Having served as a geography teacher in state schools for 26 years, Ulusoy says she redirected her path toward the flour industry after retiring. “When I found myself in a void, I started going back and forth to the company. It wasn’t easy at all,” she recalls. “At 74, I am still full of the desire to learn and to work,” she says. Her presence in the sector has been shaped by an approach she describes plainly: “Without saying, ‘I know best, I’m here,’ I found my place in the flour industry by learning and by trying to do things myself.”

Nevin Ulusoy’s inspiring journey is also an extension of the partnership she built with the late Fahrettin Ulusoy—one rooted in equality and a shared sense of purpose. She puts it plainly, flipping a well-worn line on its head: “A strong woman doesn’t stand behind a successful man; she stands beside him.” 

Speaking of her son, Eren Günhan Ulusoy—now Chairman of the Board—Ulusoy says she recognises her own discipline and outlook in his leadership style. “Günhan and I started at the company together, so we became companions on the same journey. My contribution to my son’s success was not mapping out his path for him, but equipping him to walk it on his own,” she says.

A pioneer who helped pave the way for women’s employment in the milling industry, Nevin Ulusoy sums up her message to young women in a single sentence that points to where the sector is headed: “The mills of the future will run more quietly, but women’s voices will be heard more.”

A doyenne of the flour milling industry, Nevin Ulusoy, in this special interview with Miller Magazine, remembers Fahrettin Ulusoy with fondness while speaking—plainly and with clarity—about the principles she continues to live by. The conversation traces a lifetime of work and business ethics in flour milling. Here, she tells that journey in her own words.

A DETERMINED TRANSITION FROM TEACHING TO THE FLOUR INDUSTRY

Ms. Ulusoy, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us. We know you well, but we would like to introduce you to our readers in your own words. Could you tell us about your journey from teaching into the flour industry, and the turning points that shaped that path?

First of all, thank you sincerely for inviting me to this interview. As you know, I taught geography in state schools for many years—26 years in total. I am 74, and I still feel full of the desire to learn and to work. After I retired, my habit of working would not leave me alone. I was never someone who could spend day after day just travelling around; it was not something I particularly enjoyed. When I found myself in a void, I began going back and forth to the company. It was not easy at all. At first my husband did not like it. I could tell from his expressions and gestures. But I did not pay attention to that. In time, he got used to it, and we started going together. I have always valued being determined in this. Over time, I took on the role of Quality Management System (QMS) coordinator. In the beginning, I personally processed and tracked all the forms and documentation. It has been going very well, and for 20 years I have continued this work together with my team. Günhan and I started at the company together.

My turning point was retiring and living in a family with agricultural roots. Wheat and flour were not foreign to me. I managed this transition quietly, but with determination. Without saying, “I know best, I’m here,” I found my place in the flour industry by learning and by trying to do things myself. In fact, this was not a break from education, it was a transformation. Our sense of discipline, planning, human relations, and sharing knowledge created the desire to carry our mission into a corporate system.

NOT BEHIND HIM—BESIDE HIM

What do you think of the saying, “Behind every successful man is a strong woman”? Drawing on your partnership with the late Fahrettin Ulusoy, one of the doyens of the sector, how do you describe the often-unseen work women do in business and the value it creates?

I have always used that saying as, “A strong woman doesn’t stand behind a successful man; she stands beside him.” I would say this to my late husband all the time. To his credit, he always honoured me in public. I remember him with love and longing. He was forthright and outspoken, quick to decide, loyal, courageous, warm and sociable, with a strong character—successful in business and full of love for people. May he rest in peace. I was always by his side; I always supported him. At times, I would also offer criticism. We went on most business trips together, we knew how to share life, and we carried each other well in society. He was passionate and bold; I was the calm voice and the guiding force—we balanced each other. That is why I was not the power of “invisible labour,” but the power of “visible labour.”

At a time when women were often kept in the background in business, how did you manage that period? Looking back today, is there a principle you can say you are glad you held on to?

In a period when women were often pushed into the background, I managed it with a calm, patient, and determined stance. I chose to become visible not by seeking the spotlight, but by stepping into the work itself. First I learned, then I took responsibility.

In truth, I was not really behind the scenes; I was always present. I attended all national and international meetings, conferences, and trade fairs together with my dear husband. Because I was already part of the business world, the topics were not unfamiliar to me. I would listen carefully to the discussions and then share my views with my husband. My husband would also share work-related problems with me. I would suggest solutions and for some of them, I would take care of things quietly, as people say, without drawing attention.

The principle I look back on and say “I’m glad I did that” is to be determined and never give up…I am glad that, as a woman, I managed to exist in industry through a quiet struggle.

Nevin Ulusoy, who taught geography in public schools for 26 years, emphasises that the patience, discipline, and people-first mindset she developed in the classroom became the foundation of her leadership approach in business.

You are the mother of Eren Günhan Ulusoy, who has achieved notable success at Ulusoy Flour and Söke Flour, as well as within some of the sector’s key civil society organisations. As both a mother and a companion on his journey, how do you view your son’s achievements?

