There are people who can't get enough of learning. You can see that they are not satisfied with learning and putting what they have learned into practice. Dr. Murat Emre Yardibi is one of them. His life is witness to that. Dr. Emre Yardibi says that 26 years after graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 1992, he started his second doctorate in Virology at Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa . More than 30 years have been spent learning and practicing what he has learned, both in the academia and business. An important figure for the industry.

We had the opportunity to have a conversation with Dr. Murat Emre Yardibi, Founder of Probio Sağlık Ürünleri A.Ş. and Vice Chairman of Association of Feed (TÜYEKAD), focusing on feed additives and animal health. In our interview, we had the opportunity to talk about the Russia-Ukraine war, which is one of the hot agendas of the world, the effects of the pandemic on the feed additives industry, and the structural problems of the industry. We also touched on the service mindset and goals of Probio Sağlık Ürünleri A.Ş.

Mr. Dr. Emre Yardibi's answers to our questions are as follows:

Can we get to know you first? What have you done so far? Could you tell us what the feed additive and animal health sector mean to you?

I graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. After completing my military service as a Food Control Officer at the Northern Sea Area Command in 1993-1994, I started to work at Pfizer Animal Health company as a Technical Services officer. In 1995, I started my Ph.D. in Parasitology at Ankara University Health Sciences Institute. I ended my business life at Pfizer in 1998 and started working as Technical and Marketing Chief for Roche Vitamin and Chemicals. Thus, my professional life has evolved from being mainly on animal health to the field of animal nutrition. Thus, in 2003, I started my Master's degree in Animal Science, affiliated with the Institute of Science at Trakya University, Faculty of Agriculture. After Roche Vitamins was sold to DSM company globally in 2003, I started to work for DSM company. By the way, I completed my Ph.D. education, which I started in 1995, in 2004, and my Master's Education, which I started in 2003, in 2005. I started working as the Turkey and Middle East Manager of Novus International in 2009 upon the offer I received while I was working as the Country Sales Manager, which I started in 2007. In the meantime, I completed my Master of Business Administration education, which I started in 2009 at Istanbul Bilgi University under the Social Sciences Institute, in 2012. In the process, I also completed my Computer-Aided Design and Animation training at Ayvansaray University and Photography and Cameraman training at Anadolu University. In 2018, I started my doctoral education in Virology at Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa. I left my job at Novus in 2019 after 10 years and started to serve in the field of Animal Health and Nutrition in my own company, Probio Sağlık Ürünleri A.Ş. I am currently continuing my duty as TUYEKAD Vice President. I think my story so far is enough to explain what the feed additives and animal health industry really means to me.

Can you give information about Probio Sağlık Ürünleri A.Ş.? 

Although Probio Sağlık Ürünleri was established in 2016 to be the distributor of a foreign company, after this could not be realized, it continued its activities with R&D activities within Istanbul University Technopolis and started its commercial activities in 2020. We carry out our commercial activities by cooperating with many domestic and foreign companies. Our activities continue within the framework of our strategic cooperation and distributorship agreements with Nanomik-Tech company in Animal Health and Nutrition, strategic cooperation and distributorship with Kartal Kimya in the field of Aquaculture and Pet, and distributorship agreements with Patent-Co, Dr. Eckel, Visgeneer and Kersia companies. Although we have some limited exports to Middle Eastern countries, our main activity is within the borders of the Republic of Turkey. In addition, we are also planning global activities with some products that will emerge from R&D activities.

WE PRODUCE SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS

What expectations do you fulfill in quality, price, performance, etc., in the products you sell? What comes to your customers' minds when they think of Probio?

Within the framework of our motto "Science, Solutions, Emotions", we are trying to contribute to sustainable and profitable production of breeders by producing scientific solutions. Although we are still a young company, some of our customers may think of probiotics when they say Probio due to the similarity of the name, but PROBIO basically consists of the combination of the words "PROFESSIONAL for BIOLOGICALS". Our work with the experts of their fields in every field also supports this. 

What are your company's future goals? What are you doing to achieve them?

We plan to offer solutions that will emerge from our R&D activities on top of solutions from abroad, to the service of global manufacturers. In this direction, our activities with Nanomik company, which has many international awards, started to bear fruit. This way, we aim to transcend an ordinary supplier and become a science-based company that produces unique solutions.

COMPANIES MANUFACTURING WITH THEIR OWN RESOURCES LESS AFFECTED BY PANDEMIC

Since you also have a commercial capability on top of scientific knowledge in the field, we would like to benefit from your thoughts on this subject. Do you observe a visible change in the structure of the feed additives industry after the pandemic?

The supply chain problems caused by the pandemic have led to a greater understanding of the efficiency in production and the strategic significance of food. Feed additive companies, which have better established their internal supply chains and make production with self-resources, have been less affected and therefore underlined their sustainability claims. I think customers have also better understood the importance of sustainability assurance for them. 

EVEN 50 YEARS OLD COMPANIES RECEIVE EXPERTISE SERVICE FROM ABROAD

While shocks like COVID-19 and the Ukraine-Russia crisis have shaken the industry globally, they have also tested and continue to test its resilience. What was the picture these shocks take for the industry in the context of food safety? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the industry? Do you think awareness about preparation for possible shocks in the future has increased?

The weakest point of our industry, including energy, is foreign dependency. Importing almost everything ranging from the genetic material of the broiler produced to the raw materials (soybean, etc.), feed additives (vitamins, enzymes, etc.), and used equipment (slaughterhouse, incubation equipment, etc.) threatens healthy and sustainable production. In addition, it is thought-provoking that even companies over 50 years old are still receiving services from abroad in nutrition and breeding.

Covid-19 and war crises have revealed that food, agriculture, and animal husbandry, the significance of which has not been fathomed by the government since the 1980s, is a strategic survival problem. To me, lack of food, agriculture, and livestock planning that considers short, medium, and long-term global dynamics is the biggest threat for the sector.

Is there anything you want to add?

The Peasant (farmer) is the lord of the nation.