Türkiye’s abundant plant biodiversity and demographic advantage position the country as a high-potential market for plant-based foods, according to industry experts.
Hosting approximately 12,000 plant species, nearly 4,000 of which are endemic, Türkiye offers unique opportunities to capitalize on both domestic consumption and export growth within the sector.
The Plant-Based Foods Association (BITKIDEN) closely monitors developments across Europe, particularly in regulatory frameworks, to ensure the sector in Türkiye aligns with global best practices.
Supported by the International Plant-Based Foods Association, BITKIDEN is spearheading efforts to prepare a comprehensive policy report addressing plant-based foods in Türkiye. This initiative includes raising public awareness, facilitating multi-stakeholder collaboration, identifying sectoral challenges and developing strategic solutions.
Central to BITKIDEN’s mission is the transition toward a sustainable food system, leveraging scientific methodology, advanced technological applications, and broad-based cooperation among industry players, policymakers and academia.
The association actively participates as a stakeholder in projects aimed at enhancing Türkiye’s capacity in alternative proteins, fostering the development of high-value-added products and generating policy recommendations that drive sector growth and competitiveness.
Europe is currently witnessing accelerated investment and innovation in the plant-based food domain, with countries such as Denmark leading the way in establishing supportive food policies.
This dynamic underscores the necessity for Türkiye to develop a tailored national policy framework that harnesses its significant potential. While Türkiye has considerable ground to cover in regulatory and market infrastructure, its youthful population remains a critical asset, with younger generations demonstrating heightened interest and demand for plant-based alternatives.
Global trends reinforce this demographic influence, with research showing that Generation Z and Generation Y consumers are increasingly engaged with plant-based nutrition. Türkiye’s sizable domestic market, combined with its biological diversity and unique endemic flora, establishes a strong foundation for becoming a leader in both domestic consumption and international exports of plant-based products.
On the corporate front, the sector is marked by a vibrant ecosystem of startups and boutique producers, whose growth prospects are closely tied to attracting adequate investment.
In parallel, established manufacturers have integrated plant-based product lines into their portfolios, accompanied by ongoing research and development initiatives and sustained capital deployment. This dual landscape of emerging enterprises and mature producers underscores the sector’s evolving maturity and readiness for expansion.
Despite this positive trajectory, experts emphasize the critical need for enabling regulatory environments that facilitate innovation and market entry. Complementary to this is the importance of consumer education initiatives designed to increase product awareness and acceptance, thereby driving demand and market penetration.
A key insight from sector leadership is the imperative for synergy between animal-based and plant-based food producers. Rather than existing as competitive silos, these sectors are viewed as complementary forces that can co-evolve.
Collaboration and strategic alignment are seen as essential to maximizing benefits for consumers, strengthening Türkiye’s economic landscape and promoting sustainability across the food system. “These industries share the same vessel and progress by supporting one another, fostering a united approach focused on what can be achieved for consumers, the nation and the economy,” according to industry representatives.
