Leaving Her Corporate Career Behind, She Became an Olive Oil Producer in the Kaz Mountains
With an entrepreneurial journey stretching from corporate offices to the Kaz Mountains, Nermin Gelbal Gökduman exports olive oils produced across thousands of acres to the world.
A graduate of Istanbul Technical University, Nermin Gelbal Gökduman left behind her corporate management career in the telecommunication and steel sectors to start producing olive oil at the foothills of the Kaz Mountains.
From Corporate Life to Nature
Graduating from the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University, Nermin Gelbal Gökduman completely ended her corporate career in the steel and telecommunication sectors.
Started with a Small Step
In 2012, she took her first step in this process at the foothills of the Kaz Mountains in the Edremit region, starting with a 52-acre plot of land and 800 olive trees in the Havran area.
A Giant Production Base
Increasing her investments over time, the entrepreneur today manages a large enterprise spanning 4,200 acres of land with 60,000 olive trees.
The enterprise operates with an annual processing capacity of 300 tons of extra virgin olive oil and 200 tons of table olives.
Cold Press and Employment
Not accepting contract pressing from outside, the company processes the olives using the cold press method at temperatures between 18 and 20 degrees within 4 to 6 hours after harvesting.
While providing continuous employment to 60 people in the region, this number is supported by 350 seasonal workers during harvest periods.
International Awards and Exports
Proving its quality worldwide, the brand was honored with the iTQi Superior Taste Award and the Monde Selection Silver Medal.
Having won gold medals from competitions in New York, Tokyo, London, and Italy, Nermin Hanım's Olive Grove exports to many countries, primarily the United States, the Netherlands, and Korea.