Kandıra Food OIZ
The Kandıra Specialised Food Organised Industrial Zone (Food OIZ) is located in the Kandıra district of Kocaeli, one of Türkiye's industrial hubs. About 85 km from Istanbul, the zone is roughly 50 km from Sabiha Gökçen Airport and 145 km from Istanbul Airport. This proximity to major centres of consumption provides a serious logistical advantage in production and distribution.
Kandıra's natural resources and its structure suited to agricultural production make the organised industrial zone established here even more valuable. The Food OIZ sits at a strategic point where industry meets agriculture, an attractive hub for both food producers and suppliers.
Which Sectors Will Operate There?
The zone has been planned to house facilities focused in particular on food production: cheese together with milk and dairy products, hazelnuts, confectionery and chocolate, meat products, ready-meals and packaging facilities. This diversity will make the Kandıra Food OIZ one of Türkiye's important food production centres.
Dairy facilities in particular will create significant added value for the region thanks to Kandıra's broad pastures and its structure suited to livestock farming; hazelnut processing facilities, meanwhile, will work in step with the hazelnut production in which Türkiye is the world leader and contribute to exports.
What Is the Status of the Project and When Will It Be Completed?
The project is advancing rapidly (for current announcements see the Food OIZ official website). The parcel connections for drinking water, rainwater and wastewater have been completed and the natural gas network has been installed; the technical infrastructure investors need is largely ready. The first factory has begun production and company allocations are ongoing; the project is targeted for completion in 2027.
When full capacity is reached, the zone is expected to provide direct employment for about 10,000 people, and, together with the supply chain and service sectors, indirect employment for 50,000 to 60,000 people. Employment on this scale means housing and service demand for both local residents and the surrounding districts.
Why Was It Established in Kandıra?
Kocaeli's developed industrial infrastructure allows investors to start production quickly. Kandıra's broad farmland and livestock potential enable the raw material the food industry needs to be sourced locally. And its proximity to major centres of consumption such as Istanbul and Kocaeli creates a cost advantage in production and logistics.
To sum up from an investor's point of view: the axis around the OIZ is the region's fastest-appreciating corridor. Rising employment feeds the demand for housing and land, and that demand feeds the rise in value. The Kandıra Food OIZ is one of the most important building blocks in the district's long-term investment story. You can explore the neighbourhoods along the OIZ axis on our region pages, and take a look at our Kandıra guide to get to know the district more closely.
