Nigeria’s Biscuit Market Receives $5.2billion Boost

Yildiz businesses, which include United Biscuits, Godiva Cho-colatier, Ulker and DeMet’s Candy, will now be called Pladis in Nigeria to spur market activities.

The new entity, which is worth $5.2billion, unites internationally recognized brands, such as McVitie’s, a leading biscuit brand in Nigeria with a heritage in the United Kingdom and Europe; Godiva, a leading premium chocolate brand worldwide; and Ulker, the leading biscuits and confectionery brand in Turkey and Middle East to form the $5.2 billion business, hence, positioning Pladis as a global leader in the category,  a statement made available to The Nation reveals.

With this buy-in, A&P Foods Limited, the producers of McVities Biscuits in Nigeria, becomes a member of Pladis. Established in 2002, A&P Foods is a major player in the biscuit and confectionary categories in Nigeria, and also produces the Haansbro brand, a known brand in Nigeria’s biscuits and confectionery market.

Yildiz Holding Chairman, Murat Ulker, said: “Establishing pladis is the first step in realising the long-term strategy of Yildiz Holding. We are bringing together some of the world’s best loved brands and combining their 350 years of experience to form a new family company. We will be a global leader in biscuits and confectionery, and bring ‘bites of happiness’ to every corner of the world.”

Pladis CEO, Cem Karakas, said: “We have significant growth ambitions for Pladis with the aim to outperform the category standard year-on-year.

With 36 factories in 13 countries, including Nigeria, Pladis hopes to employ 26,000 people and be led by a senior leadership team, comprising Cem Karakas, CEO and Ali Ulker, Vice Chairman focusing on innovation and quality.

In addition, the company will operate on a regional basis, with each region responsible for the manufacturing and commercial activities of the full Pladis brand portfolio.