Veyseloglu Group of Companies
An Azerbaijani privately held group active in FMCG distribution, grocery and discount retail, logistics, food manufacturing, and food services.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Veyseloglu Group of Companies is an Azerbaijani privately held consumer-goods group whose activities span distribution, retail, logistics, manufacturing, and food services. The group operates mainly in Azerbaijan and also has distribution activity in Georgia. Its business model is vertically integrated: it imports and distributes fast-moving consumer goods, manufactures selected food products, manages logistics infrastructure, and sells products through its own retail formats. The group's origins lie in wholesale trade. Aydin Talibov began commercial activity in 1992 by trading biscuits and confectionery products. On 5 November 1994, the business completed a large-scale import of consumer goods from Türkiye into Azerbaijan. This activity led to the establishment of Veyseloglu Distribution and is treated as the starting point of the group. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the company expanded its distribution coverage throughout Azerbaijan and progressively built regional warehousing and delivery capabilities. Veyseloglu diversified into manufacturing in the early 2000s. In 2001 it established the Ulduz Chocolate Factory, which produces confectionery products including chocolate, caramel, wafers, and dragees. The group later added the Khoncha factory, focused on frozen bakery products, and VIP-PROD, which produces frozen foods and provides catering services. It has also participated in the restoration and development of mineral-water production, including involvement in the Sirab plant and, from 2023, investment in the Badamli mineral-water plant. Logistics is a central part of the group's operating structure. Facilities established in Mingachevir and Salyan supported regional distribution, while a professional warehouse in Baku introduced more advanced supply-chain systems. In 2017, the group commissioned a large logistics center in Mammadli, in Azerbaijan's Absheron District. The facility was described as an A+ class warehouse and among the largest logistics centers in Azerbaijan and the wider Caucasus region. Its logistics network supports deliveries to the group's retail stores and to external wholesale and business customers. Retail became a major growth platform after AzRetail was established in 2011 under the Araz supermarket brand. Araz is the group's full-format grocery chain, offering food, fresh produce, household products, and other consumer goods. The group also launched OBA in 2016 as a discount and proximity-retail chain. OBA emphasizes neighborhood locations, limited assortment, and low prices, and grew into one of Azerbaijan's largest discount-store networks. In 2022, Veyseloglu partnered with German drugstore operator Rossmann to introduce the Rossmann format in Azerbaijan, adding personal care, cosmetics, baby-care, hygiene, and household products to its retail portfolio. The group also operates in food service. Its investment in the Entrée café brand brought a café-style dining and beverage concept to Azerbaijan, particularly in Baku. Its HoReCa distribution business supplies restaurants, hotels, cafés, and catering operators with food products and raw materials through Vesta-Horeca. Through this combination of wholesale, retail, manufacturing, logistics, and food service, Veyseloglu functions as a broad FMCG platform rather than a single-format retail brand. In December 2023, an OBA store opened in Khankendi, an event presented in public reporting as the first market to begin operating in the city during the post-conflict period. In 2024, the Asian Development Bank approved a financing package of up to $10.5 million to support expansion of the Araz chain, including store development and logistics infrastructure. In 2025, the group became a participant in the United Nations Global Compact and is also associated with the UN Women's Empowerment Principles. The available reference material does not identify a stock-market listing, a controlling parent company, or a current executive leadership roster.
History
Veyseloglu Group of Companies developed from a wholesale and import business into a diversified Azerbaijani FMCG group. Founder Aydin Talibov began trading biscuits and confectionery in 1992. The decisive early event came on 5 November 1994, when the business carried out a large import of consumer goods from Türkiye into Azerbaijan. This activity led to Veyseloglu Distribution and established the foundation of the group. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the company expanded its distribution network across Azerbaijan. It added regional logistics capacity in Mingachevir in 2001 and Salyan in 2006. A professional warehouse opened in Baku in 2007, together with an automated warehouse system intended to improve inventory handling and supply-chain coordination. The group entered manufacturing in 2001 with the creation of the Ulduz Chocolate Factory. Ulduz became a significant local confectionery producer, making chocolate, caramel, wafers, and dragees, with products exported to markets in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The founder also participated in the reconstruction of the Sirab mineral-water plant in 2002. From 2023, the group was reported as one of the investors in the Badamli mineral-water plant. International expansion began in 2010 with VG, a distribution company operating in Georgia. The following year, AzRetail LLC was created to operate the Araz supermarket brand. Araz initially opened four stores and subsequently expanded into a nationwide grocery network. In 2014, the group moved into food service through an investment that brought the Entrée café concept to Azerbaijan. Further diversification followed in 2016. The group launched OBA, a discount retail chain designed around affordable pricing and neighborhood convenience, and established the Khoncha confectionery factory. Khoncha specializes in frozen bakery products, including bread, buns, cakes, and ready-to-bake goods. These products can be delivered to Araz and OBA locations, where they are baked and sold through in-store bakery sections. In 2017, Veyseloglu commissioned the Mammadli Logistics Center in Absheron. The facility was described as one of the largest logistics centers in the Caucasus and Azerbaijan's first A+ class warehouse. It became an important part of the group's centralized supply infrastructure, supporting deliveries to retail stores and other customers. The group's later development combined retail partnerships and additional food production. In 2022, it partnered with German drugstore chain Rossmann to open stores in Azerbaijan. The same year, VIP-PROD began operations, producing frozen foods and providing catering services. In December 2023, OBA opened a store in Khankendi. In 2024, the Asian Development Bank approved up to $10.5 million in financing for Araz expansion, covering logistics investment and new stores. By 2025, the group had also joined the United Nations Global Compact. Its businesses now cover distribution in Azerbaijan and Georgia, grocery and discount retail, drugstore retail, logistics, confectionery and frozen-food manufacturing, bottled water investment, cafés, and HoReCa supply.
