ISTANBUL — Turkish dessert chain Ekleristan, which was declared bankrupt in April, has been added to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s latest food adulteration list after laboratory tests found that one of its products contained sunflower seeds instead of the pistachios advertised on its label.
According to the ministry’s inspection results published on July 2, analyses of an “Antep pistachio éclair” produced on Feb. 11, 2026, by Cevizden Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti., operating under the Ekleristan brand in Bursa’s Nilüfer district, detected the use of sunflower seeds in place of pistachios. Under Turkish food regulations, substituting a lower-cost ingredient for one declared on the product label constitutes food adulteration.
The disclosure comes just months after the Bursa 1st Commercial Court of First Instance rejected the concordat applications of Ekleristan Gıda, Cevizden Gıda and Snowland Taşımacılık, ruling that the companies enter bankruptcy effective April 1, 2026. The bankruptcy followed a period of rapid expansion that saw the dessert chain grow to more than 400 outlets across 52 provinces through an aggressive franchise model.
Ekleristan gained nationwide recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic as one of Türkiye’s fastest-growing dessert brands. However, its rapid expansion was followed by mounting financial difficulties that culminated in its bankruptcy and liquidation. The latest findings place the company among a growing number of food businesses publicly identified by the ministry for mislabeling or adulterating food products.
Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry regularly publishes lists of products found to contain imitation or adulterated ingredients as part of its food safety inspections, with the aim of improving transparency and protecting consumers.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök