The demand is settled; the shelf is not
Search interest in the United States for turkish delight and turkish lokum runs to hundreds of thousands of queries a month. That is a consumer fact, not a buying instruction. By the time the sweet reaches a shelf it has split into four different retail situations, and each one wants a different pack.
Three packs cover most US programs
Most turkish delight wholesale programs we quote for the United States settle into three packs, and a single order usually mixes them.
- 350 g window box for retail and gift shelf, printed in English, sized to sit face-out.
- Vacuum pouches for grocery and marketplace selling, cheaper per kilo and easier to stack.
- Bulk inner units of 2 to 3 kg for bins, repacking and foodservice, where presentation is the retailer's job.
We are a manufacturer and exporter in Gaziantep. The lines come from our own factory, which is why one order can carry a window-box program and a bulk program without either having to fill a container alone.
Varieties American buyers ask for by name
Buyers here ask by variety, and the order sheet should say which.
- Pistachio rolls, the variety most US shoppers picture first.
- Chocolate-coated pieces, the strongest performer on gift and impulse shelf.
- Plain and rose cubes, the everyday grocery volume.
- Double-roasted styles for the Turkish grocery trade.
One naming point matters in the United States. Standards of identity define what a product may be called, so a coating made with vegetable fat cannot be labelled chocolate. Our offer states line by line whether a coated piece is chocolate or compound, before anything is printed.
Your brand, or our standard pack
Private label is common in this market, and the label is where a US program is won or lost. The pack is in English, with a Nutrition Facts panel and an allergen statement prepared to US rules. For private label we prepare the artwork, and nothing goes to print until you have approved it. If you would rather sell our standard pack, that is the shorter road and we quote it the same way.
What sits on your side of the import file
FDA food facility registration is held for our factory, with a US agent. We do not hold it. Every line in our offer carries our factory's registration, so your file points at the right facility rather than at a trading company. Prior notice and supplier verification stay with you as the importer, and our job is to hand over what that file needs: a technical data sheet per product, our certificates, and lot traceability back to the production run. There is no free trade agreement between the United States and Turkey, so duty is a real line in the landed cost. The offer states the tariff line and the duty that applies on the day.
How the first container is put together
The selling unit is one full container. Lines travel mixed, each on its own pallet, so a first order can test a window box, a pouch and a bulk unit at once instead of betting the whole load on one guess. Terms are 50 percent with the order and 50 percent against loading photographs before the container leaves. Quotes come back in two working days, in US dollars, FCA Gaziantep, FOB Mersin, CIF or DAP. Chocolate-coated lokum travels reefer in the warm months.
Which Turkish delight format works for US bulk bins?
Bulk inner units of 2 to 3 kg. The retailer handles presentation at the bin, so the inner unit is built for handling and repacking rather than for shelf display. The same container can also carry 350 g window boxes and vacuum pouches for other channels.
Can you produce Turkish delight under our own brand for the United States?
Yes. The pack is in English, with a Nutrition Facts panel and an allergen statement prepared to US rules. We prepare the artwork for private label and nothing goes to print until you have approved it.
Who holds the FDA food facility registration?
Our factory holds it, with a US agent. We do not hold it as an exporter. Our offer carries our factory's registration, so your file points at the right facility. Prior notice and supplier verification remain with you as the importer, and we supply the technical data sheets, our certificates and lot traceability the file needs.
What duty applies on Turkish delight entering the United States?
There is no free trade agreement between the United States and Turkey, so duty is a real cost line. We do not quote a rate in advance: the offer states the tariff line and the duty that applies on the day.
Can lokum ship together with chocolate in one container?
Yes. Lines are mixed in one full container, each line on its own pallet, so a first order can test several formats at once. Chocolate-coated lines travel reefer in the warm months.
