Hungary’s food industry is set for a major expansion as Turkish company Doğuş Çay announced a HUF 42 billion investment in a new processing plant in Orosháza, in southeastern Hungary.
The project represents the company’s first manufacturing base outside Turkey and marks a significant step in Hungary’s strategy to strengthen its food processing capacity while deepening links between agriculture and industry.
Announcing the investment, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed that the government is supporting the development with HUF 8.3 billion, with the plant expected to create 440 new jobs in the region.
The facility will produce a mix of iced tea, potato chips and tortilla chips, combining beverage and food processing under one industrial operation. At full capacity, the plant is expected to process around 200,000 tonnes of potatoes and 50,000 tonnes of maize annually, positioning it as a major player in Hungary’s agri-food value chain.
What makes the investment particularly significant is its strong integration with local agriculture.
Around 90 percent of the raw materials used in production will be sourced from Hungarian farmers, creating a direct link between domestic agricultural output and high-value food processing. This not only strengthens local supply chains but also provides greater market stability for producers in the region.
At the same time, the plant is designed with an outward-looking focus. At least 85 percent of the output will be exported, reinforcing Hungary’s position as a food processing and export hub within Europe.
This dual orientation — local sourcing combined with international distribution — reflects a broader trend in Hungary’s economic development.
Rather than operating as isolated production units, new investments are increasingly embedded within both domestic ecosystems and global markets. The result is a more integrated model, where value is created locally but realised internationally.
The choice of Orosháza also highlights the continued importance of regional development.
While Hungary’s major cities have attracted significant industrial investment in recent years, projects of this scale in smaller centres play a critical role in balancing economic growth. They create employment opportunities, support local suppliers and contribute to the long-term sustainability of rural economies.
From a sector perspective, the investment adds momentum to Hungary’s food processing industry, which has been identified as a strategic area for development. Moving up the value chain — from raw agricultural production to processed, branded goods — allows for higher margins, greater export potential and more resilient economic structures.
The involvement of a Turkish company also underscores Hungary’s increasingly diversified investment landscape.
In recent years, Turkish firms have carried out a number of significant projects in the country, with this latest development adding to a growing list of cross-border partnerships. Such investments reflect Hungary’s positioning as a bridge between different economic regions, attracting capital from both Western and Eastern markets.
For Doğuş Çay, the move into Hungary offers access to European markets, established agricultural supply chains and a stable production environment. For Hungary, it brings capital, jobs and deeper integration into global food production networks.
Looking ahead, the plant is expected to play a meaningful role in both local and national economic activity. Beyond direct employment, its impact will extend across farming, logistics, processing and export operations.
In that sense, the investment is not just about building a factory.
It is about connecting agriculture to industry, and industry to global markets — creating a chain of value that extends well beyond the production site itself.
And once again, the pattern is clear.
Business development creates the demand — infrastructure enables it and allows it to scale.
