=== Retail ===
=== Retail ===
In 2024, the [[Asian Development Bank]] (ADB) approved a financing package of up to $10.5 million to support the expansion of the Araz supermarket chain, including investments in logistics infrastructure and new store openings.<ref>{{cite web |title=ADB and Araz Supermarket sign $10.5 million deal to sustain food security and farmer resilience in Azerbaijan |publisher=Asian Development Bank |url=https://www.adb.org/news/adb-araz-sign-10-5-million-deal-sustain-food-security-and-farmer-resilience-azerbaijan}}</ref> As of recent years, Araz operates approximately 400 stores across various regions of Azerbaijan and employs more than 12,000 people.<ref name=”araz”/>
As of recent years, Araz operates approximately 400 stores across various regions of Azerbaijan and employs more than 12,000 people.<ref name=”araz”/>
Now, OBA operates more than 1,600 stores nationwide.<ref name=”oba1600″>{{cite web |title=OBA joined the Consumer Goods Forum |website=Qafqazinfo |date=2024 |url=https://qafqazinfo.az/news/detail/oba-the-consumer-goods-foruma-uzv-oldu-474059 |access-date=2 January 2026 |quote=OBA Market LLC currently operates more than 1,600 stores and employs nearly 10,000 people across the country.}}</ref>
Now, OBA operates more than 1,600 stores nationwide.<ref name=”oba1600″>{{cite web |title=OBA joined the Consumer Goods Forum |website=Qafqazinfo |date=2024 |url=https://qafqazinfo.az/news/detail/oba-the-consumer-goods-foruma-uzv-oldu-474059 |access-date=2 January 2026 |quote=OBA Market LLC currently operates more than 1,600 stores and employs nearly 10,000 people across the country.}}</ref>
 |
|
|
Native name |
Veysəloğlu Şirkətlər Qrupu |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Retail, Wholesale, Distribution, Logistics, Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Aydin Talibov |
| Headquarters | Baku, Azerbaijan |
|
Area served |
Azerbaijan, Georgia |
| Products | Food and non-food products |
|
Number of employees |
25,000+[1] |
| Subsidiaries | Araz markets, Oba markets, Rossmann Azerbaijan |
| Website | www |
Veyseloglu Group of Companies is an Azerbaijani privately held company operating in retail, logistics, and manufacturing. Founded in 1994, the group operates primarily in Azerbaijan and Georgia.[1]
History
Veyseloglu Group of Companies was founded by Azerbaijani entrepreneur Aydin Talibov.[1] His business activity began in 1992 with the wholesale trade of biscuit and confectionery products. On 5 November 1994, the first large-scale import of consumer goods from Türkiye to Azerbaijan was carried out, leading to the establishment of Veyseloglu Distribution.[2] This date is regarded as the starting point of the Veyseloglu Group of Companies.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the company expanded its distribution network across Azerbaijan. In 2001, a regional logistics center was established in Mingachevir, followed by another regional facility in Salyan in 2006. In 2007, the company opened a professional warehouse in Baku and introduced an automated warehouse system to its supply chain.
The Group entered the manufacturing sector in the early 2000s. In 2001, it established the Ulduz Chocolate Factory, one of the country’s major confectionery production facilities.[3]
In 2010, Veyseloglu expanded beyond Azerbaijan with the establishment of VG, a distribution company operating in Georgia.[4] This marked the Group’s first international expansion.
In 2011, the group entered the retail sector by establishing AzRetail LLC under the Araz supermarket brand.[5] The chain initially launched with four stores and subsequently expanded its operations nationwide.[6]
In 2016, the group launched the OBA discount retail chain, which became the first retail chain in Azerbaijan reported to have opened its 1,000th store.[7] In 2023, OBA opened a retail store in Khankendi in December 2023, which was reported as the first market to start operations in the city during the post-conflict period.[8]
In June 2022, Veyseloglu Group of Companies partnered with the German drugstore chain Rossmann to open its first stores in Azerbaijan.[9]
By the 2020s, Veyseloglu Group of Companies had diversified its activities across distribution, manufacturing, retail, logistics, and food services.[1]
Operations
Veyseloglu Group of Companies operates in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector through distribution, retail, manufacturing, logistics, and food service activities.[2]
Distribution
The group distributes products from international manufacturers across Azerbaijan and Georgia. Its distribution subsidiary became the authorized representative of The LEGO Group in Azerbaijan.[10] It also distributes products from several international consumer goods manufacturers, including Nestlé, Mars, and Kimberly-Clark.[11]
The group also operates Vesta-Horeca, which has been active since 2018 and focuses on distribution for the HoReCa sector, supplying food products and raw materials to restaurants, hotels, cafes, and catering businesses, including products from manufacturers such as Roshen and Massimo Zanetti.
Logistics
The company operates regional logistics centers supporting nationwide distribution across Azerbaijan. In 2017, the group commissioned a large-scale logistics center and an A+ class warehouse in the Mahammadi village of the Absheron District.[12] In 2022, the group established a cold logistics center supporting frozen and fresh food distribution.[12]
Manufacturing
Manufacturing activities include confectionery, bakery products, paper goods, and bottled drinking water.[13] The group operates several production facilities, including the Ulduz Chocolate Factory and the Khoncha Factory.
The Ulduz Chocolate Factory, established in 2001, produces confectionery products such as chocolate, caramel, wafer, and dragee products. The factory operates multiple production lines and exports its products to various countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.[13]
The Khoncha Factory, which began operations in 2016, specializes in the production of frozen bakery products, including bread, buns, cakes, and packaged ready-to-bake goods. Its products are supplied to the Araz supermarket chain and are baked in-store prior to sale. The factory follows a centralized production model, supplying semi-finished frozen products that are baked at retail locations.[14]
The group also operates VIP-PROD LLC, established in 2022, which provides catering services and produces frozen food products distributed through the Araz and OBA retail chains.
Retail
As of recent years, Araz operates approximately 400 stores across various regions of Azerbaijan and employs more than 12,000 people.[6]
Now, OBA operates more than 1,600 stores nationwide.[15]
Currently, more than 40 stores are operating across the country.[16]
Sustainability
In 2025, the company became a participant in the United Nations Global Compact.[17]
The group is also a signatory to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles.[18]
