In Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu region, tradition and modern entrepreneurship have come together in an unusual family business. In Taldykorgan, young entrepreneur Madiyar Tuibayev and his wife have launched the production of honey kumis (balkymys), giving new life to a traditional national drink. Today, the enterprise produces 600 liters per day, with plans to expand output and enter the Chinese and Uzbek markets in the near future, the press service of the Zhetysu region reports.
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
Returning Home to Start from Scratch
Behind this project lies a conscious personal choice. Madiyar Tuibayev spent eight years studying abroad, after which he worked for many years as a financial analyst in one of Kazakhstan’s western regions. It was there that he met his future wife, built a family, and eventually realized it was time to return home, DKNews.kz reports.
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
After coming back to his native Zhetysu, he decided to start a family business from scratch and focus on something he truly enjoyed. The choice naturally fell on traditional national beverages, closely connected to local culture and raw materials.
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
A Market Gap That Became an Idea
“I graduated in international trade and economics, and my wife is an ecologist by training. But I’ve loved cooking since childhood. As you grow older, traditional national cuisine starts to attract you more,” Tuibayev says. “While working as an analyst, I noticed that a significant amount of honey kumis consumed in our region was imported from abroad. That’s when I decided we should produce our own balkymys here in Zhetysu. Our region is rich in diverse grasses, which means the milk here is especially flavorful and healthy.”
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
Work on the project began in May last year, and full-scale production was launched in September. The family invested around 40 million tenge of their own funds. While current output stands at 600 liters per day, the facility’s capacity allows production of up to 3 tons daily, depending on demand.
Natural Ingredients and a Health Focus
Tuibayev’s wife, Aigerim Shalandieva, emphasizes that the core principle of the business is naturalness.
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
“In producing our honey kumis, we use only natural ingredients. Most of the milk is sourced from a dairy plant in Tekeli, with additional supplies from Taldykorgan. Our balkymys combines cow’s and mare’s milk with a honey-based starter culture and beneficial lactobacteria,” she explains. “Our main goal is to contribute to improving public health. At a time when there are so many products with artificial additives, it’s especially important to return to traditional foods and national drinks.”
In addition to honey kumis, the enterprise also produces the traditional drink Tan, ayran, and Reuteri yogurt. Among future plans is the launch of millet-based tea, another product rooted in national traditions.
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
From Regional Sales to Export
At present, the company employs five people, but the number of jobs is expected to grow as production expands. For now, sales are limited to the Zhetysu region.
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
“We have many plans that could be implemented faster with state support,” Tuibayev notes. “The most important things are motivation and hard work. Our aim is to provide residents with high-quality domestic products at affordable prices. At the moment, we sell only in Zhetysu, but we plan to enter other regions of Kazakhstan and contribute to import substitution. We are also negotiating with Chinese partners and preparing the necessary documentation. We expect to ship the first batch of balkymys to China this spring.”
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
A Family Business Built on Values
The couple has been married for 10 years and is raising two daughters. They are convinced that respect for traditions, mutual support, and honest work have helped them turn a shared dream into reality — building a business that benefits society.
photo by Dmitry Yerofeyev
Their next step is to increase production volumes and expand deliveries of this healing traditional drink not only across Kazakhstan, but also abroad.
It is worth noting that in 2025, 5.9 billion tenge was allocated to support small and medium-sized businesses in the Zhetysu region. As of December 1, 2025, more than 63,000 SMEs were operating in the region — 4% more than in the same period of 2024.
The story of this family-run honey kumis production shows how a traditional product, when combined with modern thinking and dedication, can grow into a business with real export potential.
