoxin results.

Is compound chocolate allowed to be called chocolate in the EU?

No. In the EU and UK, chocolate may contain up to 5% of six listed vegetable fats, and the label must say "contains vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter". Beyond that, or with other fats, it must be sold under another name, such as a compound coating. In the US, vegetable-fat coatings have their own standard names.

Does Turkish chocolate need EUDR due diligence?

Yes, for chocolate and other cocoa products of headings 1801 to 1806 placed on the EU market: from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and from 30 June 2027 for micro and small ones. Biscuits and wafers of heading 1905 are not listed. The producer's cocoa supplier holds the source data, so ask early.

What to put in your brief

Item	What to state
Product	Bar, filled bar, praline, spread, wafer, sandwich biscuit, cookie, cracker or Dubai-style bar
Name and market	Countries of sale and the legal name you need: chocolate, milk chocolate or a compound coating
Composition	Cocoa and milk solids, fat system, filling or cream share, nut content, sweeteners
Exclusions	Palm oil, colours, gluten, nuts, sesame, or other ingredients you will not accept
Recipe	Producer's existing recipe or your specification; who owns it
Sustainability	Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade, and EUDR data if selling chocolate in the EU
Certificates	BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000, halal body accepted in your market
Tests	Aflatoxins, acrylamide, allergens, fat analysis; accredited laboratory
Pack	Piece weight, wrap, display box, case count, pallet pattern, artwork supplier
Shelf life	Total, and minimum remaining on arrival
Heat	Destination climate, heat-resistant recipe or not, reefer or dry container
Quantity and timing	Trial order, annual volume, first delivery date, Incoterm and port

Sending a brief to Lotvela

Lotvela is a sourcing intermediary based in Gaziantep, one of the cities where these producers operate. Send a brief and we contact and visit the producers that fit it, large or mid-size: we check product fit, a free production window, export record and documents, then send a dated shortlist with every claim marked confirmed or not confirmed. It is free for buyers: the producer pays a commission at the same rate for every producer, invoices and ships, and money never passes through Lotvela.

For hard candy, jelly and gum, see our candy, jelly and chewing gum guide.