Interview with Gürol Kıraç, General Manager in charge of Fruit and Vegetable Purchasing at Turkish retail giant A101.
Earlier this year, Gürol Kıraç joined a knowledge exchange visit to Paris organized by the EBRD and FAO under the Agrifood Climate and Environmental Sustainability (ACES) Initiative. Both Paris and Istanbul are large, densely populated metropolitan areas with complex food distribution systems, where retail companies are actively working to reduce the environmental footprint of urban food logistics, while coexisting with extensive networks of independent retailers and traditional markets.
Paris also offers innovative intermodal logistics solutions, including rail-to-road and river-to-road transport, providing valuable insights for Istanbul as it seeks to strengthen the efficiency and sustainability of food distribution across a city shaped by the Bosphorus Strait. Over three days, Turkish and French stakeholders explored innovative approaches to urban food logistics, food waste reduction and the development of more sustainable and resilient food systems. The programme included visits to the Corsalis logistics hub and the Rungis International Market, a 234-hectare platform that handles nearly three million tonnes of food each year.
As the purchasing manager for Türkiye’s most widespread grocery retail chain, with more than 13 500 stores nationwide, Mr Kıraç offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing urban food logistics and supplying a fast-growing megacity. We spoke with him about the insights he gained from his visit to Paris and what they could mean for Istanbul and the wider Turkish food system.
Q1) From your perspective as a general manager in the retail sector, what were the most relevant practices you observed in Paris, particularly at Rungis International Market, that could realistically be adapted to improve food distribution efficiency and reduce food loss in Istanbul?
Rungis Market is not just a wholesale centre. It’s a highly sophisticated supply hub that brings together manufacturers, suppliers, logistics service providers, and buyers within the same ecosystem. What impressed me most was the holistic approach to planning the journey of a product from the point of production to the end user.
One of the most important lessons in reducing food losses is that they need to be managed not just at the store level, but throughout the entire supply chain. Significant gains can be achieved when post-harvest processes, storage conditions, cold chain maintenance, and logistics planning are considered together.
At A101, we have a strong fruit and vegetable supply network working with approximately 500 local producers across Türkiye. We deliver products to our stores within an average of 36 hours after harvest. Therefore, we experience firsthand the impact of time management and proper logistics planning on product quality in fresh produce. In operations conducted on this scale, not only a strong logistics infrastructure but also data-driven planning is of paramount importance. With AI-powered demand forecasting and inventory optimization applications, we aim to increase product availability and reduce food waste by directing products in the right quantities to the right stores.
Integrated supply structures similar to the Rungis International Market can offer significant opportunities in terms of logistics efficiency, quality standardization and reduction of food losses. Modernizing existing market infrastructure and developing it to work more closely with urban logistics could also be an important part of this transformation.
Q2) How did the logistics models you saw, such as the Corsalis logistics hub, affect your understanding of last-mile delivery in dense urban areas, and what implications do they have for supermarket operations in Turkish cities?
Last-mile logistics is one of the most critical operational areas of modern retail. Especially in cities with heavy traffic and high population mobility, like Istanbul, timely and efficient deliveries to stores are becoming increasingly important.
In the case of Corsalis, the key takeaway was making distribution more agile through micro-warehouses located close to the city centre. This allowed for faster and more flexible deliveries using smaller vehicles instead of long routes with larger vehicles.
At A101, we manage a very large operation serving millions of shoppers every day. At this scale, logistics efficiency is not only a cost advantage, it’s also critical for product availability, customer satisfaction and maintaining the quality of fresh products. Therefore, route optimization, distribution planning and last-mile efficiency are among our strategic priorities.
Furthermore, I believe that urban logistics models should be designed in conjunction with reverse logistics processes. Systematically recovering returned equipment, recyclable packaging and other operational materials will provide significant economic and environmental benefits.
Q3) The urban food logistics system you witnessed in Paris relies on strong collaboration between public authorities and private actors. What lessons did you take away about governance and partnerships, and how could similar cooperation be strengthened in Istanbul’s food retail and logistics sector?
One of the most striking aspects of the Paris model was that urban food logistics was treated as a shared responsibility of different stakeholders. Municipalities, public institutions, logistics companies, NGOs and the private sector all worked together in a coordinated manner towards the same goal.
The operational know-how and industry experience to support this transformation is available in Türkiye. At A101, thanks to our extensive ecosystem encompassing over 1 200 suppliers, we believe that efficiency is possible not only through companies’ own operations but also through the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders.
I believe that stronger coordination mechanisms between public institutions, local governments and the private sector are needed, especially for the success of urban logistics centres, mobile warehouse applications, traffic planning and models aimed at reducing food waste. The participation of representatives from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality also provided an opportunity to exchange views on public-private collaboration.
Our fruit and vegetable ecosystem and our widespread operations throughout Türkiye offer a significant foundation for developing new models through collaborations with public institutions, local governments and the private sector. We believe that operational experience gained on this scale can contribute to the transformation of urban logistics and food systems.
Q4) Food loss reduction and circular economy approaches were central to the Paris visit. How do you see your company contributing to these objectives, and what barriers or opportunities exist in scaling such initiatives in Türkiye?
One of the most striking practices we saw in Paris was the system that channeled surplus edible food to social welfare organizations. Public institutions, aid organizations and third-party entities managing operational processes all play a role in the success of these structures.
I believe there are significant opportunities to develop similar models in Türkiye as well. In particular, the more systematic inclusion of facilities such as nursing homes, childcare services and social welfare organizations in the process can create value in terms of both reducing food waste and increasing social benefits.
At A101, we consider the circular economy not just a sustainability issue, but an integral part of our operational model. In collaboration with ÇATOM[1], we separate waste generated in our stores at the source and incorporate it into recycling processes. Thanks to this system, last year we helped prevent 120 000 tonnes of carbon emissions, save 240 million kWh of energy, and protect more than one million trees. This experience shows us that well-designed systems not only create environmental benefits but also increase resource efficiency.
Q5) Looking ahead, what investments or strategic changes do you believe are necessary for modern retail chains in Istanbul to align with more sustainable, low-carbon urban food logistics systems?
In megacities like Istanbul, sustainable logistics is no longer just an operational issue; it is also a strategic area directly linked to food security, resource efficiency and climate goals.
The micro-warehouse and agile distribution models we examined in Paris offer important insights into the future of urban logistics. Shorter delivery distances, lower fuel consumption and more effective temperature management enable both operational and environmental gains.
At A101, we have long considered investments supporting this transformation as a key part of our agenda. Our solar power projects, energy efficiency applications and low-carbon cooling systems developed within the scope of the Cool Up Program, conducted in cooperation with UNDP, are concrete examples of this approach. With systems using natural refrigerants, we aim to both reduce energy consumption and minimize our environmental impact. Furthermore, we do not limit our sustainability approach solely to energy investments. With our Sustainable Financing Framework, we have further strengthened our long-term value creation approach by integrating our environmental and social goals into our financial strategy.
In the coming period, digital supply chain solutions, AI-powered demand forecasting systems, route optimization and the development of urban logistics infrastructure will play a decisive role in the transformation of the sector. In the future of retail, sustainability and efficiency are not separate; they will be two complementary elements of the same goal. As A101, with our scale and operational experience, we will continue to be an active part of this transformation.
[1] A sister company dealing with environmental management in grocery retail including reusable crates, packaging, reverse logistics and recycling of recyclable materials such as cans, glass and plastics.