Yazd sesame value chain, product matrix, industrial-city plants and Beheshti Blvd. press workshops
Directory of 24+ Ardakan halva ardeh, tahini and sesame oil plants and workshops — seed import analysis, traditional process differentiation, Tehran wholesale and Gulf export channels.
Ardakan County in Yazd Province is Iran’s historic hub for sesame crushing and halva ardeh; an estimated 75–85% of Yazd’s sesame and halva processing capacity sits in this county.
A mature ecosystem of 155–160 active units — from industrial-city plants to Beheshti Blvd. press workshops — delivers roughly 100–110 tonnes per day of tahini, halva ardeh and oil derivatives.
Traditional Ardakan recipes use at least 50% pure sesame tahini by weight; invert sugar syrup, soapwort extract and gentle kneading at controlled temperature yield a soft, spoonable cream without throat burn — unlike high-glucose industrial sugar halva with fibrous, brittle texture.
| Product line | Formula / process | Portfolio role | Texture / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional halva ardeh | Min. 50% tahini + invert syrup & soapwort extract | Core identity & souvenir SKU | Soft creamy texture |
| Sugar halva | Lower tahini, high glucose & heat | High-volume retail | Fibrous dry bite |
| Wellness halva | Date/grape molasses, no white sugar | Fast-growing health segment | Elastic caramel notes |
| Pure tahini | 100% hulled stone-milled kernel | Feedstock for halva lines | Tahini export grade |
| Tahini spreads | Tahini + cocoa, pistachio or hazelnut | Breakfast spread alternative | Spreadable |
| Sesame oil | Roasted tahini press or cold seed press | Cooking & light frying | High antioxidant profile |
| Sesame snacks | Toasted seeds + honey syrup & nuts | Gift & snack export | Crisp texture |
Sort imported or local seed lots before roasting.
Produce pure tahini on heritage or modern mills.
Sugar or natural molasses with soapwort; controlled concentration temperature.
Blend tahini and syrup without breaking sesame protein and oil bonds.
Vacuum or nitrogen flush for oxidative shelf life.
Domestic farm output (~30,000 t/year) lags industrial demand; Ardakan plants rely on imports from Sudan, Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, exposing the chain to FX swings, customs duties and aflatoxin limits.
Stricter aflatoxin limits and laser color sorting push workshops without cluster lab access out of formal retail channels.
| Pole | Role | Infrastructure | Key players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardakan Industrial City | Mass production, ISO & HACCP | Hydraulic hullers, labs | Torang, Barsam, Shaboli, Samer, Rozbon |
| Shahid Beheshti & Sadabad | Press workshops & bulk trade | Stone mills, copper kettles | Kamali, Payedar, Kariz, Kachib |
| Transit highway retail | Traveler showcase | Roadside stores | Barpaz, Tintanani, Masama |
| Tehran hub | Chain retail & brokerage | Commercial offices | Barsam, Koonjedkade, Torang |
The Ardakan Halva Makers & Pressers Union regulates micro workshops; the Sesame Cluster Supply & Development Co. (reg. 1303) delivers shared hulling, cluster labs and pooled seed procurement for SMEs.
