Celebrating life, every day, everywhere
As the successor of a legacy that began with Inhisarlar Idaresi in 1826 and continued with TEKEL, today we proudly stand as part of Diageo, one of the world’s leading premium beverage companies, with operations in nearly 180 countries, more than 200 brands, and over 30,000 employees across the globe.
Our portfolio brings together some of the world’s most iconic brands. Although Diageo is a young company that was established in 1997, our brands trace their roots as far back as the 17th century. A true cultural heritage, Yeni Rakı represents over 500 years of craftsmanship and tradition from Türkiye, while Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Smirnoff, and Guinness are among the timeless, world-class brands in our global portfolio.
Each of our brands, whether global or local, has its own distinctive story, and as Diageo Türkiye, we are dedicated to carrying these stories even further. We are more than a company producing alcoholic beverages; we are driven by our purpose of “celebrating life, every day, everywhere.” We introduce our global brands to consumers in Türkiye, while proudly taking our local brands to the world. Through our diverse portfolio, we accompany every taste and every celebration, redefining quality, craftsmanship, and experience within the premium segment.
With our production and export power, extensive employment network, and strong partnerships with local suppliers, we contribute to Türkiye’s economy. Our ambition is to be the most trusted, respected, and high-performing consumer goods company in Türkiye.
We continue to create value for our communities through our social responsibility projects in sustainability, gastronomy, and culture & arts.
From grain to glass, sustainability is not just part of our business strategy, it lies at the heart of our entire value chain. We recognize that our long-term success is deeply connected to the health of our planet and the well-being of our society. Accordingly, at every step, we aim to create shared value for our employees, suppliers, customers, and communities.
We are an integral part of Türkiye’s and the world’s gastronomy ecosystem. Our growth journey is not one we take alone, we thrive and progress alongside a flourishing gastronomic culture.
At Diageo Türkiye, we believe in the power of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are building an ecosystem where gender equality is achieved, and international standards of service quality and experience are consistently upheld, both within our company and across our industry.
Our History
As the modern representative of a tradition that began with the İnhisarlar İdaresi in 1862 and continued with Tekel, we carry forward the legacy of the past while renewing it for future generations. With the strength and international experience of Diageo, our success continues to grow.
1920
During the Ottoman era, spirits and alcoholic beverages were produced by many small businesses under tax control. With law no. 790, which came into force on June 1, 1920, their production, import and sale were placed under government monopoly. Existing small-scale producers had to declare their capacity and assets to the monopoly administration and obtain official permits in order to continue operating.
Our History
1920
During the Ottoman era, spirits and alcoholic beverages were produced by many small businesses under tax control. With law no. 790, which came into force on June 1, 1920, their production, import and sale were placed under government monopoly. Existing small-scale producers had to declare their capacity and assets to the monopoly administration and obtain official permits in order to continue operating.
1930
With the rise of industrialisation and the importance of domestic capital, the state began to play a more active role in monopoly practices from the 1930s onwards. Strengthening legal and institutional mechanisms to manage monopolies became a key policy. Regulations in agriculture also increased support for local production.
1930
With the rise of industrialisation and the importance of domestic capital, the state began to play a more active role in monopoly practices from the 1930s onwards. Strengthening legal and institutional mechanisms to manage monopolies became a key policy. Regulations in agriculture also increased support for local production.
1946
In this period, extending and deepening monopoly practices through legal and institutional structures was a priority. With the 1941 law no. 4036, the General Directorate of Monopolies was formally established, and in 1946 it became officially known as Tekel General Directorate. This brought more structured and supervised production and sales of tobacco and alcoholic beverages. Materials and production methods were standardised, and alcoholic drinks could only be sold in authorized outlets.
1946
In this period, extending and deepening monopoly practices through legal and institutional structures was a priority. With the 1941 law no. 4036, the General Directorate of Monopolies was formally established, and in 1946 it became officially known as Tekel General Directorate. This brought more structured and supervised production and sales of tobacco and alcoholic beverages. Materials and production methods were standardised, and alcoholic drinks could only be sold in authorized outlets.
2004
Mey İçki was founded in 2004, following the privatisation of Tekel's alcoholic beverages division.
2004
Mey İçki was founded in 2004, following the privatisation of Tekel's alcoholic beverages division.
2011
Since 2011, we have been part of Diageo — a global leader in beverage alcohol with commercial activities in nearly 180 countries and regional offices in over 80 markets. Today, under the name Diageo Türkiye, we operate as two separate companies in Türkiye: one focused on production and the other on sales and marketing.
2011
Since 2011, we have been part of Diageo — a global leader in beverage alcohol with commercial activities in nearly 180 countries and regional offices in over 80 markets. Today, under the name Diageo Türkiye, we operate as two separate companies in Türkiye: one focused on production and the other on sales and marketing.
Our Growth Ambition & Strategy
Our Purpose: Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
Our Ambition: To be Türkiye's highest-performing, most trusted and most respected consumer goods company.
Our Strategic Priorities:
- Taking consumer and customer experiences one level up.
- Using resources wisely and simplifying processes for greater efficiency and agility.
- Building sustainable relationships with partners who share our purpose and goals.
Enablers:
- Data-driven digital transformation
- A strong company culture
- Continuous capability building
Our Brands
Our portfolio brings together some of the world's best-known brands. While Diageo itself was founded in 1997, many of our brands trace their roots back to the 17th century. From Türkiye's own Yeni Rakı, carrying a 500-year cultural tradition, to Johnnie Walker, the icon of whisky mastery since 1820, and Smirnoff, a symbol of vodka heritage since 1864, our brands represent timeless stories of craftsmanship and culture.
Sustainability
Our Spirit of Progress vision is a 10-year ESG action plan designed to help create a more inclusive and sustainable world.
It focuses on three areas critical to our business — all underpinned by our commitment to doing business the right way:
- Promoting positive drinking
- Championing inclusion and diversity
- Leading the way in grain-to-glass sustainability
Crafted in This Land,
Shared with the World
At every stage of production, we draw strength from the abundance of these lands. We source our raw materials locally and carefully oversee the process from grain to glass, not just to produce, but to do so responsibly, sustainably, and with purpose.
As Türkiye’s 6th largest food & beverage company and the 10th largest FMCG company*, we play a strong role in the agricultural industry.
All agricultural ingredients used in our products are sourced from Türkiye. The grapes and anise used in rakı production, both with geographical indication status, are grown exclusively in Turkish soil. In winemaking, we cultivate our own vineyards in Şarköy and Elazığ, and collaborate with local contract farmers across the country. With a team of 40 experts, we are committed to preserving and promoting Anatolia’s precious grapes for future generations.
We see agricultural sustainability as an investment in the future. Through our partnerships with universities and industry stakeholders, we strengthen the scientific foundation of our production, providing farmers with support in seeds, fertilizers, fuel, and productivity consultancy.
Through our rakı and wine production, Türkiye’s most value-added products in the fresh fruit and vegetable export category, we have long been champions of export excellence. The rakı and wine we produce with the harvest and labor of these lands are now exported to over 30 countries, from the United States to Japan, and from Australia to Germany. Our strongest markets include Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Austria, and France.
*Nielsen BPM FMCG Track, September 2025
