In a significant assessment of the alcoholic beverage industry, it has been revealed that over the last 14 years, Diageo’s entry into the Turkish market has generated a total investment value of $2.285 billion. Turkey has officially been identified as a growth catalyst within the company’s global structure. This performance is highlighted by a $17.5 million investment into the local production of the world’s most popular Russian vodka and a record-breaking $60 million in raki exports. Furthermore, the company contributes approximately 40 billion TRY annually in taxes while maintaining a vigilant watch over illicit "under-the-counter" production.
Vahap Munyar reports that Davalan Nayager, the Diageo Europe President and Chief Commercial Officer, visited Turkey shortly after assuming his role to review investment data with Bahar Uçanlar, General Manager of Diageo Turkey. The investment journey began in 2011 with the acquisition of Mey İçki for $2.1 billion, followed by an additional $185 million in capital expenditures, equipment upgrades, and sustainability projects. According to a strategy report prepared for the European region, Turkey now stands alongside the UK and Ireland as one of the three primary drivers of Diageo’s growth across Europe.
The $185 million invested post-acquisition was specifically targeted toward sermaye (capital) improvements, raw material optimization, and infrastructure. Currently, raki accounts for 50% of Diageo Turkey's turnover, consisting of one main brand and 27 sub-brands. The strength of these brands is reflected in the Brand Finance "Turkey's Most Valuable Brands 2025" list, where the primary raki brand ranked 6th overall with a brand value of $500 million. Research by Nielsen confirms that all spirit categories in Turkey grew in both value and volume, with whisky growing by 28%, gin by 40%, and tequila by 13%.
A major milestone for the company is the $17.5 million investment into producing the world’s best-selling vodka locally. This product, which had a presence in these lands a century ago, is now produced at a rate of 500,000 liters annually following a meticulous 1.5-year preparation period. The production utilizes local suppliers for packaging and raw materials, contributing 21 million TRY annually to local farmers and vendors. On the export front, Diageo Turkey remains the national champion, shipping raki to over 30 countries. The export value of raki reached $60 million in 2024, with a remarkably high value of $10.70 per liter, which stands in stark contrast to Turkey's general average export value of $1.50 per kilogram.
The fiscal impact of the company is substantial, with an annual tax contribution reaching 40 billion TRY. This contribution is protected through active collaboration with state authorities like the Tax Inspection Board and Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime (KOM) to combat illicit production. In terms of market trends, whisky consumption has seen a dramatic rise, catching up to raki in volume. While raki volume stood at 30.8 million liters in 2024, whisky reached 34.7 million liters. Within the global Diageo network, Turkey now ranks 3rd in the world and 1st in Europe for whisky sales. Data from Ipsos suggests this shift is driven largely by the 18-24 age group, where whisky is the second most preferred drink after beer, and the overall share of whisky consumers in the adult population has risen to 17% as of June 2025.
