The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) bought a stake in Turkish pet food maker Çağatay alongside private equity firm Turkven and the International Finance Corporation, according to an EBRD announcement. The company produces dry pet food under its own brands and competes with global names in Turkey and 55 export markets. Çağatay has built a strong online sales platform that sells directly to customers rather than just through pet stores. The investment will help the company build a new production facility and upgrade its technology to handle more orders.
Turkey’s pet food market has grown as more people adopt cats and dogs and spend more money on premium pet products. Çağatay makes its own branded food instead of just producing for other companies, which gives it better profit margins and control over quality. The company’s direct-to-consumer approach means it can reach customers online without relying entirely on pet store chains.
“We are proud to support Çağatay’s growth and partner with Turkven and IFC in this important investment,” said Wojtek Boniaszczuk from EBRD’s food and agribusiness team. Turkven senior executive Aksel Şahin praised the company’s “truly differentiated direct-to-consumer based sales model” and said they want to help deliver products “to a much wider customer base.” The new money will also create more jobs as the company expands its workforce.
The investment should help Çağatay compete better against bigger international pet food brands that dominate many markets. With more production capacity and better technology, the company can fill larger orders from export customers and handle seasonal demand spikes.
EBRD has put over €22 billion into Turkey through 499 projects since 2009, mostly backing private companies rather than government projects.
