02.12.2025 10:27
Ülkü Koçoğlu, who produces the 'Helix Aspersa Maxima' species of black snail on the farm she established in Trabzon, provides snail extract to the cosmetic industry under the brand "Googlis" and also offers snail eggs, known as "white caviar," to the global market, which are sold for 3,000 Euros per kilogram.
Ülkü Koçoğlu from Trabzon's research on the internet during the pandemic quickly turned into a production process leading to export.
Realizing the export potential of the land snail, Koçoğlu decided to establish a production farm after his investigations. Within the scope of a project prepared with the support of DOKAP and the Ministry of Industry and Technology, 600 kilograms of breeding snails and 500,000 baby snails were brought from Bulgaria. The facility, established on a 6-decare land in the Geçit neighborhood of Ortahisar district in Trabzon, began the cultivation of the 'Helix Aspersa Maxima' species of land snails. For more than 1.5 years, the facility has been continuing production, carefully collecting the snails' eggs and slime. In the facility, which operates on a zero-waste principle, the essence, shell, and manure of the snail are evaluated in the production chain. The obtained natural snail essence has led to the emergence of new products aimed at the cosmetic sector over time. A total of 10 different natural skin care products have been produced at the facility, ranging from facial cleansing gel to skin toner, anti-aging night cream to stretch mark care cream. With these products, the brand quickly gained interest in foreign markets.
CAVIAR IS SOLD AT 3 THOUSAND EUROS The product obtained from snail eggs, known in gastronomy as "white caviar," is sold in the international market at a level of 3,000 Euros. The high value-added caviar is among the products that highlight the facility in terms of export. No chemical fertilizers are used in the feeding of the snails at the facility. Vegetables such as purslane, lettuce, cabbage, chard, and radish, grown with snail manure, are used as natural feed. Thus, sustainability is prioritized throughout the entire production process. The name given to the facility also reflects traces of Trabzon culture. The local name for the land snail in the region, "Googlis," inspired the brand's name.
"WE EVALUATE EVERY PART OF THE SNAIL" Ülkü Koçoğlu, who created a production model that opens to the world from Trabzon, stated that they cultivate Helix Aspersa Maxima species of land snails and emphasized, "We want to highlight that the name Googlis comes from the local language usage of Trabzon. We chose the name of the farm based on what snails are called in Trabzon. I started this business with my respect for nature and my passion for production. During the pandemic, I realized that the land snail has great potential not only in cosmetics but also in agriculture, fertilizer, and the pharmaceutical sector. Since that day, I wanted to establish a production model that would add economic value to both our region and our country. We created a production center established on an area of 6,000 square meters. We cultivate Helix Aspersa Maxima species of land snails. Here, we work on a zero-waste principle. We evaluate every part of the snail, including its essence, shell, and manure. In this farm, we also ensure that women play an active role," he said.
"WE SEND SNAIL ESSENCE ABROAD AS A COSMETIC PRODUCT" Koçoğlu, emphasizing that snail manure is one of the most valuable fertilizers in the world, stated, "Today, we carry the natural snail essence we obtain as Googlis to the global market with our brand. We aim to transform a value born in Trabzon into a global brand. For us, this is not just production but a way to carry something from nature into the future with the power of science and labor. The land snail is one of the strongest cell-renewing substances offered by nature. It has a golden value in both the medical and cosmetic sectors. In my research during the pandemic, I realized the export potential of this product. I wanted to turn that period into an opportunity. I established a business model inspired by nature. Our farm contributes not only to the Trabzon economy but also to Turkey's export targets. We send snail essence abroad as a cosmetic product. As a female founder, we established a production structure that centers on women's labor. We work on a zero-waste basis at the farm. The essence of the snail contains calcium and carbonate in its shell. It is used in toothpaste and the pharmaceutical industry. Science says that this fertilizer is the most valuable fertilizer in the world," he said.
"WE APPROACH THESE ANIMALS WITH PREJUDICE" Koçoğlu, noting that they feed the land snails with vegetables produced from their own manure, stated, "We approach these animals with prejudice. In fact, we need to recognize their value. This creature is an example of the perfect system created by God. Imagine an animal that cannot live in filth; it gets sick in filth. At this point, the most important issue we pay attention to is the cleanliness of the animals. When looking at the places where it is used in Anatolian healing, unfortunately, we are at a point where we cannot understand its value. Here, we give them our own vegetables, which we grow completely from our own seeds and without using chemical fertilizers, such as purslane, lettuce, cabbage, chard, and radish. In addition, we have a feed that we routinely create from corn and soybeans," he said.
"WE RECEIVE A LOT OF DEMAND FOR SKIN CARE PRODUCTS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST" Koçoğlu, stating that they provide raw materials to Europe, said, "Everything about this animal is so valuable that we are not aware of it. If the caviar of this animal is not going to be used as a baby, meaning it will not turn into a snail, its caviar is one of the most important caviars in the world. Its value is sold at prices starting from 3,000 Euros. Therefore, everything about this animal is very valuable. We are just not conscious or knowledgeable. The slime, which has a cell-renewing effect, is such an important content that when the shell of the animal is broken, it can repair itself with that slime, meaning it renews that cell. When we realized its importance in the cosmetic sector, we decided to make it a value-added product. Instead of selling raw materials directly, we also wanted to create our own brand and become a brand that opens from Trabzon to the world.
Because all kinds of creams and skincare products absorbed through the skin can lead to various diseases and cancer. It is important to know what you are applying to your skin. I recommend everyone to use a product with clean ingredients that comes from nature. We now want to establish a women's cooperative. We aim to start this in Trabzon and make it active throughout Turkey. Because we want to discover the export potential of an animal that is utilized in every aspect and develop new projects for this country, women, and future generations to boost our country and provide foreign currency inflow to Trabzon. We are receiving a lot of demand for skincare products in the Middle East, and besides that, we are currently selling in Europe. We are also supplying raw materials to Europe. We have been a farm for 1.5 years, but thankfully we are doing better than we expected," she stated.