Şekerci Cafer Erol

What Şekerci Cafer Erol does

Şekerci Cafer Erol is a family-owned traditional Turkish confectionery business founded in 1807 in Istanbul, currently operated by the third and fourth generations of the Erol family under Nurtekin Erol (active since 1965) and Hakan Erol (active since 1992), with Yonca Erol as part of the latest generation. The company is registered as Şekerci Cafer Erol Şekerleme San. Tic. Ltd. Şti., a private Turkish limited company with no external investors, no parent company, and no public listing. It produces hand-crafted lokum (Turkish delight) in approximately 30 varieties alongside artisan chocolates, dragees, akide şekeri (hard candy), baklava, wafers, halva, nougat, spreads, traditional beverages (Turkish coffee, sahlep), and rose cologne. Production relies on traditional methods — small-batch cooking in copper kettles (bakır kazan) and setting on marble countertops (mermer tezgâh) — with no advanced digital or AI technology disclosed; the brand name and logo are protected registered trademarks.

The business operates an omnichannel distribution model anchored by 11 owned retail locations: eight in Istanbul at premium sites including Galataport, Emaar Square Mall, İstinye Park, Akasya AVM, Ortaköy, the Kadıköy headquarters/flagship, a Kadıköy ferry terminal outlet, and an Ümraniye factory outlet; plus single stores in İzmir, Trabzon, and London (137 Brompton Rd, Knightsbridge). Sales are additionally generated through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site (sekercicafererol.com) with international shipping via DHL Express and UPS to the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Dubai, and the USA; third-party Turkish marketplaces (Trendyol, Hepsiburada, Yemeksepeti); and a dedicated corporate sales team handling bulk and custom-branded gift orders.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time purchases with unit pricing per product or gift box ranging from ₺190 to ₺21,300+, free shipping on domestic orders above ₺2,500, and an online "Kendi Hediyeni Oluştur" custom gift box builder that lets customers configure personalized combinations of lokum, baklava, and chocolate selections. The customer base spans premium gift consumers, corporate/B2B buyers, individual retail consumers and tourists, and an international diaspora/expat segment served via cross-border e-commerce and the London Knightsbridge store. Marketing combines content (heritage storytelling, seasonal gift guides), email/newsletter (Brevo), WhatsApp and İYS-compliant messaging, marketplace listings, and customer reviews. Recent recognition includes the 2024 Gault Millau Yüzyıllık İşletmeler Ödülü (Century-Old Businesses Award).

Name

Şekerci Cafer Erol

Legal name

Şekerci Cafer Erol Şekerleme San. Tic. Ltd. Şti.

Website

https://sekercicafererol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1807

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Şekerci Cafer Erol is a fourth-generation family-owned Turkish confectionery brand founded in 1807, producing hand-crafted lokum, chocolates, and traditional sweets sold through 11 retail stores across Turkey and London plus e-commerce, marketplaces, and corporate gifting channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing (31134), Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate (311352), Confectionery and Nut Retailers (445292)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060), Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Patisseries & Dessert Boutiques (CRAHAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG)

Keywords

• Turkish confectionery
• Handcrafted Turkish delight
• Artisan chocolates and baklava
• Premium gift boxes
• Corporate gifting sweets

Headquarters

HQ city

Kadikoy

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Sales: Physical retail stores across Turkey and international locations sell products directly to walk-in consumers. Stores serve as both point of sale and brand experience centers.
2. Direct E-commerce: Online sales through sekercicafererol.com to domestic and international customers. Offers same-day courier delivery within Istanbul and international shipping via DHL and UPS.
3. Marketplace Sales: Products sold through third-party Turkish marketplace platforms (Trendyol, Hepsiburada, Yemeksepeti) for expanded reach.
4. Corporate / Bulk Orders: Corporate sales team handles custom bulk orders, personalized gift boxes, and branded corporate gift solutions for businesses. Dedicated corporate inquiry email and contact line.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Şekerci Cafer Erol manufactures and sells handcrafted traditional Turkish confectionery — including approximately 30 varieties of lokum, artisan chocolates, dragées, akide şekeri, baklava, wafers, halva, nougat, spreads, honey, jam, traditional beverages, and rose cologne — via 11 owned retail stores across Turkey and London, a direct e-commerce site, and third-party marketplaces. The brand also offers a custom gift box builder and seasonal collections for gifting occasions.

