Establish a Catering Company in Turkey

The catering industry is one of the most prolific branches of the food sector at the moment. Recent numbers indicate the incomes of catering business in Turkey rose to 22 billion USD in 2016. Also, the catering industrialists’ federation counted more than 5,000 business registered in this industry at the end of last year which employ around 400,000 individuals.

Foreign investors interested in starting a catering business in Turkey can choose some of the largest cities in the country, such as the capital Ankara or Istanbul where a great number of companies are located, but small cities can also prove to be an inspired choice if we consider the business is the first of its kind in that location.

Our company formation agents in Turkey can help you set up a catering business in this country.

What are the legal requirements to open a catering business in Turkey?

The Food and Feed Act is the main law governing the import, export, production, sale and purchase of food products in Turkey and it also applies to restaurants and catering businesses here. The first step to set up a Turkish catering company is to register a business with the Chamber of Commerce followed by obtaining an approval for the premises of the company. This approval is obtained with the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock in Turkey.

The last step to complete the catering company registration process in Turkey is to obtain the food premises registration certificate.

Licenses related to starting a catering company in Turkey

The first type of license a Turkish catering business must apply for is the business license which is a general permit which will allow the company to operate. In order to obtain this permit, the Turkish company must first apply for an environmental and waste disposal license, an occupancy license and fire safety permit.

Then, the catering business can apply for the operation permit if it will employ more than 50 individuals. If that is not the case, the operation permit is no longer required.

For full information on the requirements to start a catering company in Turkey, please contact us. You can also rely on our Turkish company formation consultants for assistance with the registration of the business.