- 2025
UN Global Compact participation
[1]The group becomes a participant in the United Nations Global Compact.
- 2024
ADB supports Araz expansion
[1]The Asian Development Bank approves financing of up to $10.5 million for Araz store and logistics expansion.
- 2023
Badamli investment and Khankendi store
[1]The group becomes an investor in Badamli and OBA opens a store in Khankendi in December.
- 2022
Rossmann partnership and VIP-PROD launch
[1]Veyseloglu partners with Rossmann to open Azerbaijani drugstores, while VIP-PROD begins frozen-food production and catering operations.
- 2017
Mammadli Logistics Center opens
[1]The group commissions a large logistics center and an A+ class warehouse in Mammadli, Absheron.
- 2016
OBA and Khoncha are launched
[1]The group launches the OBA discount chain and establishes the Khoncha confectionery and frozen-bakery factory.
- 2014
Entrée enters Azerbaijan
[1]The group expands into food service through an investment bringing the Entrée café brand to Azerbaijan.
- 2011
Araz supermarket launches
[1]AzRetail LLC establishes the Araz supermarket brand, initially with four stores.
- 2010
Expansion into Georgia
[1]VG is established as a distribution company operating in Georgia, marking the group's first international expansion.
- 2007
Automated Baku warehouse introduced
[1]The group opens a professional warehouse in Baku and introduces an automated warehouse system.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated Azerbaijani FMCG platform combining nationwide distribution, value-oriented grocery retail, discount retail, food manufacturing, logistics, and selected food-service operations.
Supermarket retail · 2011
Araz
Araz is Veyseloglu's full-format grocery supermarket chain. Stores sell fresh produce, packaged food, household goods, non-food products, and private-label merchandise. The chain relies on centralized procurement and the group's logistics network to supply stores across Azerbaijan.
Discount retail · 2016
OBA
OBA is the group's value-oriented discount retail format. It uses neighborhood locations, a relatively focused assortment, and price-led positioning to serve residential communities. The chain grew into one of Azerbaijan's largest discount-store networks and is supplied through Veyseloglu's distribution and logistics infrastructure.
Drugstore retail · 2022
Rossmann Azerbaijan
Rossmann operates in Azerbaijan through a partnership between the German drugstore group and Veyseloglu. Its assortment centers on cosmetics, personal care, hygiene, baby care, household products, and selected private-label goods. The format expands the group's retail presence beyond food and grocery.
Confectionery manufacturing · 2001
Ulduz
Ulduz is Veyseloglu's chocolate and confectionery manufacturing operation. Its product range includes chocolate, caramel, wafer, and dragee products. The factory serves the domestic market and has been associated with exports to European, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets.
Frozen bakery manufacturing · 2016
Khoncha
Khoncha produces frozen bakery goods such as bread, buns, cakes, and other ready-to-bake products. Its centralized production model supplies Araz supermarkets and OBA stores, where products can be baked on site and sold through in-store bakery counters.
Frozen food and catering · 2022
VIP-PROD
VIP-PROD manufactures frozen food products for the group's retail channels and provides catering services. It supports the group's strategy of combining food production with owned and affiliated retail distribution.
Café and food service · 2014
Entrée
Entrée is a café-style food-service business introduced to Azerbaijan through a Veyseloglu investment. Its operations are concentrated primarily in Baku and include dine-in and takeaway café services.
Brand decisions
2024
Financing-backed expansion of ArazStrategyBackground
Araz required additional investment in store growth and the logistics systems supporting a nationwide supermarket network.
Action taken
The Asian Development Bank approved a financing package of up to $10.5 million for Araz expansion, including new stores and logistics infrastructure.
Aftermath
The financing provided external support for continued expansion of the group's grocery retail and supply-chain platform.
Financing package. Up to $10.5 million approved (2024)
2022
Partnership with RossmannM&ABackground
Veyseloglu sought to extend its retail portfolio beyond grocery and into health, beauty, personal care, and household categories.
Action taken
The group entered a partnership with German drugstore chain Rossmann to open Rossmann stores in Azerbaijan.
Aftermath
The partnership introduced the Rossmann drugstore format to the Azerbaijani market and added a non-food retail growth platform.
2016
Launch of the OBA discount formatStrategyBackground
The group pursued a lower-price, proximity-based retail format in addition to its supermarket operations.
Action taken
Veyseloglu launched OBA as a discount chain focused on neighborhood locations, affordability, and a limited assortment.
Aftermath
OBA expanded into one of Azerbaijan's largest discount-store networks and became a major outlet for the group's distribution and manufacturing operations.
2011
Entry into supermarket retail through ArazStrategyBackground
After building distribution and logistics capabilities, the group sought a direct consumer-facing retail platform in Azerbaijan.
Action taken
AzRetail LLC was established to operate the Araz supermarket brand, initially opening four stores.
Aftermath
Araz developed into the group's principal full-format grocery chain and a major channel for its centralized supply network.
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