Last weekend, I came to one of my new favorite organic shops in Kadıköy in a small corner next to a typical Turkish pastane in Moda. I came with two friends, Tammy and Yeşim, to interview the two owners, Gökmen and Bige, both of whom are passionate connoisseurs of organic food.
The aroma of the fresh bread is the first thing to strike your senses as you enter the shop. Other rare treasures found here are capers, varied flavors of Kombucha (Chinese fermented tea, available with both black and green tea versions), chili paste from Hatay, coconut almond sauce, and ecologically sustainable cleaning supplies.
We sat on chairs by the street, often having to repeat ourselves as the cacophony of motorcycles and cars disrupted our conversation. Tammy came in and out, taking photos of the foods and then coming to probe for more information. Yeşim brought in some of her own questions and helped with translations when necessary.
As we discussed the importance and benefits of an organic lifestyle against the backdrop of urban noise, I was also reminded of the role of small businesses. Food Project Moda is a local, family-run business where the owners are always happy to interact with customers. Bringing in your own reusable bag instead of taking a plastic bag is rewarded with a cordial smile and a thank you for being “a smart organic customer.” As huge corporations spread throughout the world, let’s hope such businesses continue to thrive and that quality and local solidarity will take precedence over convenience when we choose which businesses we will support.
Can you explain your business?
Gökmen: We’ve been here for one and a half years. Before, we were a café and restaurant with organic foods on the menu. Then we decided to make it an organic market because there were plenty of cafes around.
How do you choose your suppliers?
Gökmen: There are many organic companies that buy food from all over Turkey and packaging it. Usually, it’s them who find us. When a new company opens, they get in touch with us and bring a list of their products. We choose from the list and try their products.
Are there any products you are particularly fond of?
Gökmen: We make our own sauces, cookies, and cakes. We make different kinds of daily fresh bread, ranging from sourdough, to bread with grapes and walnuts, with olives and walnuts, and one with tomato and olives. We have a bread made from the Einkorn wheat, which is known as the most ancient and the purest version of wheat. It was discovered in Kastamonu, a town on the Black Sea region. They were doing an archaeological dig there when they found this seed called Einkorn. It contains pure, untouched chromosomes. It hasn’t been contaminated by natural additives, so it’s not bad for health. We also make different types of jams, sundried prunes, and apples without the added sugar.
Bige: We also sell Kombucha, a type of fermented tea. It’s made with the help of a symbiotic bacteria. It grows and grows and you can reproduce it. It’s a bit like vinegar soda. But you cannot get sick from it. Some doctors say you need to drink one liter of it to affect your body. Other doctors say you should drink half a glass of it a day and increase it gradually. I’m not sure which one is true, but I know for a fact that Kombucha enriches the gut flora and it’s very beneficial for repairing the gut if you have any food intolerances, such as gluten intolerance. Green tea is the best one because it combines green tea and probiotics. It’s a 2000-year-old recipe from China, originally known as the Kamba tea and consumed by many.
Can you tell us a little bit about the shop?
Bige: This is a family business. My husband owns the company. I am the chef and co-owner. We all work together, about sixteen hours a day. We open at 8:30 am and we close around 10:00 pm. We try to use organic products as best as we can, but if we cannot, we find the most natural products as a substitute. All our products are high quality and good for health.
How do you make sure the products are organic?
Bige: Basically to be able to produce and sell organic products you need certain certificates. There are international companies verifying these certificates. These companies are investor-free and are not related to the government. It is a really long and elaborate process to obtain an organic certificate. First, a representative from these companies pays a visit to the production area and the factory. They have really strict standards.
The first level of certificate is called the Master’s certificate. This gives permission for producing, packaging, and selling the products. It is required that you follow a specific system. For example, depending on how many cookies you would like to produce, you have to provide the exact recipe. All of your ingredients should be listed with their own quality certificates.
These companies control and verify every step of the way, and if you do anything wrong or different than you mention on the recipe, they have the right to cancel your certificate immediately. And they actually do. There is even a fine of up to $10,000, depending on the process.
When it comes to the production of organic stuff, Turkey is the best in the world. I’ve just returned from a field trip to the US. As far as my research goes organic sugar is available in the US and Europe, which means you can use it in production. This is horrible because when you eat an organic muffin in the US, you are also ingesting many natural additives along with healthy ingredients. In Turkey, we are not allowed to use white sugar in the productions of organic food. Instead, apple juice is used, which is much healthier. We are also allowed to use molasses and honey, but usually, we use apple juice.
Also, in the US and Europe, saturated fat is used. Here it’s not allowed. We use 100% organic butter. So I’m sure we are the purest country for organic products in the world. I’m not sure about Asia, but when you compare with the US and Europe, we are much more secure and trustworthy about that. We are in the process of opening an organic factory right now. When we open it, you can come and see our process. And you’ll see how strict it will be.
What are some other future plans?
Bige: We are opening a factory now. We are starting with shortbread cookies. Later, we will also produce probiotic vinegar. We won’t use any preservatives as usual. Shortbread cookies can last about a year. If you produce cookies with eggs or any kind of juice, it will only last for one or two weeks. That’s why we chose shortbread cookies.
We will also use special packaging to protect our products from sunshine and dust. You can prevent your food from spoiling in two ways: natural additives and packaging. We opt for quality packaging to be able to keep our products as natural as possible.
We are growing our business and starting mass production. But we are not opening any new shops right now. The economic crash has affected us very badly. Many companies have gone bankrupt in Turkey after the recent currency crisis. For instance, the only Turkish company specializing in the production of organic goat milk and goat milk yogurt is gone bankrupt now. Many other companies have closed doors as well. We don’t produce organic goat milk yogurt, but we have high-quality ice cream made with goat milk.
Any tips for our readers on healthy living?
Bige: I advise my clients to make smart choices. That means instead of trying to consume everything made with organic products, it is more feasible to choose the stuff that you consume on a daily basis made with organic/natural products.
Eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables is very important, and the prices are not even that high. If you consume organic chicken, milk, eggs, yogurt, bread, even if the grains and pasta you consume are not organic, you will still be fine. Removing sugar from your diet as much as possible helps as well.
Last but not least, you should always feel free to ask what goes into your food. Remember, only you can save your own health. No one else can do that.
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Food Project Moda is located at Dr. Esat Işık Cd. No:33 in Kadıköy. For more information, contact them on WhatsApp at 0531 701 10 70 and follow them on Instagram.
Photography by Tammy Gouldstone. Translation by Yeşim Hamzalar.
