Turkey
Turkey is not an EU member, but it has been in a customs union with the EU since 1995, and Turkish factories are stitched into European supply chains from appliances to cars. Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other carrier, and Arçelik runs Beko and Grundig at the top of European home appliances.
The bench runs deep: Vestel electronics, Bellona and İstikbal furniture, Ülker and Eti in the snack aisle, LC Waikiki and Koton on the high street, Mavi in denim, plus Efes, the beer behind much of the region's football.
Below: the Turkish brands worth choosing over US or Chinese defaults.
Ford E-Transit Custom
Manufactured in: Kocaeli, Turkey (Ford Otosan)
Electric version of Europe's best-selling van.
Up to 70 kWh battery: ~380 km WLTP from 2026
Optional all-wheel drive.
Anadolu
Ownership: Anadolu Group (Turkey) — brewed in Turkey; AB InBev holds a 50% stake in the international operations
Known for: Efes Pilsener — Turkey's dominant beer brand and one of the most widely drunk lagers across Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. The most recognisable beer from a historically under-represented brewing region in Europe.
History: Anadolu Efes was founded in 1969 in Istanbul. Efes Pilsener became Turkey's national beer and expanded across a vast geography — from Bulgaria and Russia to Kazakhstan. Turkey sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and Efes is the beer that built a brewing industry in a country that was not historically a beer culture. Now one of the largest brewing groups operating in the broader European sphere, with production across multiple countries.
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Arçelik
Employees: Around 30,000
Known for: Affordable and reliable washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators under brands like Beko and Grundig.
Website: https://www.arcelikglobal.com
