An Exclusive Interview with Burhan Kılıç, Founder of Akita Natural Products
📍 How It All Started: A Vision Rooted in Isparta
Akita’s journey began in 1993—not in cosmetics, but in tourism. As the first officially licensed travel agency in Isparta, we proudly represented Turkish Airlines for over 15 years. However, with the rise of digital transformation, we foresaw the decline of traditional travel agencies.
Our background in engineering and analytics pushed us toward innovation. Being based in Isparta, home to the world-renowned Rosa Damascena roses, we naturally gravitated toward rose-based production. But for us, roses weren't just agricultural assets—they were cultural heritage.
We noticed that the rose water available on the market lacked in quality and failed to meet international standards. This gap inspired us to take a scientific approach to production, supported by partnerships with cosmetic labs in Canada, France, and Germany, and aromatherapy experts in the Netherlands and Taiwan. Long before R&D became a trend in Turkey, we embraced it as our foundation.
🌸 Why Isparta? The Strategic Role of Location
Isparta’s unique microc...