Gedik and Abalioglu both serve large QSR customers

Both Turkish projects came to fruition by working closely with Marel’s agent Feyzi. Jesper Hjortshøj, VP Marel Prepared Foods, says, “We know that building relationships is crucial for operating successfully in Turkey. That is why we work closely with Serkan Atay from Feyzi in our Further Processing projects. During every step of the process, from introduction to installation, Serkan and our teams work together to meet the customers’ needs. Thanks to their joint efforts, we have successfully installed two full convenience lines in Turkey, including meat preparation, forming, coating, frying and cooking solutions.”

Further processing from A to Z

Nezir Yel, Further Processing Manager, has a lot of experience with Marel and the company’s convenience equipment: “I had already worked a lot with the RevoPortioner and the ModularOven. These machines are very well known in the market and the technologies used in these machines give us top quality products.”

By investing in this convenience line, Gedik now has a full-line solution, from preparing the meat mass all the way to batching the end products. Yagiz Gedik, Board Member, says, “We are very happy with the results. Marel’s meat preparation machines have proven to be very robust and the automated process gives us better quality products. At the same time, the setup with different coating machines gives us a lot of flexibility.”

Improved product quality

In Gedik’s R&D center, all new products are tested before launch on the market. Marel’s convenience line allows the company to upgrade the quality of their products and expand their product portfolio. Yel: “You can immediately see that the shape is really good and very consistent. During further product testing, our specialists have seen improved quality, taste and appearance. Even our customers notice the improved quality. They say that our products are more delicious than ever.”

Looking at the future

When looking at the company’s future, Osman Gedik, Chairman of Gedik, has a clear view: “We see great opportunities for our company in the future, especially in our further processing activities. We have taken big steps and invested to ensure our company can continue to grow. Now we can strengthen our position in the market still further.”

Ali Bakanay, Further Processing Plant Manager, “We have been working with Marel for a long time, because the equipment stands for quality across all stages in the process. This is our first experience with a full convenience line from Marel. Since this solution was so new and it would be one of the first in the market, taking the decision was a big step for us.”

Innovative technology

The Abalioglu team was quickly convinced when seeing this solution in operation. “The new coating developments were particularly impressive. The Marel convenience line gives us innovative technologies and smart features that make our jobs easier,” says Ali Bakanay. “The RevoBreader can be used in three different ways, simplifying the production process. And with the Active Mixer, it’s easy to get the right viscosity of tempura or batter, because it is semi-automated.”

A true partner

Once Abalioglu concluded to move forward with the Marel convenience line, the company had to determine the best setup. “Teams from both Feyzi and Marel used their expertise to help us decide on the best line configuration for our end products,” says Ali Bakanay. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved, from the sales team and engineers to the installation and service teams who supported us on-site.”

Flexibility and quality

The newly installed convenience line enables Abalioglu to meet their customers’ needs. “At our production plant, we create a lot of different poultry products. To us, it is very important that we can provide our key customers with the flexibility they need, while always meeting their strict quality requirements. This Marel convenience line has given us exactly that,” concludes Ali Bakanay.