We have two sons. The elder, Erhan Ulusoy, continues our tea production and fuel businesses. Günhan, on the other hand, carries forward our flour and pasta production, energy, and licensed warehousing operations. We have always been proud of our sons’ achievements and we still are. As I mentioned earlier, Günhan and I started at the company together, so we also became companions on the same journey. 

They are my children. Even if they were unsuccessful, I would still be proud. God forbid—would failure change how much I love them, or how proud I am of them? I have stood by them in every circumstance, and I always will. Friends call and tell me how they follow their achievements, and I thank them and wish success for their own children, too. For me, what matters most is that I have raised people of strong character—upright, helpful, with generous hearts. 

Success does not come with a loud voice; it comes with consistency and character. Günhan’s diligence, his sense of responsibility, and his openness to learning show that he builds success not by chance, but through hard work. Where we stand today, the fact that my children are good individuals who can stand on their own feet, create value, and do not shy away from taking responsibility is more precious to me than any title or any degree.

THE TEACHER’S INFLUENCE ON A LEADER

Do you see traces of your own teaching background and life discipline in Mr. Günhan Ulusoy’s leadership style?

As a mother, I believe my years as a teacher have had a meaningful impact on Günhan’s successes. Teaching did not only teach me how to pass on knowledge; it taught me patience, how to listen, and how to guide at the right moment. I tried not to fit him into moulds, but to help him recognise his own potential.

To give an example: in those years, I never sat down and did my children’s homework for them. I pointed them to the right sources and books and made sure they researched and found the answers themselves. It is completely wrong for many parents to sit over their children and “make them do” their homework—or to do it for them. It leads to individuals who lack self-confidence and take the easy way out. And now, of course, AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek have almost started to replace teachers and parents. That, too, is a deep subject, one that deserves a separate discussion in terms of the future of AI and its benefits and risks.

I wanted him to value effort before success, and the process before the result. When he made mistakes, instead of criticising, I supported him in building a cause-and-effect understanding. I can see the traces of this in Günhan. Because as both a mother and a teacher, my greatest goal was to build strong character before anything else.

A photograph from Ulusoy Flourís 50th anniversary celebration in 2019. Nevin Ulusoy is pictured with her late husband, Fahrettin Ulusoy, and their sons, G¸nhan and Erhan. The image reflects the ìshoulder-to-shoulder as a familyî journey she highlights in the interview, and the continuity across generations.

THE BACKBONE OF BUSINESS ETHICS

When raising a young leader, what core values did you emphasise most, particularly in terms of business ethics, responsibility, and people management?

•  Being accountable to one’s conscience,
•  Working in an orderly and efficient way,
•  Taking responsibility,
•  Not lying,
•  Managing people with equality and fairness,
•  Keeping one’s word—never going back on a promise, and never promising what you cannot deliver,
•  Lifelong learning.

Where he is today, I can say with real peace of mind that my role in my son’s achievements was not to draw his path for him, but to equip him with what he needed to walk it with his own steps.

After more than a quarter-century in teaching, you have taken an active role in Ulusoy Flour’s Quality Management System (QMS) operations. From an educator’s  perspective, do you see quality in companies as a procedure or as a culture?

In my view, quality management is a culture. Of course, quality begins with procedures and instructions but it never ends there. A procedure tells you what to do. Culture makes you live why and how it should be done. If quality is remembered only in files, folders, and on audit days, then it is simply an obligation. But if quality gives meaning to the work employees do; if, when a mistake happens, the question is not “Who did it?” but “How do we improve it?”; if the same sensitivity is felt from cleaning to dispatch, from raw materials to customer complaints, then it is culture.

Our aim within the QMS is to embed that culture, so that every employee embraces it with awareness and turns it into a way of life. In short: “Procedures describe quality; culture makes quality lived.”

Your phrase, “In the footsteps of flour—from the field to the mill, from the mill to life,” points to a philosophy of life. How has that philosophy shaped you?

For me, it is not so much a product journey as a human one—about continuity and responsibility. This philosophy taught me to respect quality, labour, and people at every step, from the effort in the field to the moment it reaches the table. In both life and business, it has shaped my belief that everything I do should serve not just an outcome, but an impact.

It also taught me not to fear life. “Every problem has a solution” became my motto, my philosophy of life. That is why I leave no room for haste in my work, or for superficiality and hypocrisy in life. I try to carry the same care into my relationships, my word, and my stance.

THE DIFFERENCE WOMEN BRING TO QUALITY

How does your approach—“quality strengthened by women, a future grown by women”—translate into the sector? Where do you think the difference women bring to quality management becomes most visible?

This approach transforms quality from being merely a technical system into a people-centred structure. Women bring attention to detail, continuity, and an intuitive sense of risk into quality management. Where women are present, quality becomes not just a task, but a natural responsibility.

They do not only identify problems; they focus on producing lasting solutions. In our sector, this difference shows up clearly in hygiene sensitivity, traceability discipline, team communication, and a sustainable understanding of quality. Even the smallest hole in a sack can affect quality. And a woman’s difference often appears in small, but critical details. That is exactly the concrete difference women bring to quality: seeing the issue not after it happens, but before it happens. As a result, a potential problem can be prevented before it even emerges. That forms the strongest foundation for building the future.

