The Döner for Every Occasion
Interview with Mustafa Demirkürek, Founder & CEO of Alzarro Dönerworld GmbH
Ready-to-eat products have long been a staple on supermarket shelves. Yet, until now, one classic was missing: the Döner. Mustafa Demirkürek has changed just that. With his idea of a fresh, fully enclosed Döner product for baking, he has created an innovative food concept that sets standards – produced with robotic technology, thoughtfully designed down to the smallest detail.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Demirkürek, how did the idea for Alzarro come about?
Mustafa Demirkürek: I have been in the kebab industry since 1995, running shops, marinating meat, baking bread – everything. At one point, I had 17 shops at the same time. During this time, I recognized many weaknesses in the kebab product: awkwardness to eat, lack of warmth when taken away, uneven distribution of ingredients. I wanted to develop a product that solves these problems – a kebab that is ready to eat, cleanly consumable, long-lasting, and can be warmed up at any time. I perfected the idea over the years, tested many variants, analyzed in the lab, until I finally had a patented final product.
Wirtschaftsforum: What makes your product so special?
Mustafa Demirkürek: Our kebab is completely enclosed, contains everything – from meat and sauce to fresh vegetables – and is ready in just a few minutes. It is 90% pre-baked and just needs to be finished baking. Since it does not draw air, it is particularly long-lasting. Moreover, it is produced under optimal hygienic conditions in a fully automated production line. I am proud that we can produce up to 15,000 pieces per shift daily with the latest robot technology – theoretically even up to 10,000 pieces per hour.
Wirtschaftsforum: Who is your target audience?
Mustafa Demirkürek: Everyone who loves Döner – and beyond. Our customers range from classic supermarket shoppers to seniors, children, and people with limited mobility, up to potential large customers like airlines, hotels, gas stations, or Deutsche Bahn. Everywhere where a classic Döner is hard to implement, our product offers a clean, simple solution.
Wirtschaftsforum: Where is your Döner available today?
Mustafa Demirkürek: We are listed nationwide in Germany at stores including Edeka, Kaufland, Globus, and Rewe. In Austria, we are represented at BILLA, and in Switzerland, we are starting with Coop and Migros. Discussions with other countries like France, the Netherlands, Sweden, or Finland are already underway. Currently, exports account for about 5%, but the potential is huge.
Wirtschaftsforum: What does your technical infrastructure look like?
Mustafa Demirkürek: We work with the most modern automation and robotics technology. The entire production process – from goods reception to packaging – is fully automated. Our employees are involved in administration, machine operation, or quality control. I designed the facility myself, developed it with custom machine builders, and only then hired technical specialists. In the future, we plan to increasingly integrate AI and other digitalization solutions.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you make your product known?
Mustafa Demirkürek: So far almost exclusively through the quality of the product itself. At the Green Week in Berlin, our döner was chosen as the number one product innovation. Media worldwide – from the New York Times to Chinese television – have reported on us. We have not invested a single euro in traditional advertising to date. However, we are recently building a small in-house marketing and sales team and are also present at trade fairs such as Anuga, the Gastmesse Salzburg, or the Internorga.
Wirtschaftsforum: Where do you see Alzarro in five years?
Mustafa Demirkürek: We aim to significantly expand our range – not only with additional types of meat like veal, beef, or minced meat, but also with supplementary products like Döner boxes, Pide, Pizza, Dürüm or even Döner salads. To realize this, we are already planning the construction of a second factory, which will be designed specifically for the production of these new variants. Our vision is clear and ambitious: We want to establish all conceivable Döner products worldwide – whether on supermarket shelves, on board airlines, in hotels, restaurants, or gas stations. I always say: We are on the elevator – started right down in the basement, now we have reached the ground floor. But the button has been pressed, and it leads directly to the 100th floor. And I'm sure: We are going up – step by step, yet targeted.
Wirtschaftsforum: Your personal story and the development of Alzarro are impressive. What kept you motivated during tough phases to keep going?
Mustafa Demirkürek: Honestly, it was never the money that drove me. It was more the deep desire to create something unique, something that did not exist before – something that I and my family can look at with pride. The name Alzarro for example is a combination of the names of my three children – they are my greatest motivation. During the difficult years of development, I often doubted, but the thought of standing in a supermarket one day and seeing my product on a shelf has always given me new strength. Today I am infinitely grateful that I persevered – and proud to have created something that not only fulfills me but also offers real added value in everyday life for many people and also tastes really good!