Turkish kitchen makers expand across Americas

MEXICO CITY

Turkish commercial kitchen equipment exports to the Americas have risen nearly 40 percent over the past five years as producers increasingly turn to the region for growth, according to industry figures.

The sector aims to compete through quality, design and manufacturing capacity rather than price alone, TUSİD President Bekir Topuz said during the ABASTUR hospitality trade fair in Mexico City.

Thirteen Turkish companies attended the Aug. 26-28 event through an export-development project supported by the Trade Ministry and organized by the Istanbul Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters’ Association (İDDMİB) and industry group TUSİD.

The fair brought together more than 20,000 professional buyers and industry representatives, giving Turkish companies an opportunity to establish contacts with regional distributors and purchasers.

Topuz said even a small share of the Americas’ kitchen equipment import market could substantially increase the sector’s exports.

“If we could secure just a 2 percent share of the region’s kitchen equipment imports, that would generate a volume equal to our sector’s current total exports,” he said.

Buyers in the Americas view Turkish products as meeting European quality standards while generally being offered at more accessible prices, Topuz said.

China remains one of Türkiye’s main competitors in the region, but Turkish producers cannot compete on price alone, he added.

Their advantage lies in combining quality and design with competitive prices.