From Antep Baklava to Shaki Halva: Turning Local Flavor into Gold with Geographical Indication

Category: ⚖️ Legal | Reading time: 7 min

Why is the name "Antep baklava" so valuable worldwide? Because this name is protected. Only those who produce it in Gaziantep using a specific method can use it. This protection turns the product from an ordinary dessert into an international brand.

Azerbaijan also has such treasures — Sheki halva, Guba apple, Lankaran tea, Absheron saffron. The question is: can we protect them and turn them into gold?

1. What is a geographical indication?

Geographical indication is the legal protection of a product's name tied to a specific place. That is, the name "Sheki halva" can only be used by someone who produces it in Sheki using traditional methods. Halva made in another region cannot be sold under the name "Sheki halva."

This is not just a legal formality — it is a mechanism that protects a region's flavor, labor, and name from appropriation.

2. The Turkish example: value increases when the name is protected

Turkey is a global example on this path. Today, Turkey has over a thousand registered geographical indications; the city of Gaziantep alone has more than a hundred registered products. The most iconic is Antep baklava — it became the first Turkish product registered with the European Union.

What was the result? When the name is protected:

• Imitations decreased, the value of the authentic product increased.
• Export prices rose — a "protected name" means money on the international market.
• The region became attractive for tourism — people came to "taste the real thing in its place."

In one sentence: a geographical indication turns a product from "cheap food" into a "protected brand."

3. The opportunity for Azerbaijan

Good news: Azerbaijan has already taken steps in this direction. The state's Gastronomy Tourism Strategic Plan aims to register more than 25 products as geographical indications by 2027. The registration is carried out by the Intellectual Property Agency.

Some of the target products: Sheki halva, Guba apple, Lankaran tea, Absheron saffron.

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ 💡 WHAT DOES A GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION GIVE THE ENTREPRENEUR? ║ ║ ║ ║ 1. Legal protection against imitation ║ ║ 2. Higher sales price ║ ║ 3. Export advantage ║ ║ 4. Tourism attraction ("taste the real in its place") ║ ║ 5. Recognition of the region as an entire brand ║ ║ ║ ║ 🔗 One product — five benefits. ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

4. Practical meaning for the producer/entrepreneur

If you produce a traditional product in a specific region, a geographical indication is for you:

• A shield — no one else can appropriate your name.
• Pricing power — a "protected authentic product" sells for more.
• A tourism magnet — gastro tourists seek the authentic product in its place, bringing them to your region.

That is, a geographical indication is not just a piece of paper — it is a tool that revitalizes the regional economy.

5. How to apply? (brief)

Applications are submitted to the Intellectual Property Agency; the product is registered as a "designation of origin" or "geographical indication." The process requires documenting the connection to the region, the production method, and tradition. This is usually carried out not by an individual, but by an association of producers in the region.

Final thought

A geographical indication is a mechanism that turns local flavor into gold. Turkey proved it; Azerbaijan has embarked on that same path with state support. If you produce a traditional product in a region, protecting its name is the first step to turning it into an international brand.

Source: Republic of Türkiye geographical indication registration statistics; Republic of Azerbaijan Gastronomy Tourism Strategic Development Plan (2025-2030); Intellectual Property Agency. This article is for general information and is not legal advice.