WOMEN WILL BE MORE VISIBLE IN NEXT-GENERATION MILLS

The milling industry has traditionally been male-dominated. What would you say to young women who want to enter the sector today? And how do you think women’s role in the flour industry will evolve in the coming years?

That is absolutely true. Milling may historically have been a male-dominated field, but today, talent and vision matter far more than gender. The sector is now driven less by physical strength and more by intelligence, systems, and quality. This shift creates a serious opportunity for women.

First, I would like to underline this: I have four granddaughters and one grandson. So naturally, we hope our girls will step into milling. These days, they have started coming to the company every Wednesday. That is our hope—although of course, when they grow up, our children will make their own choices freely.

And this is what I would say to young women: Women will become more visible not only in quality, laboratories, and food safety, but also in operations, procurement, exports, and senior management. The idea that “women don’t belong on the plant floor” will weaken. As automation increases in next-generation facilities and humanoid robots come into play, it will be intelligence, systems, and discipline—not physical strength—that stand out. In the institutionalisation of family companies, women’s role will no longer be complementary; it will be decisive. The mills of the future will run more quietly, but women’s voices will be heard more. The sector is waiting for you, believe in yourself, be determined, and never give up!

Nevin Ulusoy with her late husband, Fahrettin Ulusoy. In the interview, she describes their partnership by saying, ìHe was passionate and proactive; I was the calm, guiding force. Together we balanced each other,î capturing a companionship and shared journey that spanned many years.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: THE CONSCIENCE OF BUSINESS

Where do your social responsibility and civil society efforts stand in this transformation?

I see social responsibility not as something outside the business, but as the business’s conscience. Civil society work is where the sector’s transformation meets real life. Every initiative that supports women, young people, and education carries the culture of quality beyond the factory gates and into society.

Being involved in these fields has shown me this: real transformation is possible not only by expanding production, but by strengthening people. Today, the ground for women to become more visible and more influential in the flour industry is being prepared precisely through this social awareness and volunteer work. During my years as a teacher, I also carried out social solidarity activities at the school where I worked—so this is not unfamiliar to me.

As a company, I follow the social responsibility activities we continue to pursue. We have built schools and mosques; we have established laboratories and IT centres at many schools; and we have supported civil society organisations through donations. Under Ulusoy Flour, we continue to provide scholarships for students. This is a social responsibility project I personally cherish as an educator—one that has been continuing for a very long time, dating back to the years when my husband was in the food wholesale business.

There are also associations I am personally a member of—Make-A-Wish and Sen-De-Gel (Association for Qualified Change and Development in the Social and Economic Sphere)—and I continue my work within them as well. As a company, we publish TSRS (Türkiye Sustainability Reporting Standards) reports on changing climate conditions, and we raise awareness by carrying out zero-waste project work together with civil society organisations.

OPENING DOORS FOR WOMEN IN MILLING

Looking back on this long journey—from teaching to industry, and from a family business to a corporate structure—what is the most important value you feel you have added to the sector?

With the habits I brought from teaching, I put people at the centre. I adopted an approach that did not simply make people follow procedures, but explained the reasons behind them. First, I took the lead in establishing a Quality Management System (QMS). At the beginning, managers opposed the idea. Naturally, they saw it as piles of documents—procedures, records, printouts, and so on. But the essence of the work was never that. This choice is what helped lead us into a more institutionalised structure.

I also ensured that women were hired in production. In the flour industry, you simply did not have women working in production. We achieved progress in quality and hygiene through women’s intuition and attention to detail. We removed gender wording from job postings; we ensured that women were represented in leadership roles in health, safety, environment, and foreign trade—areas that had largely been run by men; and we enabled the first female miller to be employed. These were significant, bold contributions in a male-dominated flour sector.

When I look back today, my greatest achievement is that processes work—and, beyond that, that people embrace quality. Because real permanence begins not in systems, but in people.

A MESSAGE TO THE NEXT GENERATION

Finally, what message would you like to share with our readers—especially young people and women?

•  To young people: work—don’t sit at home. Start somewhere; don’t become part of the new generation of “staying-at-home youth.” I recommend working efficiently. There are people who work for three days and produce six days’ worth of results; and there are people who work for six days and produce three days’ worth of results.
•  Use your time well—you can never live the previous minute again.
•  Do not step away from the truth. Even if it costs you, keep following what is right.
•  To mothers and fathers: don’t buy your children toy weapons. Let our children grow up in a world full of peace, without even knowing war.
•  To women: believe in yourselves. Even if obstacles appear in front of you, never give up. You’ll be the winner in the end.
•  Question, learn, and be ethical.
•  Use the language of the future—digitalisation and artificial intelligence—but do not surrender to it.
•  Create value. Don’t just “fill a seat”; leave the place you are in better than you found it.

I hope I have been able to express my feelings and thoughts through this interview you have made possible. Women’s signature will be seen more in the mills of the future, in the business world of the future—and even on Mars, the new planet where we may one day live. I wish happiness and success in life to the next generation, and to women and men around the world as citizens of the world.