Major legal advisers: Esin Attorney Partnership (Baker McKenzie Istanbul), ELIG Gürkaynak Law Firm, Yamaner & Yamaner Law Firm

What are the most significant transactions and projects that you have been involved in recently?

After I joined Kraft Heinz Türkiye, I was first involved in acquisition of hundred percent shares of Assan Gida Sanayi ve Ticaret, which is one of the largest sauce and private label producer in Türkiye also known as “Assan Foods”, by Kraft Heinz NoMA BV for £1m. Assan Foods’ majority shares (ninety five percent) were owned by Kibar Holding; and Assan Foods was using Kibar Holding’s infrastructure, agreements, and systems, therefore Assan Foods’ legal matters were handled by Kibar Holding’s in-house team. Upon the acquisition, Kraft Heinz initiated the integration of Assan Foods into Kraft Heinz.

The projects I am involved in during the integration process are the integration of Assan Foods into Kraft Heinz, including building a legal department, implementing Kraft Heinz Procedures to Assan Foods such as ethics and compliance, data privacy, competition, procurement, and finance control. I have also been involved in drafting template agreements like the employment agreement, procurement agreement, distributorship agreement, sales agreement, private label agreement and more. I also assist Heinz Gida (Kraft Heinz’s existing company) and Assan Foods on daily legal matters, with a focus on making two capital increases in Assan Foods: €37 m and €9.8 m within six months.

How has the increasing consciousness of climate change and sustainability affected the company and the team’s priorities?

As Kraft Heinz, we require our suppliers to comply with our Supplier Guiding Principles (“SGP”). Kraft Heinz’s main suppliers are the tomato farmers, and the tomato farmers must, among other things, comply with applicable environmental and waste disposal laws and regulations, recycle and reuse water within their operations, measure, and report emissions, not use pesticides or herbicides deemed illegal, not hunt, fish, or gather endangered species, work towards slowing deforestation, and be transparent on the chemicals used in farms.

There was no provision in Assan Foods’ existing tomato purchase agreements concerning sustainability. Upon the acquisition of Assan Foods, we introduced a new provision into the standard tomato purchase agreements, whereby the farmers are requested to comply with the SGP. Otherwise, the tomato purchase agreement will be terminated, and no agreement will be signed with the said farmer in the next season. Thus, we aim to create an awareness on sustainability in rural settlements across Türkiye.