The Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD) Bursa branch is preparing to buy a chocolate company in Switzerland with the aim of enabling Turkish food products to have a better say in international markets.

MÜSİAD Bursa branch's Food, Agriculture and Livestock Sector Chairman Murat Bayizit told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the export of processed food of $1 billion carried out by a country with strong infrastructure in agriculture and food like Turkey is not satisfactory.

Bayizit said that Turkish food products are consumed in various countries, especially in Europe, where there is a Turkish population, adding that the majority of food product exports appeal to such markets.

Explaining that he visits supermarket chains during his travels abroad, Bayizit said: "This is because products on shelves show us the food trends and consumption habits in that country and I do not, unfortunately, see many Turkish products on these shelves except for those in the ethnic aisles. In fact, we are exporting Turkish food products to Turks living abroad."

Bayizit referred to the MÜSİAD Bursa branch's trip to Switzerland in recent months with a delegation of 25 members, saying: "After returning home, I suggested to penetrate the European market with a European brand, now that we have difficulty selling Turkish food products to the world." The MÜSİAD Bursa branch then decided to purchase a Swiss chocolate company, develop it further and turn it into a Turkish brand and enter foreign markets this way. It is now working on several Swiss chocolate company alternatives. A delegation from the branch will pay a series of visits to Swiss factories in the upcoming days in an attempt to penetrate European food markets through the purchase of European companies.

Pointing to Switzerland's positive image in the world as a leading chocolate producer, Bayizit said they thought they would be able to make better progress with the purchase of a chocolate company by the end of the year.