Industrial-city plants and leading craft workshops compiled from registry data and Ardakan industry directories:
| Company / brand | Location | Activity | Key products | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ta'me Mandegar Terang ArdakanBrand: Torang | Ardakan Industrial City, food phase | Mechanized plant, hulling & packing | Traditional halva ardeh, sugar halva, sesame oil | Export active |
| Barsam Shireen SalamatBrand: Barsam | Ardakan Industrial City, Kaj Blvd. | Advanced processing, export packing | Halva ardeh, premium tahini, nut spreads | Export active |
| Haj Mashallah Shaboli Sesame IndustriesBrand: Haji Shaboli / Shahboli | Industrial city & Shahid Beheshti Blvd. | Plant, pressing, major bulk supply | Soft halva ardeh, pure tahini, sesame oil | Export active |
| Rozbon Food IndustriesBrand: Rozbon | Ardakan Industrial City | Advanced processing, single-serve packs | Premium halva, organic tahini, sachet sugar halva | Export active |
| Samer Ardakan Halva & TahiniBrand: Samer Ardakan | Ardakan Industrial City | Oil & halva plant, accredited lab | Halva ardeh, food-grade tahini, virgin oil | Export active |
| Barpaz Traditional Halva ArdehBrand: Barpaz | Shahid Asizadeh Blvd. | Heritage recipe, chain retail supply | Soft halva ardeh, sugar halva, stone-ground tahini | Wholesale |
| Kachib Sesame ProductsBrand: Kachib | Shahid Beheshti Blvd., Sadabad | Industrial processing, direct retail | Halva ardeh, premium tahini, sesame oil | Export active |
| Kakh Ardakan Sesame ProductsBrand: Kakh Ardakan | Industrial city, Ardakan–Nain road | Processing, packing, wholesale | Kakh halva ardeh, pure tahini, edible oil | Wholesale |
| Ideal Ardakan Halva Ardeh Cooperative | Ardakan County | Producer cooperative, institutional supply | Traditional halva ardeh, premium tahini | Domestic |
| Artan Tabiat ArdakanBrand: Halva Shahboli | Ardakan County | Industrial production, e-commerce | Premium halva, pure tahini, sugar halva | Domestic |
| Company / brand | Location | Activity | Key products | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tintanani Halva Ardeh Production | Shahid Beheshti Blvd. | Heritage workshop, souvenir bulk | Handmade halva ardeh, traditional tahini | Domestic |
| Kariz Halva Ardeh | Shahid Beheshti Blvd. | Traditional press, wholesale | Halva ardeh, double-roasted stone tahini | Wholesale |
| Bazarno Halva Ardeh | Khatami Square | Press workshop, local retail | Moulded soft halva, roasted sesame | Domestic |
| Raham Halvasazi | Bahonar St. | Semi-industrial, provincial bulk | Export-grade halva ardeh, tahini cream | Export active |
| Taheri Halvasazi | Valiasr Blvd. | Traditional press | Halva ardeh, raw stone tahini | Wholesale |
| Hashemi Halvasazi | Shahid Beheshti Blvd. | Urban wholesale | Drum & mould halva ardeh | Wholesale |
| Momtaz Kamali Halvasazi | Shahid Beheshti Blvd. | Roadside retail | Premium soft halva ardeh | Domestic |
| Payedar Halvasazi | Shahid Beheshti Blvd. | Regional wholesale | Traditional halva, top-grade tahini | Wholesale |
| Shayan Halvasazi | Khamenei Blvd., Bazarno | Central market shop | Pulled halva ardeh, sugar halva | Domestic |
| Sarafraz Halvasazi | Shahid Beheshti Blvd. | Souvenir retail | Traditional halva, virgin oil | Domestic |
| Masama Ardakan Production | Shahid Dehestani Blvd. | Daily direct sales | Premium soft halva ardeh | Domestic |
| Mandegar (Jahazi) Halva Ardeh | Shahid Soleimani Blvd. | Travel retail workshop | Cardamom halva ardeh, tahini & syrup | Domestic |
| Koonjedkade Supply GroupBrand: Koonjedkade | Ardakan plant / Tehran offices | National bulk brokerage | 8 kg drum traditional halva ardeh | Wholesale |
| Ferdows Sesame Products | Workshop district | Large-scale bulk supply | Fresh grade-one bulk halva ardeh | Wholesale |
Three outbound channels: highway stores on Beheshti and Asizadeh for transit demand; Tehran brokerage feeding national chains (Etka, Shahrvand, OK) via Barsam, Torang and Koonjedkade offices; regional exports to UAE, Oman, Qatar, Iraq and Russia through Yazd customs.
Stricter aflatoxin limits and laser color sorting push workshops without cluster lab access out of formal retail channels.
Leaders (Rozbon, Barsam, Torang) lifted added value up to 35% with date molasses, single-serve packs and nut creams, extending consumption beyond winter.
2014 intangible heritage listing must be paired with international GI registration and unified union–cluster branding to defend Ardakan’s position in Middle East and EU markets.
Iranco connects you with verified sesame processors, wholesalers and exporters in Ardakan County.