Yıldız Holding

Turkey's largest food conglomerate — from Ülker biscuits to Godiva chocolate

Turkey flagTurkey 🔒 Private Conglomerate

Quick Facts

Legal Name
Yıldız Holding A.Ş.
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Founded
1944
Headquarters
Istanbul, Turkey
Chairman
Ali Ülker (since 2020)
Controlling Shareholder
Murat Ülker (63%)
Revenue
~$13.5 billion (2023)
Type
Private Family Conglomerate
Website
yildizholding.com.tr

Overview

Yıldız Holding traces its origins to 1944, when Sabri Ülker (1920–2012) — a Crimean Tatar who had migrated to Turkey — founded a small biscuit workshop in Istanbul. That workshop grew into Ülker, Turkey's dominant biscuit and confectionery brand, and eventually into Yıldız Holding, one of the world's largest privately held food conglomerates. Under the leadership of Sabri's son Murat Ülker (born 1959), the group expanded aggressively through international acquisitions: Godiva Chocolatier was acquired from Campbell Soup in 2008 for ~$850 million, and United Biscuits (owner of McVitie's and Jacob's) was acquired in 2014 for £2 billion.

Today, Yıldız Holding's international snacking operations are consolidated under pladis Global, formed in 2016 as a unified platform encompassing McVitie's, Godiva, Ülker, Jacob's, BN, and Flipz. Murat Ülker remains the controlling shareholder with a 63% stake and a net worth estimated at ~$7 billion, making him one of Turkey's wealthiest individuals. His nephew Ali Ülker assumed the role of chairman of the board in 2020. Beyond food, the group has interests in wholesale retail (Bizim Toptan), personal care, packaging, and real estate.

Portfolio Companies

CompanyOwnershipSectorNotes
pladis Global100%Snacks & ConfectioneryMcVitie's, Godiva, Ülker, Jacob's, BN, Flipz — £3.23B revenue
Ülker BisküviPartialBiscuits & ConfectioneryListed on Borsa Istanbul (ULKER)
Bizim ToptanSubsidiaryWholesale RetailCash & carry chain in Turkey
Golf DondurmaSubsidiaryIce CreamTurkish ice cream brand

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns Yıldız Holding?
Yıldız Holding is controlled by Murat Ülker, who holds a 63% stake. Murat is the son of founder Sabri Ülker and has a net worth of approximately $7 billion. His nephew Ali Ülker has served as chairman since 2020. The company is privately held — there is no public listing of Yıldız Holding itself.
What companies does Yıldız Holding own?
Yıldız Holding's largest subsidiary is pladis Global (100% owned), which operates McVitie's, Godiva, Ülker, Jacob's, BN, and Flipz with combined revenue of £3.23 billion. The group also controls Ülker Bisküvi (partially owned, listed on Borsa Istanbul), Bizim Toptan (wholesale retail), and Golf Dondurma (ice cream).
Is Yıldız Holding publicly traded?
No. Yıldız Holding is a private family conglomerate and is not listed on any stock exchange. However, its subsidiary Ülker Bisküvi trades on Borsa Istanbul under the ticker ULKER.
How did Yıldız Holding become a global food company?
Under Murat Ülker's leadership, Yıldız Holding made two transformative acquisitions: Godiva Chocolatier from Campbell Soup in 2008 (~$850 million) and United Biscuits (McVitie's, Jacob's) in 2014 (£2 billion). In 2016, these were consolidated under pladis Global, creating one of the world's largest snacking companies.

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pladis

McVitie's, Godiva, Ülker — the snacking arm of Yıldız Holding.

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Sources

  1. Wikipedia — Yıldız Holding (accessed 10 March 2026)
  2. pladis Global — About Us (accessed 10 March 2026)
  3. Forbes — Murat Ülker Profile (accessed 10 March 2026)
  4. Wikipedia — pladis (accessed 10 March 2026)
  5. Wikipedia — Sabri Ülker (accessed 10 March 2026)