November 7, 2025 – Konya, Turkey
Manufacturing Scale and Sourcing Security
Turkey (Türkiye) possesses a massive, rapidly modernizing Dairy Sector, making it a key regional Supplierand Manufacturing hub for Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, and Butter. The Turkish dairy market is valued at over 5.22 billion dollars in 2024 and is forecast to reach 7.29 billion dollars by 2032.
- Production Growth: Cow’s milk collection showed resilience in early 2025, increasing by 1.1 percent in the January to August period compared to the previous year. Manufacturing of key products also showed strength in the same period: Yogurt production rose by 6.6 percent and Butter production increased by 11.9 percent.
- Key Exports: While Turkey’s direct dairy Exports to the EU are smaller than those of other major producers, Türkiye successfully leverages its geographical position for Trade with high-growth markets. Whey Exports rose by 17.5 percent and Yogurt/Buttermilk Exports surged by 84.1 percent in the first nine months of 2025, highlighting strong demand from the Middle East and surrounding regions.
Nearshoring and Logistics for Perishable Trade
The Dairy sector is highly dependent on swift, reliable Logistics to ensure the quality and safety of perishable Exports, a need that reinforces Turkey’s Nearshoring value.
- Cold Chain Infrastructure: The rapidly growing Cold Chain Logistics Market in Turkey, valued at 2.08 billion dollars in 2025, is the backbone of the Dairy Supply Chain. This capacity, which includes refrigerated transport and advanced warehousing, ensures compliance with strict food safety regulations (Internal Link: Seafood: Aquaculture & Fresh Exports).
- Compliance and Quality: The sector has made significant strides in improving quality control and traceability. The drive toward using only registered milk helps Suppliers meet the high standards required by global Trade partners.
Investment and Economy Dynamics
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the agro-food sector is substantial, with multinational giants recognizing Turkey as a strategic Manufacturing base.
- FDI Opportunities: Investment is focused on modernizing processing plants to reduce the traditional prevalence of unpackaged products, which helps elevate product safety and expand Exports. FDI is actively sought for technology transfer in processing and storage to reduce energy consumption and improve the overall efficiency of the Economy.
- Domestic Consumption: Turkey has a large domestic market, with a young, growing population providing stable demand. However, the sector still faces challenges in raising per capita consumption to match European levels, and must manage the impact of domestic Economy volatility.
Next Steps for Global Food Buyers
For international food retailers and industrial Suppliers, Turkey / Türkiye offers high-volume, reliable Sourcing for fresh dairy products, leveraging advanced Manufacturing and a rapidly modernizing Logistics network.
For expert guidance on Sourcing Cheese, Yogurt, and Butter Suppliers, and to evaluate Investment in Turkey’s rapidly expanding Dairy Manufacturing sector, contact the experts at Burc Consulting.
