That his sons would take over the company was a given for Şerif Aktürk. He started his business without any knowledge of cheese. However, Özgazi is now well on its way to becoming the world’s largest producer of white cheese.
Şerif Aktürk (62)
“I knew absolutely nothing about cheese in the early 1990s. That changed when I met a young man in Zaandam, who, like me, was from Eastern Turkey. He had bought milk from a local farmer, made feta cheese from it, and sold it to a Turkish shop. He told me the milk was ‘black milk.’ I didn’t understand it at all—I only knew white milk.”
“With some savings and a solid business plan, I got a loan from the bank. That’s how I started Özgazi. But then it turned out that the milk wasn’t so cheap after all. Back then, there was a quota system, and farmers would sometimes sell milk under the table, hence the low price. Since then, a lot has changed. Today, we supply our products to 85 countries and are present on every continent.”
“My sons grew up with cheese”
“It was natural for my sons Numan and Adem to join the business. That’s how it is in our culture. They grew up with cheese. My most important advice to them? Never stand still, always keep evolving, and never sell the business.”
“My sons have very different personalities but are both a lot like me. Maybe Numan is even more like me than Adem. They are highly motivated but also stubborn. Still, we always find a way, as families do. Now that I’m older and have grandchildren, I only spend a few hours a day here. My wife and I also spend a lot of time at our house in Turkey.”
“I am proud of what we’ve achieved. Twenty years ago, Queen Beatrix even visited us here. A few years ago, we went to Curaçao with the whole family. And yes, there was our cheese on the supermarket shelves. I’ll never forget that day.”
Pride—that’s what father Aktürk feels about his company and his sons, Numan (pictured left) and Adem. “They are motivated and stubborn.”
Photo: Dida Mulder
Numan Aktürk (31)
“I was 22 years old when I started working here after my studies. I began in the two factories in Rucphen, somewhat at a distance from my father. Both my brother and I were thrown in at the deep end. It was hard work. I wanted to prove myself and earn trust—not just be the boss’s son.”
“I don’t want to just be the boss’s son”
“I admire my father’s motivation and ambition. He always thinks ten steps ahead. He’s never afraid to take risks—not then and not now. For him, it’s all or nothing. His dream is to produce one million liters of cheese and dairy per day here in Etten-Leur. We’re currently at about 800,000 liters.”
“My wife always says I’m like my father. I see it too. I’ve changed a lot over the years. It’s not about the money for me; it’s about the continuation and development of Özgazi. When I go on vacation, I worry things might fall apart—just like my father used to. He was always thinking about the business 24/7. Most ethnic entrepreneurs want to grow their own brand, and that’s where they go wrong. We now produce for our own brand and for 18 private labels. We supply Lidl, Aldi, Superunie, and Hello Fresh. For over ten years, we’ve been the largest cheese producer in the ethnic market in Europe, and we’re on our way to becoming the largest white cheese producer in the world.”
“When the three of us are together, we either talk about football or the business. In that sense, personal and professional life blend together. Maybe that’s a downside, but on the other hand, I think it’s really wonderful and special to work with my family every day. My father is now discovering there’s a whole world outside of the business. It’s happened naturally. But even from Turkey, he keeps an eye on everything—he remains the big boss.”
