The Güllü family has been making baklava since the 1800s.
It is known that Hacı Mehmed Güllü, known as “Güllü Çelebi” in Gaziantep, was the first in the family to start making baklava.
Güllü Çelebi, who started his confectionery career in Gaziantep, traveled to Aleppo and Damascus, the most developed regions of confectionery, for six months to learn the intricacies of baklava.
When she returned to Gaziantep, she set up a baklava stall.
After the death of Güllü Çelebi, his son Hacı Mahmud Güllü continued his father's profession and started making baklava from thin phyllo sheets rolled out one by one with a rolling pin.
When all four sons of Hacı Mahmud Güllü grew up as baklava makers, baklava making became a tradition in the Güllü family.


In the 1930s, dried baklava sent in wooden crates to neighboring provinces carried the reputation of the Güllü Family outside Gaziantep.
Mustafa Güllü, the grandson of Hacı Mahmud Güllü, took courage from the popularity of baklava and decided to bring baklava to Istanbul.
Opened in 1949 in Karaköy, Istanbul's first baklava shop was also the first outside Gaziantep.
Since then, Karaköy Güllüoğlu has been the first address for baklava in Istanbul.

In the following years, baklava became widespread in Istanbul; many baklava shops opened.
Some of them are owned by other members of the Güllü family, while others are owned by the masters and sons of Mustafa Güllü.

While talking about the early days of his establishment, Mustafa Güllü couldn't help but mention the difficulties he had in finding customers.
At that time, most of the people of Istanbul did not know baklava.
Those who did didn't like it because they ate stale baklava.
Mustafa Güllü, who tried very hard to change this opinion, described those days as follows:

“We distributed free baklava for a few years. We even printed flyers as free baklava invitations and distributed them on the streets. The weight of the baklava was 5 liras. On the other hand, we tried to promote baklava by showing commercials in Atlas Cinema, advertisements in newspapers and magazines, and advertising signs in tunnels and trams. But the real advertisement was made by those who tasted our baklava.”
These efforts of Mustafa Güllü started to bear fruit after 1953.
First, the shop was moved to Karaköy, Hayvar Han No:23.
In the 1970s, the current location was rented under the multi-storey parking lot in Karaköy.

Started in 1949 in a small shop, Karaköy Güllüoğlu today has the world's first baklava factory and produces approximately 2.5 tons of baklava per day in its factory located at Karaköy Mumhane Caddesi No:171.

Karaköy Güllüoğlu does not have any stores other than the two stores located under the multi-storey parking lot and on the ground floor of the factory.
People from all over Istanbul come to Karaköy to eat baklava.
Karaköy Güllüoğlu has many regulars among its customers!

The great master Hacı Mustafa Güllü, who shaped the baklava business and trained many baklava masters, passed away on February 21, 2012. Four of the five sons of the late Hacı Mustafa Güllü still continue their father's profession.
In 1983, his eldest son Nejat Güllü and his other son Faruk Güllü left the company in 1993 and decided to continue the profession on their own.
The brothers Nadir and Ömer Güllü stayed with their father in the establishment in Karaköy.

Nadir Güllü had dreamed of a factory-sized workshop since his childhood.
When he took over the business, he rolled up his sleeves to realize this dream and established the baklava factory on Mumhane Street in 1996. Nadir Güllü, who is both the Chairman of the Board of Directors and a baklava master, continues the family business with his brother Ömer Güllü, his children Ebru Güllü Abanoz, Tuğba Güllü Sürmeli and Murat Güllü.

In 1990, the company was incorporated as “Güllüoğlu Gıda San. ve Tic. OLARAK.” The company, known as “Karaköy Güllüoğlu”, is completely different from other companies with the name “Güllüoğlu”.
Karaköy Güllüoğlu can be easily distinguished from others with the Galata Tower in its logo, the Nadir Güllü logo and its flavor.

Karaköy, the center of trade and banking, has also been the center of baklava since 1949.
Karaköy Güllüoğlu is a distinct color, a distinct taste in the vibrant life of this district and a part of the neighborhood texture...

A lot has happened in Karaköy since 1949, but Karaköy Güllüoğlu has been alive for 5 generations...