Geographical Indications and Local Products: Showcasing Authentic Flavours on the QR Menu

Seeing “Antep baklava” printed on a menu is one thing; showing the guest that the baklava genuinely comes from Antep and carries an official registration is quite another. An international guest often wonders whether an unfamiliar regional delicacy is the real thing. This is exactly where a product’s geographical indication earns its place: it is the official, registered identity of a local product. In this guide we explain what a geographical indication is, how to showcase TÜRKPATENT-registered local products on your QR menu, and what that adds to your hotel.

What is a geographical indication?

A geographical indication is a registration that protects products identified with a particular region — products whose quality, reputation or other characteristics are tied to that place. In Turkey this registration is granted by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT), and every registered product has its own registration number. It comes in three main forms, and knowing the difference helps when you mark a product on the menu:

• Appellation of origin (menşe adı): Every stage of production takes place in a defined region and the product owes its qualities to that place. Ezine cheese is an example; without the conditions of that region, the same product cannot be made.
• Geographical indication (mahreç işareti): The product’s reputation rests on a region and at least one stage of its production happens there. Antep baklava or Malatya apricots fall into this group.
• Traditional product name (geleneksel ürün adı): It describes a traditional method or recipe that is not bound to a single region; Turkish delight (lokum) is a well-known example.

How to showcase a local product on the QR menu

Adding a geographical indication to a product in Avdena Menu is simply a matter of a few fields you fill in while defining the product. The flow goes like this:

• Add the product with AI: As you add the item to your menu you type the product name and AI does the rest — the product is created and its name, description and fields such as allergens are suggested. AI speeds up the content but never generates prices; you always set the price yourself.
• Enter the indication type and region: In the product record you enter the type (appellation of origin, geographical indication or traditional product name), the region the product belongs to, and the TÜRKPATENT registration number. Together these form the product’s official identity.
• Complete the cuisine and origin: Alongside the indication you can also state the product’s cuisine and origin — small but meaningful details that round out the regional story.

Entering these fields correctly and completely is the foundation of the trust you offer the guest. You define it once, and the menu carries the rest for you.

How the badge appears in the guest menu

Once you fill in the geographical-indication fields, a badge appears on the product card in the guest menu. The badge uses the official TÜRKPATENT emblem, so the guest sees at a glance that the product carries a registered geographical indication. Sitting right next to the product name, this mark turns an ordinary menu line into an authentic story. When the guest taps it, they can read the type, region and other details in their own language.

Why highlight a geographical indication?

Presenting a local product with its registered identity contributes directly to both the guest experience and how the hotel is positioned:

• Authenticity and trust: An official emblem removes the “is it really regional?” question; the guest knows exactly what they are eating.
• Premium positioning: A registered product stands apart from an ordinary line on the menu and shows the care your kitchen takes.
• Trust for international guests: For a guest who does not know the region, the registration is clear proof of authenticity.
• Multilingual presentation: The details you enter are auto-translated into five guest languages, while brands and proper names are preserved — so “Antep” stays Antep.

What to watch for

A geographical indication is a powerful trust signal, but only when used correctly. Mark a product only if it is genuinely registered, and enter the registration number accurately. Rather than trying to highlight every item, choosing the ones that are truly regional and registered protects the badge’s value. Because the menu is multilingual, it is also a good habit to check once that region and product names read correctly across the translations.

A geographical-indication menu with Avdena

Avdena Menu brings together everything you need to present local products with their registered identity, all in one panel. You add the product with the help of the catalogue and AI; you enter the indication type, the region and the TÜRKPATENT registration number, and complete the cuisine and origin fields. A badge with the official TÜRKPATENT emblem appears on the product card in the guest menu, and all of this information is carried into five guest languages (Turkish, English, Russian, German, Arabic). A cheese in front of the buffet or a baklava in the dessert section becomes not just a menu line, but a story worth telling.

If you want to present your hotel’s regional flavours in an authentic and trustworthy way, take a look at our Avdena Menu page and plan your menu together with the hotel’s other digital touchpoints through Avdena Guest.