The Dairy Rally Azerbaijan has come to an end!

My first introduction to Azerbaijan’s dairy sector was back in 2016—nine years ago—when we organized the Dairy Olympics here. To say that the industry has grown significantly since then would be an understatement!

Ten years ago, the country’s dairy sector was largely made up of small-scale producers, and modern dairy farms were either under construction or had only just begun operating at full capacity. There were hardly any modern dairy plants at the time; they were only just being launched. Today, it’s a completely different picture.

Let me walk you through it step by step.

Country Development.
Azerbaijan is undergoing powerful, dynamic development. What’s striking is that oil revenues are clearly being reinvested into the country’s economy. Baku is expanding rapidly. But even more importantly, rural areas are also seeing real progress. Wherever we traveled, we could see improvements, growing tourism, and developing industries. Along the roads, you constantly see factories—both food and industrial facilities—under construction or already operating. It is said that significant investments are being directed toward the restoration and development of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijanis enthusiastically invite everyone to visit in two years, promising to showcase an economic miracle.

Tourism.
The country is full of tourists, especially from China and India. Interestingly, while many people in Baku speak Russian, in beautiful regions like Shamakhi, Gabala, and Mingachevir, hardly anyone speaks Russian, but English and Chinese can be heard everywhere. It’s also clear that domestic tourism is well developed: along the highways, there are countless small restaurants clearly catering to locals.

Love for the Country and Responsible Production.
Azerbaijanis love their country and are proud of it—and that says it all. But importantly, this love for their homeland is also reflected in their approach to production. At every factory, they emphasized that products are made exclusively from natural milk produced on their own farms. And this is indeed the case. We didn’t see any fat blends or sacks of milk powder anywhere. Moreover, the factories work closely with farms to ensure the quality and composition of milk.

Here are two examples:
First, Azersüd has set a goal for its farms to increase milk fat content for butter production. As a result, the owners are building a new farm for 2,500 Jersey cows.
Second, the Atena plant, with a capacity of 400 tons per day, currently processes 120–130 tons of milk daily and is waiting for a new farm within the group to be launched to increase volumes. As Director Mr. Seymur Hasanov explained, they don’t plan to work with small suppliers because, as he put it, they can “dilute the milk with water or falsify it in other ways.” That’s why their products genuinely taste so good.

People and Professionals.
At every facility we visited, we met extremely dedicated people. In fact, the Dairy Rally itself was greeted with great enthusiasm, with many saying the event would broaden their horizons (I truly hope that’s the case). Farm managers and processing plant leaders speak multiple languages—from Turkish to German. That’s exactly what we saw at all the farms belonging to Agro Dairy (Pasha Group). Many of these professionals have studied or lived abroad, making them remarkably open-minded.

Influence of Turkey and Iran.
Iran’s influence is felt through cultural and national ties. Turkey’s influence is visible everywhere. The Azerbaijani and Turkish languages are very similar, so at some companies, Turkish managers hold senior positions. For example, the production director of Azersüd is Mr. Mustafa. Turkish equipment is widely used on both farms and in factories. And naturally, Turkish products are present in many product lines.

Traditional Products.
Traditional dairy products dominate the market and are clear bestsellers. Of course, there is UHT milk and standard yogurts. But varieties of ayran, katyk, dovga, traditional cheeses, and other national dairy products form the core of production at local dairy plants.

In short!
If you’ve never been to Azerbaijan—or if you visited a long time ago—you absolutely must come, and not only to Baku. You will be impressed.

And by the way, the next Dairy Rally will take place in Georgia. Get ready!