Yıldız Holding rewarded the “Stars of the Year”

Yıldız Holding's annual “Stars of the Year” awards were held for the 12th time in 2019 to select the best efficiency-based practices. Holding companies submitted 174 projects in 9 categories for Stars of the Year 2019. Such innovative and efficiency-boosting projects enabled TL 1.4 billion cost advantage and contributed to growth for the entire Yıldız Holding.

174 projects on which Yıldız Holding employees worked throughout the year competed in 9 categories of Stars of the Year 2019. After the jury of experts and the main jury consisting of Holding employees and senior management evaluated the projects, the results were consolidated with the results of employee votes for the selection of the winners.

Held in the presence of Yıldız Holding Chairman Ali Ülker, Stars of the Year 2019 ceremony also welcomed Yıldız Holding Board Member Murat Ülker, Yıldız Holding CEO Mehmet Tütüncü, pladis CEO Salman Amin, and GODIVA CEO Annie Young-Scrivner as speakers.

PROJECTS COMPETING AT STARS OF THE YEAR CONTRIBUTED TL 1.4 BILLION TO THE HOLDING

Yıldız Holding Chairman Ali Ülker said: “At the 12th Stars of the Year, we had many successful projects devised with the selfless efforts of our colleagues in 2019. 174 projects implemented in 5 continents were evaluated in the categories of Contribution to Growth, Innovation, Cost Advantage, Leadership, Unity of Purpose, Zero Error, and Digital Leadership. These projects contributed TL 1.4 billion to the growth of our Holding and cost advantage. We would like to thank each and every Yıldız Holding employee for their projects and hard work throughout the year. Constant focus on how to improve efficiency and gain competitive advantage, as well as to take action accordingly and reach concrete results is a major part of our way of doing business. We have been sharing the concrete outcomes of this process with the Yıldız Holding Family for 12 years.”

“THE MOST CUSTOMER-FOCUSED COMPANY” RECEIVED THE CHAIRMAN’S AWARD

Star of the Year Chairman’s Award, which is the most anticipated award every year, was delivered with the title “The Most Consumer/Customer-Focused Company” this year. Upon Chairman Ali Ülker’s invitation, the award was presented by Yıldız Holding Board Member Murat Ülker.

Murat Ülker said: “We are experiencing a major change that highly affects today’s marketing world as well. Consumption patterns of especially the youth are very different from the past. During this global success journey of our company, understanding the consumption cultures, habits and palates of the regions we operate in is vital for our R&D works. As Yıldız Holding, we will never stop listening to and understanding the changing needs of consumers/customers in the digital world, acting accordingly, and doing our best as a team.”

Famous opinion leader of the marketing world Peter Fisk was the guest speaker at the Stars of the Year award ceremony. His speech on the cultural values of consumer-focused companies attracted great attention from the audience.

MEHMET TÜTÜNCÜ: “WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW”

Yıldız Holding CEO Mehmet Tütüncü underlined in his speech that 2019 was a much better year compared to 2018 and added: “We achieved most of our targets in 2019. With double-digit growth, we increased our gross sales by 18 percent and had TL 62 billion consolidated revenue. We owe this success to acting in full awareness of the conditions, to rapid adaptation to changes, to our agile structure, and most of all to our colleagues.

Our greatest goal for 2020 is to continue our double-digit growth. We also attach priority to maintain Ülker’s leadership in the region, reinforcing the global positioning of GODIVA and McVities, and penetrating new markets. In retail, we will continue to grow with ŞOK Marketler and Bizim Toptan and increase the number of our stores and customers. As g2mEksper has important successes in out-of-home consumption, Kerevitaş and Besler will continue to grow in food exports. We are aware of our strength and we will continue in this direction, multiplying our successes.

Today, we are delighted to celebrate this success together with 63,500 Yıldız Holding employees globally. We are highly satisfied with the results achieved thanks to the selfless efforts and motivation of every employee. I sincerely congratulate all participants to Stars of the Year 2019 and once again extend my thanks to all employees, who are the greatest stakeholders in success, for their projects.”

AWARDS AND WINNING PROJECTS

GOYA: pladis Turkey – Ülker Biscuits – “Black Sesame and Quinoa Altınbaşak”

ZERO ERROR: Aytaç – Air Leakage Management – “Project for Saving Compressed Air”

UNITY OF PURPOSE: GODIVA China – “White Rabbit Cooperation”

LEADERSHIP: Besler Gıda / Teremyağ – Leadership Project and pladis UK & Ireland – “Positive Minds – Wellbeing Journey”

CONTRIBUTION TO GROWTH: pladis Turkey – CCC – “Growth in Gums and Candies: Faster – Stronger - Better”

INNOVATION: pladis Turkey – Ülker Chocolate - “Three Chocolates in One: Dido Trio”

COST ADVANTAGE: pladis UK and Ireland – “The Road to Zero”

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP: Bizim Toptan - Starforce

CHAIRMAN’S AWARD OF THE YEAR – The Most Consumer/Customer-focused Company : pladis Turkey