Product overview

Şekerci Cafer Erol is a traditional Turkish confectionery company established in 1807, operating as a single-brand, multi-category food business with a unified product portfolio centered on artisanal Turkish sweets. The company produces hand-crafted lokum (Turkish delight) in approximately 30 varieties, artisan chocolates (Spesiyal Çikolata), dragees, hard candies (akide), baklava, wafers, nougat, spreads, jams, traditional beverages, and cologne. Products are offered through physical retail stores across Turkey and internationally, an e-commerce website, and marketplace platforms. The company provides customization services (Kendi Hediyeni Oluştur) allowing customers to build personalized gift boxes, and seasonal collections such as Dubai Chocolate and New Year/Christmas gift sets. Gift packaging ranges from standard boxes to premium options including three-tier wooden exclusive boxes. The company maintains 11 stores in Turkey (Istanbul, Izmir, Trabzon) and 2 international locations (London, Baku).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 30 varieties of lokum produced using traditional methods
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DHL KargocoreOthersPrimary domestic logistics partner for Turkey-wide deliveries. Ensures 24-hour shipping for all domestic orders.
• DHL Express / UPScoreOthersInternational logistics partners for worldwide deliveries including UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Dubai, and USA. Handles customs and international shipping.
• TrendyolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketplace listing through which products are sold to Trendyol's large domestic Turkish customer base.
• HepsiburadaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketplace presence on Hepsiburada platform for domestic Turkish market sales.
• YemeksepetiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketplace platform listing for reaching Yemeksepeti's food and beverage consumer base in Turkey.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bateel: Saudi-origin premium dates, chocolates, and confectionery brand with luxury retail and gifting focus across the Gulf region. Comparable in premium gift-box product format, heritage positioning, and flagship retail strategy, but operates primarily in Middle East rather than Turkey/Europe.

Emerging players

• Patchi: Lebanese premium chocolate and confectionery brand known for elegant gift boxes and Middle East/international retail expansion. Closely comparable on premium gifting, heritage positioning, and box-format product mix serving similar affluent and corporate gifting use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Neuhaus: Belgian premium chocolate and praline brand with heritage positioning and gift-box assortment. Comparable on premium praline product lines, gift-box packaging, and traditional European confectionery retail format.
• Godiva Chocolatier: Global premium chocolate and gift-box brand with extensive retail and e-commerce presence. Comparable in premium gifting positioning, gift-box product format, and flagship retail store experience, though operating at much larger scale and broader category breadth.
• Lindt & Sprüngli: Global premium Swiss chocolate and confectionery manufacturer with extensive retail, gifting, and master chocolatier brand positioning. Comparable on premium gift-box assortment, retail flagship presence in tourist cities, and broad confectionery category.

Direct peers

• Saray Muhallebicisi: Heritage Turkish dessert retailer offering Turkish delight, baklava, and traditional sweets through multi-location retail in Turkey. Overlaps directly on product mix, target customer (premium gift consumers), and omni-channel model.
• Hacı Bekir: Turkey's most iconic historic lokum maker, founded in 1777 in Istanbul. Direct competitor operating on similar heritage, traditional production, and premium Turkish delight positioning with comparable retail footprint.
• Karaköy Güllüoğlu: Istanbul-based premium Turkish baklava and pastry specialist with multi-generational heritage and direct-to-consumer retail. Competes in the same premium Turkish confectionery and gift-box category as Şekerci Cafer Erol.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sekercicafererol

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Şekerci Cafer Erol