In 2022, $2.5 million of ice cream export was made from Kahramanmaras.
Maras ice cream, made with sugar and goat’s milk, stretching like gum with the thickening effect of salep, attracting attention with its aroma, color and taste, attracts attention both in the country and abroad.
Erdal Kanbur, President of the Chamber of Restaurants, Kebab Shops and Dessert Shops in Kahramanmaras, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they are the first city that comes to mind when ice cream is mentioned, and the province is identified with this product.
Kanbur stated that the city, which hosts the important ice cream brands of Turkiye, also contributes to the country’s economy with its ice cream exports.
Noting that Maras ice cream is exported to 48 countries, mainly the USA, Germany, France, Canada and Saudi Arabia, Kanbur said, “We produced approximately 100 thousand tons of ice cream throughout the city in 2022. We exported $2.5 million of ice cream.”
Stating that there is an ice cream industry in Italy and the USA, Kahramanmaras ice cream is different from the others with the salep put in it, Kanbur said, “Maras ice cream is preferred because salep is not used in other countries.”
It is aimed to double the production and export
Emphasizing that they act with the understanding that “every ice cream is not ice cream”, Kanbur said:
“We are marketing the product of our Turkiye, our Kahramanmaras. This is an added value for our Turkiye. We attach great importance to this. We are striving to expand this market further and bring more income to our Turkiye. We have to contribute everything we have to this profession. That’s why we started to produce our indispensable salep. We will never stop, we will pave the way for people. We will further develop the ice cream industry and set foot in more countries. We will do our best to reach more countries in 2023. As Kahramanmaras, we will double our production and exports next year.”
Source: AA / Translated by Irem Yildiz